Cain flies de coup; newt reigns on the GOP parade

He did it, he quit. Herman Cain, that is.

We told you he was cooked, when this scandal broke. But we also told you - long before his piggish ways with women hit the pixels - he was never going to get the nomination, in fact, our short name for him on this blog was the 'Most Entertaining' Republican Candidate Who Will Never Win The Nomination And Thereby The General Election. (catchy, eh?)

Prophetic? Nah, we're just commonsensical in the way Cain's tea party hope-against-hopesters were not.

We also opined that he, among others in the laughable GOP line-up, was solidly unprepared, riddled with political inexperience, and policy deficits. His simplistic 9-9-9 Plan was shot full of holes by his conservative opponents minutes after it was proposed. 

Then came the exposure of his personal peckerdilloes that put the frosting on the baked goods.

A favorite of race-hustler, GOP king-maker Rush Limbaugh, (who always likes to have a colored or two in his stable) Herman Cain was so self-satisfied and smug about his prospects, that he never apparently read the paper, unless he'd heard that his name was in it. He didn't hire a real campaign staff, nor did any retail politicking in say, Iowa, or New Hampshire. He was pioneering, according to conservative pundits, a new strategy using free Fox News time and debates to run around the mainstream press. It didn't work... it never has.

A motivational speaker and sales executive, Cain tried to pass himself off as a business tycoon, but that was just another of his self-propelled myths. He'd made fair money, -worth maybe $5-6 million, but he was no Koch "bruthuh" or even a Romney, tycoon-wise.

Herman Cain was a sunny, self-promoting poseur hoping to raise his speaking fees. He probably never dreamed he'd be tapped for frontrunner status, and more than likely never suspected how ill-prepared he was for such a position. He learned. Politics are for politicians, a skillset that's best-learned by experience. These professional "Washington outsiders" who come to the noble profession late, rarely succeed.

Though we think Romney is still the odds-on favorite, GOP poll responders have lit upon another colorful, but problematic saviour, the self-designated Definer of Civilization," Newt Gingrich.

His ascension shows clearly the decline of the tea party's once highly-touted clout. Newt is the consummate Washington insider, a well-paid lobbyist who has worked both sides of the partisan fence and has been well-rewarded for it.

Gingrich is the very essence of the Anti-Tea Party. That the top two in the GOP nominees are he and Romney shows that things don't change much in the Party.

They entertain themselves with the right-wing myth that President Obama is an empty suit with a teleprompter, with whom Newt will "mop the floor" with the president in debates.

The meme probably came from Newt himself, and has been definitely furthered by Rush. But it's a dangerous misconception for 2012 for Republicans. Remember "articulate?" Obama did very well in the 2008 debates against veteran frontrunner Hillary Clinton. He was a Harvard law professor, law review editor, practiced as a civil rights lawyer, was a successful presidential candidate and spent 3 years as a speechifying POTUS, giving dozens of hard interviews. Stupid, teleprompter-dependent, he ain't.

"Idea-man Newt" is a bit of an empty suit himself. In the first place, the idea that ditto-heads (tea party baggers) who have been running against campus elites and intellectualism and science for lo' these many should be now counting on a college prof to save them, is hilarous. Newt self-describes as the "smartest guy in the room," and is presently polling well to the same crowd who stuck with George "Brains ain't-Everything" Bush through thick and... Iraq.

But Gingrich's intellect may not be what he cracks it up to be. Not everyone agrees with Newt on his genius. Paul Krugman, our nominee for public intellectual opines wisely that Gingrich is "the stupid man's idea of what a smart man should look like." (In fact, he's an intellectual fundamentalist). Newt, so far, has been able to stand in debates aiming well-crafted, multisyllabic, sarcastic zingers at the media (a punching bag not hard to hit). He keeps above the fray, and makes everyone laugh.

The self-congratulating Gingrich's strength is in his connections, and ability to work the craven Washington system. One must be a little craven yourself to work DC they way Newt does, and that ability would be a good thing for a Republican president, but it's antithetical to what we were told were hardrock tea party's principles.

Newt has plenty of other problems- more of those later- but know this: the empty-headed Mr. Obama would dearly love to run against the brrrilliant Mr. Newt. His campaign doesn't yet believe they'd be so fortunate, but they're polishing their knobs in delight at the prospect.

