The Fox News GOP South Carolina post-debate review

The Fox News South Carolina debate and GOP race was blown apart by two brilliant performances last night from Texas Governor Rick Perry, & former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Both men turned in factual, solid, cool and collected performances. What was also noticeable about the night wasn’t so much that both men attacked establishment favourite Mitt Romney, it was the manner in which the former Massachusetts Governor fell apart all on his own. Romney must have been glad that Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s consistent approach on foreign policy proved its usual unpopular self with the attending audience.

The sharpest contrast that was highlighted between Gingrich, President Obama and Mitt Romney was the desperately worrying fashion in which the conservative media and establishment favourite Romney fell apart. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen; this was a train wreck of a performance by Governor Romney, which in a national debate with President Obama would certainly have secured another four years for the current incumbent.

The former governor of Massachusetts faced tough questions over negative campaigning and his failure to release his tax returns and fell apart on a seemingly straight forward question on hunting. The biggest damage to Romney was how many lines of questioning Perry, Gingrich and Rick Santorum opened on Romney during the course of last night’s debate, and how ineffective he was in closing them off or responding to them.

Only if Rick Perry had of turning in debate performances like last night four months ago, this race could look very different now. Perry has some good sound bites like, “South Carolina is at war with this federal government!” Perry’s masterstroke was when he challenged Romney to release his tax returns; Romney was very visibly hesitant and awkward in his response. Perry also argued forcefully against cuts to military spending and condemned the administration’s condemnation of the Marines caught urinating on Taliban corpses

Santorum challenged Romney over his Super Pac’s attack ad on Santorum’s voting record over felon rights, Santorum, went for the jugular demanding that Romney say where he stood on the issue. When Romney said he did not believe “people who committed violent crimes should be allowed to vote,” Santorum pointed out that Massachusetts under Romney had even more lenient rules for felon enfranchisement than the ones Santorum supported. “If in fact you felt so passionately about this, why didn’t you try to change that when you were governor?” he asked. Romney’s response was weak and those watching knew it. Santorum however, had his mantle as the challenger to Romney stolen very firmly away from him last night by Speaker Gingrich, and it showed in the post-debate interview with Sean Hannity when he seemed to lose his composure.

Gingrich was pressed into his best debate performance of the season by the Juan Williams over his comments calling President Obama “A Food Stamp President.” in a brilliant response littered with the very best elements of the concept of the American Dream. The excellent Juan Williams, who asked many thought provoking questions all night asked: “Speaker Gingrich, you recently said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. You also said poor kids lack a strong work ethic and proposed having them work as janitors in their schools. Can’t you see that this is viewed, at a minimum, as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans?”

“No. I don’t see that,” Gingrich replied. Gingrich argued that many children could learn good vales and the value and respect of having a paying job as opposed to the employment of one expensive janitor in New York, “they’d be getting money, which is a good thing if you’re poor.”

“New York City pays their janitors an absurd amount of money because of the union,” Gingrich said. “You could take one janitor and hire 30-some kids to work in the school for the price of one janitor, and those 30 kids would be a lot less likely to drop out. They would actually have money in their pocket. They’d learn to show up for work. They could do light janitorial duty. They could work in the cafeteria. They could work in the front office. They could work in the library.”

“They’d be getting money, which is a good thing if you’re poor,” he added. “Only the elites despise earning money.”

Williams stressed that some had perceived Gingrich’s comments about child labour, as well as remarks he made this month singling out blacks when speaking about food stamps, as offensive to poor people and racial minorities.

“The suggestion that he made was about a lack of work ethic,” Williams said. “And I’ve got to tell you, my e-mail account; my Twitter account has been inundated with people of all races who are asking if your comments are not intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities.”

“You saw some of this during your visit to a black church in South Carolina, where a woman asked you why you refer to President Obama as ‘the food stamp president,’” Williams continued. “It sounds as if you are seeking to belittle people.” Williams’ points resulted in loud boos from the audience.

“Well, first of all, Juan, the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history,” Gingrich said to applause. “Now, I know among the politically correct, you’re not supposed to use facts that are uncomfortable.”

“I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness,” he said. “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 how to get a better job and learn some day to own the job.” Gingrich’s response was met with a standing ovation from many in the audience.

