Former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin stole the show at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference where she delivered the event’s keynote speech Saturday. After slamming the President, shutting up some protesters, and saying that the drawn out Republican primary promotes competition and a better nominee, the former Alaska governor took a few questions as she headed for the door following the rousing remarks. When asked by Anneke Green of the Washington Times if she thought a surging Sen. Santorum was a threat to front-runner Mitt Romney; “Palin answered that she wouldn’t consider him a threat but was still ‘a good competitor.’” Green writes that Palin praised the remaining Republican presidential candidates’ willingness to compete and appreciated their efforts as “warriors in the arena.” While still not offering up an endorsement, Palin has spoken fondly about former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who she said she would have voted for in the South Carolina Republican primary.
Reuters – The policies of U.S. President Barack Obama and his potential Republican rivals differ, but when it comes to campaign trail fashion they could not be more alike with their style at the frontline of winning votes.
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U.S. campaign style at frontline of winning votes
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‘May Divorce Be With You’: SNL Does Gingrich‘s ’Moon Colony’
ContributorNetwork – COMMENTARY | I watched former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s Florida victory speech Tuesday night. He’s looking stronger since the South Carolina debates in an attempt to defeat Newt Gingrich and show that he’s no “shrinking violet.”
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Harvard Educated Romney Disses Harvard Educated Obama
(ContributorNetwork)
It’s been a positive week for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, as he appears to have turned the tides since his crushing South Carolina primary loss to Newt Gingrich, now surging to the top of polls in Florida before the state’s Republican primary today. While Florida polls show Romney defeating the visibly furious Gingrich and the other remaining Republican candidates, several other polls show that the bruising last few weeks may have hurt the former Massachusetts governor on a broader scale of the electorate. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday shows that 40 percent of those surveyed find Romney’s work in the private sector unfavorable, 35 percent favorable, 25 percent had no opinion. Greg Sargent of the Post notes that the polling team also says “that among non-college whites — a key swing consistency that is one of the main targets of the battle over Romney’s corporate past and taxes — 35 percent view his Bain work favorably, versus 38 percent who view it unfavorably. Among moderates, the numbers are 32-39.” A separate WashingtonPost-Pew Research Center poll released Monday shows that 39 percent of registered voters see Romney connecting at least “fairly well” with the problems of average Americans, as oppose to 55 percent for President Obama. In yet another poll, this time conducted by NBC/WSJ last week , Romney’s negatives appeared to be spiking 20 points among independent voters over the last two months. While the former Massachusetts governor may be happy with a recent USA/Today Gallup poll having Romney neck and neck with Obama in swing states , and a key win in Florida tonight is likely to put him back in the drivers seat for the Republican nomination, the Romney campaign should be less celebratory than they were following the New Hampshire primary victory. If he were to become the nominee, Romney’s campaign has their work ahead of them to repair their candidate’s public image following what has been an extremely arduous primary race.
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While Romney looks to win the bloody battle of FL, polls say he may be losing a broader war
At Los Angeles Times , “Mitt Romney leading polls in Florida “: After months of gyrating front-runners and inconclusive voter tests, a victory by Mitt Romney in the looming Florida primary would send the 2012 campaign down a well-worn path — pointing the most established GOP contender toward a highly competitive race against President Obama in the fall election. If Newt Gingrich wins, the contours of the battle would be radically different: a prolonged intraparty struggle unlike any the GOP has seen in decades, pitting the former House speaker as an insurgent force against many present and former elected officials he once led, with unpredictable consequences in November if he is the nominee. Romney has, for now at least, pulled ahead of Gingrich in the roller-coaster campaign for Florida. An opinion survey of Florida Republicans, released Friday by Quinnipiac University, showed Romney leading Gingrich by nine points, 38% to 29%. Rep. Ron Paul and former Sen. Rick Santorum were far back, at 14% and 12%, respectively. “I think if Romney wins this, it’s over for Newt,” said John McLaughlin, a veteran Republican pollster who is unaffiliated in the presidential campaign. Looking ahead, Romney has the advantage in the Feb. 4 Nevada caucuses and other, largely symbolic contests next month, including a nonbinding Feb. 7 primary in Missouri, where Gingrich failed to qualify for the ballot. The statewide poll, conducted Tuesday through Thursday, was the latest indication that Gingrich’s surge after his Jan. 21 win in the South Carolina primary had evaporated in this week’s summerlike heat. The same survey had Gingrich ahead by six points just after South Carolina voted. Romney’s superior performances in two Florida debates blunted Gingrich’s efforts to build on his recent primary success. Earlier nationally televised forums had been crucial to Gingrich’s ability to counter Romney’s edge in campaign money and organization. At the same time, Romney and his supporters are using overwhelming force to gain the upper hand in the Florida air war, unleashing a barrage of negative ads that are “just grinding Newt down,” McLaughlin said. Members of Congress and other forces in the GOP establishment have fanned out across the state to criticize Gingrich and boost Romney. More at the link . And see also the New York Times , ” Romney Goes on Offensive in Florida, Bolstered by Debate Performance .” And at Quinnipiac, ” Romney Pulls Ahead In See-Saw Florida GOP Primary, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Men Shift From Gingrich to Romney .” On Nevada, check CBS News Las Vegas, ” TV Ad War Heating Up Before Nevada’s GOP Caucus .”
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Air War ‘Grinding Newt Down’
ContributorNetwork – COMMENTARY | Republicans have three winners in the first three primary states — Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Reuters reports Rick Santorum won in Iowa, Mitt Romney was the clear front-runner in New Hampshire and Newt Gingrich won South Carolina with 40 percent of the vote. Romney is set to release his income tax returns in response to criticism that may have cost him a huge lead in South Carolina. A victory in the Palmetto State may have helped Romney win the overall GOP nomination.
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Protracted GOP Fight Helps Obama Win Re-Election
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Palin’s influence in the GOP showed itself in the South Carolina primary.
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Sarah Palin: ‘Teavangelical’ shot caller