Comments

[KS]

How about a debate between Newt and Krugman ? Krugman would be exposed as a hack and Newt would kick his touche - doesn't mean I am for Newt because I am not.

Filled with speculation with some spin thrown in for good measure, just as Bla.M likes to write 'em.

[Mike Barer]

Where is Godfather's Pizza? Are they even around anymore?

[Pete]

KS is inadvertently right: Gingrich would mop the floor with Krugman in a debate. Not because Newt is smarter - Krugman's genius has been recognized by a Nobel committee, and Newt's has been recognized, over and over again, by Newt - but political debates aren't won by intellect or even facts. They're won by appeals to emotion, a fact most lefties haven't figured out yet. And Newt is very, very good at that.

[Mary]

Why would anyone even suggest a debate between a windbag of sound bites and an economist? What's the point of such a debate?

Inadvertently right? Krugman is not a politician. Why would he even consider such a debate?

Put Krugman up against any right-wing economist and we might have an interesting deiscussion.

Now, Obama and Gingrich might be interesting since each depends on elocution to survive.

[Tommy008]

Obama gets rattled and turns frenetic, mean, even nasty when things don't go his way. Remember in september of 2008 after McCain brought Palin on board. They had actually started to beat Obama and Biden. This was before the economic meltdown hit a few weeks later. Obama was behind in the polls. I remember at that point he made a speech where he sounded all agitated and off his center, flop sweat in the air, bigtime. He made the comments aboit "lipstick on a pig", referring to Sarah Palin as the pig, although slick Obama and his slicker handlers claimed he was referring to some policy of hers and McCains. He was referring to Palin. The guy sounded scared, flat scared. I can see Newt being able to rattle him in similar fashion, if they go into the first debate with Barack trailing in the polls. He'll get agitated and mean again, the flop sweat dribbling down the back of his neck. It's not a question of liking Newt or thinking hes brilliant . hes not. But neither is Obama and it's time that nonsense be put to bed. It's about a guy who has lower numbers than Jimmy Carter not being given a swcond term, which he doesn't deserve, even if it means voting for Newt. Newt is as smart or brighter than the Obama, with all his pretensions. has more experience, is competent, and loves America, as do 95 percent of the independents who will decide this election.

[Mike D]

Tommy, FYI - imagining a nervous, sweaty, nasty, agitated, scared, sweaty (did I mention sweaty?) Obama won't necessarily make it so. Please post a link to a video of this sweaty-trainwreck-Obama you speak of, otherwise save the fever-dream fantasy writing for your diary.

[Tommy008]

no, its something you will simply deem a fantasy, because it doesn't fit your fake concept of Obama, like a small child coverign his ears and chanting neener neener, neener. You remind me of another guy who, when i posted some negative truths about how Medved behaved and things he said on one of his shows, simply posted saying that it never happened and i iwas lying. I don't have to post any link and i wont . The speech happened,I didn't make it up ( who just makes stuff up like that..what purpose would it serve?) his manner and comments weer as i described- my addition of the flop sweat comment was poetic license, No, i didnt actually see the sweat running down his neck , or any sweat....you don't see that stuff in a wide shot.The "lipstick on a pig" speech happened - i gave you umy interpretatin of it from my poiint of view. Yours may differ, but don't say it never happened like a littlle kid.

[Tommy008]

folks, his boy's numbers are now lower than Jimmy Carter's at the same time in his first and only term. lol... I understand the desperation.

[ExPatBrit]

Mike D

Tommy008 said Trump would be our next POTUS.

Never wrong apparently, a fellow with so much savvy is wasted on all of us.

[Kris Crinkle]

Trump lol who would be his VP, Tom Leykis?

[Tommy008]

never said that, i don't make silly flat statements liek that....at one time i said he might have the best chance of beating Obama. Trump acted stupidly after that and took himself out.. .....but Newt could very well be our next president...big leads over Romney in Florida AND sOUTH cAROLINA, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL POLLS...the attempts to cartoon and trivialize Gingrich by the media and folks like Mike D. and the Brit have not been successful. obviously. He's porjecting strenght and that's what voters aer looking for. He's a fellow that has the old flop sweat going already at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue....bwhahaahahahhaaah

[sparky]

Tommy you "porjected" that Obama wouldn't win in 2008. Newtie is running for the same reason Cain did..to gin up his speaking fees. Cain overestimated how long his brand would appeal to the public. Had he left this race after the first accusation of harassment, he would still be a popular person on the lecture circuit.