I’ve maintained throughout the last few months that Romney, is not strong enough under pressure or on foreign affairs. These weaknesses again came rushing to the front and if Gingrich wanted to press home his advantage last night, he easily could’ve done it.

Above all, I was pleased that despite a huge concerted effort by the conservative media and establishment, to anoint Romney this weekend in South Carolina, the ordinary viewer and supporter observed saw for themselves how weak a front runner Governor Romney actually is. People should not dismiss President Obama, and the scale of the challenge facing any GOP nominee in an election.

You will hear a lot of attempts in the coming days from media commentators saying,” Gingrich can’t win in the General election”. Ignore their efforts; this 2012 election has to be about issues, ideas and solutions. If the American people go for personality, the election is already a foregone conclusion. Only the voters and your average American person can make it about the issues that matter to them, jobs, the economy, health, housing and security.

The GOP race moves to South Carolina

The Republican primary moved to South Carolina Wednesday, with Mitt Romney’s rivals confronting the very harsh reality that the Jan. 21 contest there could represent the final chance for many of them to mount a serious challenge to Governor Romney’s race towards the GOP Nomination.

Mr. Romney criticized fellow candidates Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich by name Wednesday, saying their attacks “will fall entirely flat.”

The GOP candidates were still absorbing Romney’s victory in the New Hampshire primary, although the victory was expected it was his ability to garner some 40% of the vote that will not have gone un-noticed especially by the Obama campaign team. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas came in a solid second with 23%. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who had gambled on a strong performance in New Hampshire, was third with 17%.

Discussions were already under way among tea-party, conservative and evangelical activists, many of whom are uncomfortable with Mr. Romney’s previous centrist positions, about whether they can rally around a single candidate who can stop Mr. Romney rather than continuing to split the conservative vote.

But short of one of the more conservative candidates dropping out, it isn’t clear how that would happen. Neither Mr. Gingrich, a former House speaker, nor former Pennsylvania Gov. Rick Santorum nor Gov. Perry of Texas has suggested any willingness to step aside.

Instead, South Carolina is likely to see intensified attacks on the front-runner. Mr. Gingrich in particular has signaled he will go after Mr. Romney for favoring abortion rights earlier in his career and for his tenure at Bain Capital, a private-equity firm at which Mr. Gingrich says Mr. Romney took big payouts while ignoring the plight of workers who got laid off.

Ads for several of the candidates have already begun airing on South Carolina television stations.

Mr. Romney made it clear Wednesday that his strategy will be to portray Republicans who question his actions at Bain as joining forces with President Barack Obama to attack the American system.

“I understand President Obama is going to put free enterprise on trial,” Mr. Romney said on CNN Wednesday morning. “Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich are going to be witnesses for the prosecution.”

He added, “All these attacks will fall entirely flat, as they did last night.”

Mr. Gingrich has called the suggestion that he is attacking free enterprise “baloney,” adding that Bain was guilty of particular excesses.

The former House speaker is scheduled to give what his aides are billing as a major address Wednesday in Rock Hill, S.C.

South Carolina offers a different electorate from New Hampshire, and Mr. Romney could sustain some damage there even if he does well in the primary. The state is Southern and conservative, and a political-action committee that is supporting Mr. Gingrich will have millions to spend in going after Mr. Romney.

Mr. Gingrich has expressed anger that his lead in the Iowa caucuses dissipated after a group allied with Mr. Romney launched harsh attacks against him, and at times his animus toward the former Massachusetts governor seems personal. He has said that South Carolina is a state he must win. Messrs. Santorum and Perry also don’t have a clear a path forward if they fail to do well in South Carolina.

Mr. Romney’s momentum is considerable after prevailing in Iowa and New Hampshire. On Tuesday, Messrs. Gingrich and Santorum each won about 10% of the vote, coming in fourth and fifth. Mr. Perry, who didn’t contest the state, drew about 1% of the vote.

After the South Carolina contest, the remaining candidates will head to Florida, by far the biggest state in the primary season so far. With several major media markets, it takes a good deal of money and organization to compete there, giving Mr. Romney a significant advantage.

Post New Hampshire Debates – The GOP have a problem – Winning!

