If one was looking for fiery, crowd pleasing, political rhetoric from former Speaker Newt Gingrich as he addressed CPAC today, they were likely disappointed. What Gingrich did do was run through a litany of policy solutions he claimed he has committed to implement immediately upon taking office in January of 2013.

Contrasting an America that can versus an America that can’t, Gingrich compared America’s speed and might in winning WWII versus her current inability to seal its own border. In a lighter moment, the former Speaker contrasted the efficiency of package tracking by Federal Express with the government’s inability to track illegal immigrants, suggesting sending each one a package may be the best way to apprehend the latter.

He also mentioned repealing Obamacare, Dodd Frank, and Sarbanes Oxley on his first day in office. He stated his desire to be a “paycheck president” versus a “food stamp president,” a term he used to denigrate Barack Obama.

Calling for a Fall campaign focused on substance, Gingrich also mentioned eliminating the Capital Gains tax and implementing 100% expensing for all new equipment written off in one year to help get the economy growing. Additionally, he called for a modernization of the workforce, proposing that unemployment compensation be linked to business training programs to avoid paying people for 99 weeks “for doing nothing.” (more…)

The understandable rush to whip together an anti-Romney coalition in the GOP heated up with Rick Perry’s announcement that he’s leaving the race and endorsing Newt Gingrich. While an imperfect alliance, it is at least a bit more genuine than Jon Huntsman’s about-face when he dropped out to suck up to the Romney camp.

A far more troubling endorsement seems to be in the offing, with the rumor that some Tea Party “leaders” are going to announce support for Gingrich.

Calm down; it’s from a Democrat ad.

Having been involved in this movement since Day One, I’ve always intensely disliked anyone speaking for it as a “leader”. People who do so are playing into the progressive lie that this isn’t a true grassroots organization.

The glaring problem, of course, is that Newt Gingrich is not exactly standard Tea Party fare. In fact, if you’d told anyone in the movement a year ago that there would be a groundswell of support for him now the laughter would have punctured your eardrums.

In a Weekly Standard piece written last month, I was asked about some of the shifting attitudes towards the former Speaker. What ended up in the article made it seem as if I could quickly jump aboard Team Newt. The overall idea I was trying to convey was that “anybody but Romney” fervor could drive people to do strange things. And while that anti-Mitt sentiment would probably be the only reason I’d get behind Newt, I certainly wouldn’t pretend that we were ideologically simpatico. (more…)

From Politico:

Rick Perry is expected to drop out later this morning at an 11 a.m. press conference and endorse Newt Gingrich, two sources confirmed to POLITICO.

The news was first reported by CNN.

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When Gov. Sarah Palin appeared on Sean Hannity’s television program, Hannity, last night, she discussed the recent GOP debate and the fast approaching South Carolina primary. Concerning the debate she had strong praise for Gov. Rick Perry, whom she described as “on fire” and “a true patriot.” She also spoke of how well she thought Rick Santorum did in taking it to Mitt Romney: of how Santorum “had an opponent up on the ropes,” which is “what you have to do to get to the truth.” But she reserved her highest praise for Speaker Newt Gingrich, whom she believed won the debate in South Carolina.

Said Palin:

Newt came out, just like South Carolina’s own Smokin’ Joe Frazier, he came out swinging, talking about work, talking about jobs and work ethic, and how government needs to get out of the way in order for all Americans to have a sense of opportunity to work, and I think that’s what a lot of voters have been craving.

The clip of Newt that played just before Palin said these things was of him pointing toward of the horizon during the debate and saying:

I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their Creator with the right to pursue happiness, and if that makes liberals unhappy, I’m going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn to get a better job and learn some day to own the job.

After Palin had praised Newt in this fashion, Hannity asked her if she was ready to endorse a candidate. And while she didn’t yet give an endorsement for the race in general, she did say, “I can tell you what I would do if I were a South Carolinian.…I would vote for Newt.” She went on to say that one of the reasons she’d do this is to be sure the vetting process continues for the candidates, inasmuch as the “mistake made in our country four years ago was having a candidate who was not vetted.”

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) Romney did say that while he might be willing to release his tax returns, he wouldn’t do so until tax filing time in April. And the multimillionaire former businessman didn’t get much gratitude from his rivals for his halting change of heart.

“If there’s nothing there, why is he waiting `til April?” Gingrich told reporters.