[ExPatBrit]

LOL Tommy008. You are such a kidder!

Gingrich is intelligent, but he ain't smart. He doesn't always put his brain in gear before his mouth lets the clutch out. He comes across as an arrogant asshole, just like Gore and Kerry.

Daily Show "A certain dickishne­ss" about Gingrich. He's got that same mean, old man vibe as John McCain.

From a very right wing website.This is from 2 weeks ago but they could have flip-flopped by now!

http://impeachobamatoday.blogspot.com/2011/11/gops-fat-elvis-newt-gingrich-threatens.html

[Tommy008]

in a normal election you might get some traction with the arrogant asshole thing. You might note if you were paying attention, that i've called him the same thing myself, when i still thought Romney would bo the nominee. A couple weeks in a campaign are like weeks in" dog years" however, and things seemed to have changed dramatically. Getting back to my opening statement, the problem with your boy Obama is the "arrogant asshole" thing will simply gain no traction withthe public because Barack is so much more arrogant and assholish. There is no comparison. Newt at least looks accwptable if not likeable by comparison. Speaking fees- no,no, a complete misread of the man. This guy wants to be President, and i've heard no national commentator on the left or the right dispute that. No local commentator for that matter. Just someone on Blatherwatch. Cain is about the speaking fees and such, not Gingrich.

[KS]

I don't see Newt being the nominee. He has essentially no campaign besides his wife and he would not win the female vote, which is becoming increasingly important.

BTW - I would prefer Romney or Huntsman over Newt and don't see Jon Huntsman or Ron Paul running as 3rd party candidates.

[Tommy008]

and i think its great that Cain stayed in the campaign just long enough to see his speaking fees go to " well pay you 500 dollars to stay away from our convention, guy") status. what a phony, creepy bastard.

[sparky]

Agree 100% about Cain, Tommy.

[KS]

Cain is innocent until proven guilty. He was right to get out of the race though as he was becoming a big distraction. I have yet to be convinced that any one of those bimbos is telling the truth - they are out for money. What happened to Gloria Allred ?

Black conservatives are shown no mercy by the press, while black liberals get a wide berth as you should all know by now. I'm open to changing my position, when there is incontravertible evidence, which hasn't happened yet.

[ExPatBrit]

LOL

Never mind Tommy, Romney is the man.

It's all fixed, get used to it.

A nice, kind of out of touch rich guy from MA who has had some changes of heart, what could possibly go wrong?

I heard they are planning on refitting a C5 if Gingrich becomes president instead of a 747.

They will need it for all of Newts baggage.

[Tommy008]

you may be right KS but im starting to get thr feeling that Romney is the front runner and the next nominee the same way Ed Muskie was the front runner and the next nominsee in the winter of 1972. We all remember the Nixon vs. Muskie race in the fall of 1972. Not.

[Tommy008]

looking more and more glum for Romney. The Newtster now has huge leads in three early primary states.....Trump looking very perceptive these days.....on Foxnews he told Greta thst Obama has an arrogance about him- with no reason to be arrogant. Gingrich/TRUMP would be a very strong ticket, I must say it again. I see Trump endorsing Gingrish after the Trump-hosted debate, followed bt Newt announcing Trump as his VP choice. Cant' wait for the first Newt/Obama debate where the condescending Mr. Arrogance finally meets his match.

[KS]

The Destroyer Newt has sustained hull damage from attacks from fellow conservatives and his shot against the bow of Goodship Romney that dissed capitalism by firing progressivist bombs. This prompted subsequent fire from conservative talking heads who saw the Newt as a threat to the process and playing into the hands of Democratic forces.

All in all, it looks like a drawn out process like the Dems had in 2008, except that the end result is that everyone found out remarkably little about the candidate that emerged and is not the POTUS and now those chickens have come back to roost. The GOP process will produce extensive knowledge about whoever is the candidate thanks to the Obamamedia - for attempting to throw refuse against the wall to see if it sticks and also the internal vetting process by the Repuglicans and their ad nauseum debates.
The Donald wants to get his licks in before its all said and done, but if his ego decides to run for POTUS, that could very well sink the Repuglican fleet and the forecast would be rough seas ahead for this Land of the Free over the next 4-5 years.