The two New Hampshire debates and mainstream media coverage of the GOP presidential race has convinced me more than ever of one simple fact, the GOP nominee will face an uphill battle to defeat President Obama come November.

Assessing both debates, the ABC News one was without question, the most disappointing one of the campaign to date. The standard and content of the questions was shameful for a presidential debate, and when a major network avoids asking the president’s rivals questions on Obamacare, debt or entitlement reform, it provides an insight into what the eventual nominee can expect in the general election.

Today’s “MeetThePress” debate was much better however, after a fast paced and engaging start, it seemed to run out of steam for the second part of the debate. In fairness, David Gregory and the two moderators made a much better effort to challenge the candidates, and provide a better standard of questions.

The two debates, as events, were disappointing and one can only hope all networks assess how they went and make a better effort for future debates.

I don’t intend to analyze the second debate here instead; I thought it may be useful to discuss some truths and where the GOP race is at present, and look ahead to the challenge and scenario’s in the coming weeks.

On the interesting side, I think Jon Huntsman did himself a power of good during the second New Hampshire debate, and came across as a real patriot for serving his country in his exchanges with Mitt Romney over China.

If Huntsman can finish in the top three in New Hampshire, he could well be the surprise package as I’ve predicted in the GOP campaign. Huntsman is electable as president make no mistake, yes; conservatives may not exactly love his moderate positions however, in this election cycle they may well have to agree to support a candidate who can beat President Obama over their more traditional GOP candidate.

What we know & who can win the general election

Mitt Romney

The mainstream media clearly want Mitt Romney to win. I think Romney is a good candidate and has a lot of positives on his side especially his business background, no matter what allegations are thrown against him. If someone creates even one job or 10,000 they are making a contribution to the economy and they should be commended not criticised for it.

My concern about Romney is two fold, firstly, he is struggling to ignite the support base despite planning his campaign for four years, having the most money of any Republican candidate and the backing of more establishment colleagues and party elders than any other candidate.Despite all these factors he is struggling to fire up the base.  My second concern comes from observing the last four debates in particular is his grasp of foreign policy. Romney can tell us what President Obama is bad at doing however, he can’t tell us what he would do as president. He also tends to buckle and panic when he comes under pressure. I’ll definitely support Romney if he is the nominee however, do I believe he can ignite the enthusiasm and attract enough support to beat President Obama in the general election? I am yet to be convinced.

Newt Gingrich & Rick Santorum

The truth is former Speaker Gingrich would make an exceptional president in my opinion. I’m not interested in people’s mistakes over a lifetime, I want someone elected this time with the ability, skills and leadership who can make a difference and deliver on what they say without isolating sections of society. The establishment are firmly Anti-Newt no matter how they use their outlets to spin the argument; it is plain and clear for the average person to see. Speaker Gingrich’s biggest challenge is over coming those odds and Senator Santorum.

Senator Santorum did himself a world of good and achieved a massive credible second place in Iowa. We must be clear, can he at this stage of his career beat President Obama in a general election race, truthfully, no! The reality is that both these men may need to make concessions with each other and my honest belief is they would both best be served by uniting.

If they run on a President and V.P. ticket together and win and go on to perform well, the platform would be there for Santorum to be president in the future. If both men fail to reach a consensus, it is likely that both will lose out to Mitt Romney in the primary race. Together, they could both challenge President Obama and I believe, offer a clear contrast in the general election and win!

Jon Huntsman

Yes, my third pick for winning the general election is Jon Huntsman however, it all hinges on him getting a top three finish in New Hampshire. Make no mistake about it; President Obama would not have picked him for Ambassador to China if he and his team weren’t worried about Huntsman making a run for president this time. Also, they would have vetted Huntsman for the role, so there really can’t be too much hidden baggage to attack Huntsman on in a general election campaign.

I would recommend to anyone questioning my logic here to go to C-Span and take time to watch the Huntsman-Gingrich debate. Huntsman is brilliantly clever and respectfully perhaps the most intelligent and knowledgeable candidate in the GOP field except for Gingrich. He has a great economic plan and has an excellent record as Governor.

