Why is Newt being competitive?

[brooklynite]

The latest polls have Mittens below 30%, and Newt Gingrich within about 5 points of him, despite two mediocre finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, and somewhat lackluster performances in the last debates. Is Mitt really that unappealing the the SC bible vote, or has Newt finally found something that works with the Bain attack?

[Skittles]

1. because he is rat bastard poor fucking loser

[GoCubsGo]

3. And, he has an ego the size of Mt. Everest.

Which is why he is a rat bastard poor fucking loser. And, why he thinks this will just boost his speaking fees even higher.

[jdadd]

6. He's got "The Big head"......

Been wanting to use that one, for a while now....

[melissaf]

9. heh. n/t

[orpupilofnature57]

2. S.C, home of Seeecesion ,is Fundamentally

a Christian,and has little to do with ass-head.Blind faith for the party prohibits them from doing the American and christian thing ,seperating Church & State.Thank God for all my liberal democratic friends in South Carolina!!!!

[dimbear]

4. Even Republicans can see Obama would just mulch Santorum or Perry in debates.

A lot of them just want that rabid pitbull approach that Gingrich does. In fact, they wish an actual rabid pitbull were running.

They don't really care who gets in. That's why some of them call their candidates 'Nobama.'

[KharmaTrain]

5. It's Like Choosing...

...from a bucket of shit or a bucket of snot...which one tastes better? The candidate the rushpublicans want is:

[cthulu2016]

7. He is as much from SC as Mitt was from NH

Newt is a Georgian -- he's by far the most regional entrant.

[melissaf]

8. good point.

My thought was also the sour grapes thing--I hadn't thought of the regional bump.

[WCGreen]

10. To make some easy money....

He can convert any funds left over as say consultant fees for his bride.

Or, to sell books.

[salin]

11. While I believe that was initially true

that his wasn't a real campaign (ala selling books instead of campaigning) I think that all changed for Newt during his last minute, pre-caucus "surge".

This man has a gigantic ego. Hell he took the fed. govt. into shut down because he felt slighted that he wasn't invited to sit up front with President Clinton on a plane.

I think when it looked like he might have a shot - his ego got engaged. Might have been temporary but when Mitt (oops I mean the "independent" Super Pac) went all negative on Newt - Newt went into Battle Mode (its all about Newt, after all.)

I think that after the primaries are long past, Mitt's negative moves in Iowa will be seen as a huge tactical mistake. Envoked the wrath of Newt - and the negative rhetoric that will be used in the main election - but when it is harder to discount as Dem vs Repub. Plus the case against Romney and Bain has started so early with so much resonance - that the stories will very much be in the public psyche when voting in November.