Romney at first sidestepped calls from his rivals to release his records, then acknowledging later that he’d follow the lead of previous presidential candidates.

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At the South Carolina GOP Forum on January 14, conservatism shined as Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, and even former candidate Jon Huntsman, talked about shrinking the size of government, reducing taxes, repealing Obamacare, repealing Dodd-Frank, and eliminating the EPA’s regulatory overreach.

Yet during the event, moderated by FOX NEWS’ Mike Huckabee, the most memorable moment came from Gov. Perry, who asked the pertinent question: “Are you better off now than you were four [trillion dollars] ago?” The question was timely, and it not only harkened back to Ronald Reagan’s great 1980 campaign, but drew much needed attention to the hole Obama has dug for himself as well.

One week before voting took place in the contest between Reagan and Jimmy Carter, the Great Communicator looked into the camera and posed the following question to the American people: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” It proved to be a powerful question, because Americans as a whole weren’t better off. In fact, they were far worse off thanks to Carter and his economy-crushing policies.

Reagan followed that question with a series of others:

Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we’re as strong as we were four years ago?

On Saturday, Perry’s question was basically a synopsis of all these questions put together. And by including the dollar amount ($4 trillion) it makes the point that should stick with all voters as they head to the voting booth later this year. Namely, are you better off now that Obama has spent us into oblivion or were you better off before?

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Mike Flynn, Editor, BigGovernment:

At last, days before what everyone in the media claims is the “final” primary contest before Romney’s inevitable capture of the GOP nomination, we had our first real debate. Not only was there back-and-forth among the candidates, but we were also treated to something resembling substance on some interesting issues. After South Carolina, something like 3% of all GOP delegates will have been selected. No need to end this party too soon, especially since the candidates’ characters and positions are only now starting to emerge.

Gov. Perry and Gingrich had the best night, overall. But, a good debate performance is already baked into the cake for Newt, so it isn’t clear how much of a bump he gets. Perry has steadily improved in the debates, with tonight’s performance being his best, but it may be too little too late. Sad, as I still think he has the record and the temperament to warrant a second look. GOP voters seem stubbornly fixated on never giving him that.

Romney, on the cusp of the media’s coronation, was finally subjected to sustained attacks from his rivals. He generally deflected most of these. But, not in a way that gives me confidence should he be the nominee. It was more in the ‘i-have-some-good-lines-to-counter-these-points’ kind of deflection rather than directly answering the charge. He was trying to win on points. Marquiss of Queensbury rules won’t cut it in November.

As for Santorum….well. He could certainly best Obama in a smugness contest. I’d like to borrow that man’s mirror for a day, but I’d probably become convinced I’m some modern-day Pericles and combust in a fire-ball of my own awesomeness. That a collection of evangelical leaders tapped him as their choice for the next President says way too much about the current state of leadership in the evangelical movement.

Ron Paul seems to be having a blast in this campaign. I know many people obsess over his obviously antiquated views on foreign policy, but he is acting like a modern-day Diogenes and making the other candidates more honest.

Line of the night goes to Gingrich: 99 weeks is an Associate Degree.

Dana Loesch, Editor, BigJournalism:

Newt Gingrich won tonight’s debate. Rick Perry finished second, followed by Santorum, Romney, and Paul. My favorite moment of the debate was when Romney slammed campaign finance law and the necessity of super PACs thus slamming … John McCain’s legislation. McCain, who last week endorsed him. Gingrich’s Ben Franklin-esque answer on helping people from poverty rather than making them easier in it earned him a standing O. Takeaway quote on unemployment benefits: “99 weeks is an associate degree.”

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The first sign of trouble surrounding a number of evangelical Christians backing Rick Santorum came via a blog post on the weekend. An attendee claimed it was done assuming Romney would get the nomination, but provided an opportunity for the evangelicals to be influential with the prospective nominee. Today, the Washington Times picks up on a slightly different charge.

When asked one-on-one why they were going for Santorum when they knew he had no money, no organization, and stood not a ghost of a chance to win the nomination, the truth came out:

“If we unify behind Santorum, it will force Romney to pick him as his running mate – for he’ll know that’s the only way to get our support in the general (election in November).” That’s the slimy deal behind this. They’ll go for Romney if he goes for Santorum on his ticket. Should we call them Judas Conservatives?