If the GOP base can take a second look at Huntsman and he starts gaining some interest and accept that like Romney, he is a moderate on some issues, I believe Huntsman could definitely beat President Obama in the general election race. It all comes down to the result in New Hampshire this Tuesday, democracy will decide.

Ron Paul

I do admire the Texas Congressman for his long and consistent record. I think he has some good ideas on domestic issues however; I cannot warm to his foreign affairs positions. I don’t think Paul could beat President Obama in a general election or frankly come close however, Paul will play a very important role in the GOP primary race. He will potentially decide the outcome of the entire primary race and he will insist on certain policy commitments in return. I expect the Texas Congressman to prove the most influential of all the candidates in the eventual destination of the GOP Nomination and to go out on a high.

Rick Perry

I credit the Texas Governor for entering the race and he has achieved many fine things during his tenure there as governor and has improved considerably, as a candidate, at a national level after some disastrous hiccups. Personally, I would like to see the Governor make a final decision whether to bow out or stay in the race following South Carolina’s primary. I think he can attempt another run in four or eight years time and use the experience this time around to prepare for that. Realistically, he can’t win the primary race or a general election campaign this time round after the earlier mistakes.

I appreciate that many people are passionate about their candidates however; the establishment and GOP supporters need to make a conscious decision on whether they want to win back the White House on November 6, 2012, or leave it resting in the hands of President Obama for another four years

An interesting couple of weeks lie ahead.

Gingrich’s risky departure on immigration could be the tonic for party and nation

As predicted, following his bold statement on immigration and really the first candidate to speak seriously on the issue during the GOP CNN debate on Tuesday night last, former Speaker Newt Gingrich has come under fire in recent days from both sides of the aisle.

Some social conservatives have even gone as far as calling him a RINO (Republican in name only) however, the former Speaker’s is the first candidate on stage that specifically addresses the illegal alien population living in the US. His bold plan is drawing criticism.

Living in Europe where immigration has long been an issue with the expansion of the European Union, the former speaker is absolutely correct in taking the issue on in a substantive and progressive way, The Republican’s for far too long have been viewed as the anti-Hispanic party and perhaps the rise of such stars like Marco Rubio within the GOP is finally bringing about a serious need to engage objectively and constructively with the Hispanic community.  Gingrich’s assessment of the current illegal status of many in America is correct and factually accurate. It is fundamentally impossible, economically risky and ethically wrong to pursue the deportation of all 11.2 million undocumented immigrants in America as a policy going into a national election and beyond.

Gingrich said that ultimately, the United States will have to find a system where, after securing the border with Mexico and launching a guest worker program to fill jobs that Americans won’t take, “you need something like a World War II Selective Service Board that, frankly, reviews the people who are here.”

“If you’ve been here 25 years and you got three kids and two grandkids, you’ve been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong to a local church, I don’t think we’re going to separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully and kick you out,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich has been attacked for saying his proposal is an amnesty, in fact it isn’t what he proposing at all, he is advancing a debate on how to finally tackle the issue, one which would not result in citizenship for people who have lived in this American for long periods, but offering them a way to obtain legal status in the country. Gingrich’s plan includes securing the border, updating the visa system and legal guest worker program, as well as creating an earned path to citizenship for the millions currently in the U.S.

This move by Gingrich has been badly needed and is brave considering he just hit the front runner status over the last week. You cannot have one of the major party’s involved in national politics ignoring a large section of America society, and adopting a totalitarian approach on the immigration issue.

I think Speaker Gingrich’s willingness to open up the debate within his party and a national stage was long overdue and very badly needed. The Republican’s for the sake of the future of their own party need to engage and involve one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in America. Making the bold statement that he did and being prepared to demonstrate he is willing to make tough choices at a personal cost, doesn’t hinder Gingrich, it elevates his standing as a potential president in waiting.

The President of the United States cannot represent 260 million American’s; he or she needs to be able to be the president for all 310 million American’s. The American-Hispanic population is now hovering around the 50 million mark. Gingrich should stand his ground and be firm on the issue, it may cost him in the short term however, GOP supporters need to recognise that Gingrich’s ability to lead and bring people from both sides together may not only lead him to the White House in 2012, it may also represent the very future survival of the party with current population growth and trends.

