As a result of Newt Gingrich’s smashing victory in South Carolina, the panic and hysteria within conservative ranks and in the Republican Party establishment has grown by leaps and bounds. Critics suggest that Newt as the potential nominee, with an almost 60 percent unfavorable rating in national public opinion polls, about the same as when he was Speaker of the House fifteen years ago, and was on his way out as a result of a conservative Republican move against him in the House of Representatives, will lead to a massive defeat and bring down Republicans in both houses of Congress.
The list is long who is against Gingrich, with an incomplete list following in no special order.
George H. W. Bush, former President of the United States
Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security and Pennsylvania Governor
Chris Christie, New Jersey Governor
Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Senator
Nikki Haley, South Carolina Governor
Tim Pawlenty, former Minnesota Governor
Haley Barbour, former Mississippi Governor and Republican National Chairman
Jon Huntsman, former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China
Mark Kirk, Illinois Senator
John McCain, Arizona Senator
Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Senator
Joe Scarborough, former Florida Congressman and MSNBC Talk Show Host
Susan Molinari, former New York Congresswoman
Rush Limbaugh, Conservative Radio Talk Show Host
Ann Coulter, Conservative Activists
Charles Krauthammer, Conservative Activist and Fox News Channel Contributor
Bill Kristol, Publisher of Weekly Standard and Fox News Contributor
David Brooks, NY Times Journalist
Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal Journalist and Reagan Speechwriter
George Will, Conservative Journalist and ABC News Contributor
Peter King, New York Congressman
Glenn Beck, Conservative Radio Talk Show Host
Brit Hume, Fox News Channel Contributor
Jonah Goldberg, Conservative Author and Activist
Roy Blunt, Missouri Senator
Scott Brown, Massachusetts Senator
Orrin Hatch, Utah Senator
Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Senator
Rob Portman, Ohio Senator
John Thune, South Dakota Senator
Bob McDonnell, Virginia Governor
Dan Quayle, former Vice President
Bob Dole, former Kansas Senator and Presidential Nominee in 1996
Norm Coleman, former Minnesota Senator
John Danforth, former Missouri Senator
Elizabeth Dole, former North Carolina Senator and Cabinet Member
Judd Gregg, former New Hampshire Senator
John Sununu, former White House Chief of Staff and New Hampshire Governor
Gordon Smith, former Oregon Senator
Jim Talent, former Missouri Senator
John Sununu, Jr, former New Hampshire Senator
David Frum, conservative journalist and former aide to George W. Bush
George Voinovich, former Ohio Senator
Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Rick Lazio, former New York Congressman
James Baker, former Secretary of State and White House Chief of Staff
Robert Bork, former Reagan Supreme Court nominee
John Bolton, former United Nations Ambassador
This list of critics, all supporters of Mitt Romney, fear a calamity in the making, but the battle to overcome Gingrich seems likely to be a long, and possibly, unsuccessful one.
Some predict that a Gingrich candidacy will be similar to Barry Goldwater in 1964, causing a split that will not easily be healed in the short term future.
Just wondered if Newt had lunch with Rick yet? Would love to hear that conversation.