It’s now being alleged that a number of evangelicals not supporting Santorum left after the second ballot without realizing there was to be another vote. It’s also being reported that there were incidents of ballot stuffing in support of Santorum. Santorum ultimately received the endorsement on the third ballot.

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Jon Huntsman will withdraw Monday from the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Campaign officials tell The Associated Press Huntsman will endorse Mitt Romney at an event in South Carolina on Monday morning.

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As the Republican presidential hopefuls slug it out debate after debate, and sound bite after sound bite, and President Obama endlessly drones on from the sidelines with his mantra that the wealthy must pay their fair share (according to CBO and IRS data, the top 10% of households pay more than 70% of all federal income taxes and nearly 50% pay none) we are reminded of Sir Winston Churchill’s assessment of Democracy.  “It is,” he said, “the worst system there is except for all the others that have been tried.”

We believe the 2012 presidential election season, which really began last summer, is, as Sir Winston opined, the worst, but, we would hasten to add, also the best given the clear choices in direction the President on the left and the candidates on the right provide.  These are not the run-of-the-mill choices with which Americans are always presented at election time.  We are faced with truly transformative choices; choices that only a vibrant democracy could possibly provide.

President Obama represents a textbook example of one side of the Liberal/ Conservative divide. That is, collective equality versus individual liberty.  Domestically, President Obama is a strong proponent of a centrally managed, distributive economy and a muscular government forcefully asserting its regulatory authority over a wide swath of American business activity and personal life, greatly expanding its entitlement agenda and aggressively taxing (1) earned income (middle and upper), (2) capital and (3) returns on investment (dividends).  Perhaps, that’s the America to which a majority of Americans aspire.  We don’t think so.

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Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has received a powerful shot in the arm as top US evangelical leaders endorsed his White House bid ahead of a crucial South Carolina primary.

The endorsement came after about 150 influential Christian conservative leaders met at a ranch outside of Houston, Texas, in hopes of rallying their forces around one candidate before the January 21 vote in the state where evangelicals and social conservatives make up 60 percent of the Republican electorate.

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(Reuters) – A federal judge in Virginia on Friday refused to order that candidates Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman be added to the ballot in the state’s March 6 Republican presidential primary election after they failed to qualify.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and congressman Ron Paul were the only two candidates to qualify for the primary in Virginia by submitting the 10,000 verifiable signatures by the deadline. Romney is the frontrunner in the race for the Republican nomination to face Democratic President Barack Obama on November 6.

Perry and the other candidates sued Virginia election officials to be added to the ballot, arguing that the state’s qualification process limited voter access to the candidates of their choosing.

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Yesterday, while reacting to the New Hampshire Primary results during his radio program, Rush Limbaugh made one thing clear: Ron Paul is hurting conservative candidates. And Limbaugh made it clear that Paul isn’t doing this by taking up all the conservative votes, rather, he did it by placing 2nd via the votes of people who have little to no interest in supporting Republicans in general. What this means it that once Paul has run his course and helped Mitt Romney win, the people who voted for Paul in the primaries will then either turn around and vote 3rd party or, in some cases, vote for Obama.

Here’s how Limbaugh put it:

The majority of people that voted for [Ron Paul] were not Republican….And what I’ve been told is that [of these] supporters, 40% say they would vote for the Republican nominee, 23% said they’d vote for Obama, and 31% of Ron Paul voters said they would vote third party. So the Ron Paul voters cannot be counted on [as most of them] were Democrats who walked into the New Hampshire primary, picked up a Republican ballot, [and voted for Paul].

The key figure in this is that only 40% of Paul voters said they would go on to support the eventual Republican nominee. It’s important because it’s exactly half number given by Tea Party voters, 80% of which said they will support the nominee whoever he is. And this is what prompted Limbaugh to say “Ron Paul is a conservative killer.” It’s also why Limbaugh contends that Mitt Romney “wants Ron Paul to stay in” the race.

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The Republican primaries are upon us. And while we’re asking if it will be Newt, Santorum, Perry, or Romney, we have to remember that no matter which Republican finally comes out on top, the cold hard truth is that there’s a fast pitch down the middle waiting on him. All that’s needed is for someone to take a homerun swing and knock it out of the park. What am I talking about? I’m talking about Obama’s dismal record and languishing approval numbers, his literal war on the Constitution, and the fact that hope and change has become “better luck next time.”