Gingrich’s bold departure is contrary to the long held and common viewpoint held within his own party and among the other candidates. American’s should not confuse border security with the immigration issue, they are both serious and contentious issues however, an honest and open debate needs to be undertaken with both.

Gingrich has been courageous and I advocate his stance on both issues. He is acutely aware that the biggest security risk to the United States is the integrity of the southern border. Gingrich is committed to doing everything within his power if elected, to secure this.

Once the border is properly secured, then he can bring both party’s into the fold and have a meaningful discussion on how to advance his proposals for immigration. Both party’s owe it to the Hispanic community to undertake such a commitment and if they ignore it or are unwilling to enter into any such debate, they do so at their own party’s peril.

American’s should recognise that Gingrich in his long political career does indeed have his flaws however; he can never be accused on one particular flaw, a lack of leadership. Gingrich’s step into the unknown demonstrates the type of president he could be, a real strong leader prepared and willing to put the good of the national interest ahead of his own and party’s interests.

American’s need to be prepared for new departures to get this once mighty nation back to a position of strength and respect after all, Gingrich perhaps recognises what many others may choose to forget, America  after was founded by immigrants and made the great nation it became by immigrants.

I commend former Speaker Gingrich for his bravery and above all, his willingness and preparedness to lead and restore the powerful and much admired American exceptionalism.

Fox News Poll: Gingrich and Romney Top GOP Nominee Picks

Thursday 17 November 2011

While many of the dismissed Newt Gingrich’s chances for mounting a serious campaign, his recent debate performances have catapulted him to the front of the race for the 2012 Republican nomination. Meanwhile Herman Cain has lost ground with GOP primary voters largely due to his handling of the recent attacks. Mitt Romney, once again, is holding steady.

The poll took place between November 13-15 among 370 GOP voters with a margin of error of +/- 5%. Former Alaska Governor and Vice President al nominee Sarah Palin said Gingrich’s rise didn’t surprise her and she championed his experienced and past achievements. Palin still believed the race will come down to the Romney and non-Romney candidate and the main issue candidates must focus on is the culture of corruption in Washington D.C.

Palin credited Romney with performing well in the recent debates and praised him for being able to explain his perceived changes on some of the main issues of the day very well. Palin believe GOP voters want to see a candidate who is a go-getter and is prepared to fight the Obama re-election machine.

Former Speaker Gingrich’s rise has seen him renew his efforts to put in place improved campaign organisation in Iowa with a Rasmussen Poll showing him receiving 32% of the popular vote. Gingrich says his rise is down to people looking for substance and solutions and believes people’s response is down to his ideas. Gingrich spent three days in Iowa this week with a huge rally in Jacksonville.

The rise of the former Speaker has seen the mainstream media turn their attention to his record of working with Freddie Mac and obtaining consultancy fees for a period of five years. Gingrich highlighted that the work wasn’t for him personally it was for the Gingrich Consultancy Group which had up to 30 employees working for it over this period. Gingrich promised to release all the information for the period in question but was adamant he did not undertake any lobbying work during the period in question. Gingrich cited his long term work for the poor on housing issues dating back to the 1980’s.

Gingrich when challenged on the nature of his strategic advice for Freddie Mac said, it centred around the role of government institutions in the housing market and the group would wish to discuss a variety of issues and above all, the initial discussions required him to listen to programme proposals and provide his historical and experiential viewpoint on these. The truth of course is, many politicians from both sides of the political isle, took payment for services rendered from a number of government sponsored enterprises during the same payment.

The former speaker dismissed Congressman Barney Frank’s criticism of him citing Frank’s non-belief in the private business sector.

The poll results are significant news for the GOP race, should Gingrich with his experience and ability can fight off the intense scrutiny which has seen previous front runners buckle under the pressure, the potential for a Gingrich-Romney final face will be very real.

Newt Gingrich 23%

Mitt Romney 22%

Herman Cain 15%

Ron Paul 8%

Rick Perry 7%

Michele Bachmann 6%

Jon Huntsman 3%

Rick Santorum 2%

Other candidates didn’t register above 1% in the poll.

Analysis of the CNBC GOP debate from across the Big Pond

Sitting down to watch the CNBC GOP debate last night, the first thing that struck me was the aggressive style of questioning from the hosting panel. There was one gentleman, Jim Cramer, who clearly either drank too much caffeine or was a tree short of a forest on the evening in the manner he was asking  his questions. To be fair, I didn’t like the question regarding character thrown into the debate by Maria Bartiromo who was only doing her job. The debate was meant to focus on the economy and after almost two weeks of the Herman Cain affair, nothing objective or constructive could be obtained by posing such a question. I enjoyed her tussle with former Speaker Gingrich during the night and to their credit, both provided the night’s best moments.

The Texan boot size error by Governor Rick Perry was certainly a major faux pas, but to his credit he took to the morning shows today and openly admitted it. It was unfortunate, as up to that point in the debate, I believe Perry was actually putting in his best debate performance of the campaign so far. Yes, this mis-step will hinder him for the news cycle however, Perry should look to the positives and hopefully his experience of the military and managing the Mexican border will assist him in this coming Saturday’s debate. One major factor that may work in Perry’s favour indirectly is his recognition factor is sure to shoot up. Expectations going forward in debates couldn’t be lower at this stage, and Perry only needs one strong performance to knock the ball out of the park so to speak, time will be the biggest decider, if this is possible.

The winners in my view were as follows:

Speaker Gingrich provided a mixture of charm, assertiveness and clarity that the other candidates couldn’t match. Speaker Gingrich did have a difficult moment when questioned about his $300,000 consultancy payment for lobbying work connected to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac collapse in 2008 , he claimed that his advice was ignored. This may come back to haunt him and scrutiny is certain to follow in the coming days, but his back and forth with Maria Bartiromo was entertaining and in fact, made Speaker Gingrich raise his game in comparison to previous debates. The clear winner on the night.

Governor Mitt Romney put in another presidential like performance with the exception of stumbling over how long he was married to his wife, but he recovered brilliantly. Romney brought the audience to a rapturous applause when the panel tried to put him on the spot over whether he would hire Herman Cain. Romney delivered a brilliant rebuff to Bartiromo when she asked, why he made no mention of housing in his 59 point plan. Romney replied saying it’s simple, because it is a Jobs Plan not a Housing plan, an excellently executed response. Romney as in previous debates was firm, quick minded and authoritative in his delivery, another strong performance.

After two difficult weeks, Herman Cain delivered a good strong performance considering, the intense pressure he has been under in the lead up to the debate. He managed to deliver a good retort to Bartiromo when asked abut his alleged indiscretions and went back to his core message of 9-9-9 and emphasising why politics needs a fundamental change.  He had some good lines, referring to Nancy Pelosi as “Princess Nancy,” and two of the problems with the Dodd-Frank Bill, these being Dodd and Frank. While they made for good sound bites and were well received by the audience, Cain needs to have another policy area to build back his credibility. The 9-9-9 plan is good however, if he doesn’t come out with an in-depth and demonstrable knowledge ability in another policy area, he is in danger of being perceived as a one trick pony.

The remaining candidates found it difficult to break into the debate on the night although, Jon Huntsman delivered a good response on the housing crisis,” Lost in all of this debate is the fact that there are people tuning in tonight who are upside down in terms of the financing of their homes, are feeling real pain, people who probably heard today that they lost a job. These issues are very real.”

Representative Ron Paul was very good on discussing the economic issues outlining his five point plan and how he would cut $1 trillion straight away in spending. He really does have some excellent ideas on the debt crisis and economy. It is a shame that his statements on Iran in the last debate where polar opposite to most common thinking. Paul may be able to retrieve himself in Saturday’s foreign affairs debate. A good performance.

Senator Rick Santorum attempted to break into the debate, but just couldn’t turn the tide of attention away from the leading four. Santorum’s biggest problems in these debates is not just time allocation, he has developed a habit of talking in the past-tense, instead of the future tense. I do like some of his ideas. He needs to project his forward thinking ideas more into the remaining debates to match his retail politic efforts in Iowa. Maybe, just maybe, he might be able to surprise a few people there. A tall order at this stage of the race though.