Seriously folks, could there be a more beatable incumbent than Barack Obama has proven to be?

Just think it: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, since Obama took office 1.7 million jobs have been lost, “the unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent for 35 months, and the average duration of unemployment has increased from 19.9 weeks to 40.8 weeks.” (Keep in mind that Obama sold his more than $800 billion stimulus package with the promise that passing it would keep unemployment at 7% or below.)

And if such economic incompetence isn’t enough to convince you Obama is beatable, you’re in the minority. Recent Gallup polls have shown that when given a choice between the type of policies that Obama has implemented and “pro-growth” policies (i.e., policies built upon less regulation and lower taxes), voters prefer the “pro-growth” policies by a margin of 52 to 40.

Consider his approach to the military. There he has cut so much funding that we suddenly find ourselves in a position where we can no longer fight two ground wars simultaneously. He has thrust a Carter-like weakness upon our men and women in uniform, and to be sure they comply has initiated a downsizing of the military that will result in cutting 50,000 troops by 2015.

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Polls have now closed everywhere in New Hampshire. Check BigGovernment throughout the night for results and analysis.

Alex Marlow, Managing Editor, Breitbart.com:

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A friend of mine called me after the Iowa caucuses and asked, “Why isn’t John Huntsman getting noticed in this race? He’s the most intelligent candidate in the field!”  I would say the GOP nominees are much like what we say in Texas about the weather. If you don’t like the weather right now, wait five minutes.

GOP insider and strategist Charles Krauthammer recently tagged the 2012 Republican candidates as “embarrassing.”  To the contrary, I believe the GOP has good candidates who have A: failed to learn from their predecessors mistakes in 2008 and/or B: suffer from a timid, frantic, backbiting GOP establishment who distrust the minds and intellect of the conservative voter and the power of conservative ideals. Therefore if Huntsman can wait on the GOP to choke on Romney he will by default he get his turn and perhaps just in time. How is that for embarrassing?

The problem for Republicans in 2012 election isn’t a fleet of poor candidates. The lack of support and backbone from the Republican establishment that would allow them to play to win is killing us. The GOP is choking. In tennis, choking happens most when the better player realizes he should and can win. Instead of going for the shots that got him in a winning position, he plays not to lose hoping his opponent will give him the match.  One backhand in the net or one forehand sailed long, and he is immediately thrown off course, convinced that he must play it safe. This has been the GOP for the past nine months which explains the ushering in and out of every running Republican candidate where no one has shown the longevity to make it to the final.

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With 36 percent of Florida Republican likely primary voters, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has a double-digit lead three weeks before the nation’s first big-state presidential primary, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. But 54 percent of GOP primary voters say they still might change their mind.

Twelve points back in the Republican pack is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 24 percent, followed by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum with 16 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey finds. Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul is at 10 percent with 5 percent for Texas Gov. Rick Perry and 2 percent for former ambassador Jon Huntsman. This first look at likely primary voters, a more select group, can’t be compared with earlier surveys of registered voters.

There is almost no gender gap in the primary selections.

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Is Rick Perry the Tea Party’s last hope in the 2012 election? As he prepares for his Alamo moment in South Carolina, the longest serving governor in Texas history makes the case for limited government.

It’s a deliberate play for South Carolina’s once powerful Tea Party to come to his aid. During the 9AM MSNBC debate today with David Gregory, Rick Perry promised the Tea Party across the country that he would have their back against big spending Republicans. But will they have his?

Today, Amy Kremer of the Tea Party Express promised on Breitbart.tv that the organization will endorse before January 21st.

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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) Sunday’s debate began much the same way as Saturday night’s, with Gingrich saying Romney was a “relatively timid Massachusetts moderate” whose state ranked fourth from the bottom in job creation when he was governor.

But confronted with one of his campaign leaflets declaring Romney to be unelectable against President Barack Obama, Gingrich hedged. “I think he’ll have a very hard time getting elected.”

Romney said he had created more jobs in one state than Obama has in the entire country, adding that it was important to replace “a lifetime politician” like the president with a different type of leader.

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MANCHESTER, N.H.- Mitt Romney’s support has dropped for the fourth day in a row in the Suffolk University daily tracking poll of New Hampshire voters.

Romney had 35 percent, down from 39 percent in Saturday’s poll.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman are seeing gains.

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