Representative Bachmann actually had some new ideas and messages last night saying her everyone-pays-something plan is part of the needed reconfiguration of the tax code. She promised a big performance last night, sadly, it just didn’t materialise. Overall though, it was her best debate performance since the CNN debate to date. Bachmann needs a big performance and soon. Should Bachmann fail to gain some attention, she may be out of the race even before we arrive in Iowa proper.

The big question remains with only 60 days to the Iowa caucuses, who will be the alternative to Romney? I think it will be between Gingrich, Paul and Perry and possibly Huntsman, if he can finish in the top two in New Hampshire.

You’ve noticed no Cain that is correct. My view is based on his campaign’s inability to deal with a known on-coming crisis effectively and nothing to do with the allegations. I think Cain has lit up this campaign with his unconventional approach and straight talking approach. I just can’t see him winning the nomination or beating President Obama following the damage of the last two weeks. Cain needs another unique moment to save his campaign in my view.

Overall, I thought most of the candidates did well against some tough questions which is how it should be. The only criticism of the night was in the manner the questions were posed, not the content of the questions.

The Cain-Gingrich Texas Debate

An expectant audience of more than a 1,000 people watched as Republican presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich took center stage at The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center Saturday night to discuss entitlements in a one-on-one debate format the nation has not witnessed since the Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1858. 

Moderated by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, and Texas Chairman of Americans for Prosperity Ben Streusand, the two men set the stage and prompted several questions for the candidates about entitlements before they discussed possible solutions among themselves to a crowd that was eager to hear them.

The first topic of discussion was Medicare, which both candidates agreed needed more communication between health care providers and the recipients of the care.

“We have the best health care in the world,” Cain said. “We have a health care cost problem.”

Cain said lowering the cost could be done by using market-centered planning to unravel the current medical cost nightmare and limiting malpractice suits with loser-pays bills that make the loser of a lawsuit responsible for costs for frivolous suits.

Gingrich followed Cain’s comments by saying that everyone had a hand in the Medicare cost problem, calling it a “total mess.” He echoed Cain’s message that those involved need to work collaboratively in order to budget the cost of quality health care.

Before Social Security was tackled, Gingrich asked Cain what advice he would give CEOs. Cain said he thought more CEOs needed to be involved in the process by immersing themselves in the entitlement issues to inform employees.

“Better informed people is what’s going to change this country,” Cain said.

Moving on to Social Security reform and the issue of fewer younger people working to put money into the system for the larger, older population, Cain took the first comment by mentioning Chile’s approach to retirement with optional personal retirement accounts.

Cain said 30 countries have implemented the concept, which he said would allow more money to be saved by individuals and less money controlled by the government.

Another suggestion Cain brought up was using half of employees’ payroll tax, which he said is often the highest tax, to go into a retirement account, an idea he said every young person has agreed with when he addressed the issue on his campaign trail.

Focusing on Social Security’s growth, honesty and continuation of the system and any changes implemented, Gingrich said he wanted to give the younger generations more choices in where the money goes and how it should be used for retirement.

Rounding out the debate was a discussion on Medicaid in which both candidates agreed on stricter qualification guidelines, as well as the continuation of block grants to states for monetary distribution based on need.

Comparing the Medicaid need to a drug problem for some Americans, Cain said the nation has to break the “crack problem” by ensuring those who truly qualify and are trying to help themselves should receive government help.

Suggesting the possibility of setting consequences for those who abuse the Medicaid system, Gingrich admitted it is a controversial idea but added that incentives and rewards for not visiting the ER or doctor when people do not necessarily need medical attention would pay off and produce lower costs.

Each candidate asked each other a question before the debate ended.

Cain asked Gingrich if he were vice president, what he would want the president to assign him first. Both the audience and Gingrich responded with laughter at the good-natured jab.

“Not hunting,” Gingrich said in a reference to former Vice President Dick Cheney’s bird hunting mishap.

Gingrich asked Cain what surprises him most about running for president, a question he responded to by saying the media’s actions and “nit-pickiness.”

In a press conference following the debate, Cain warned, “Don’t go there” when a question was raised about sexual harassment allegations from two women who said Cain allegedly harassed them in the 1990s when he headed up the National Restaurant Association. Cain declined to answer.

When pushed further, Cain called out to his chief of staff and requested a journalistic code of ethics be given to the reporter who initiated several similar inquiries about the allegations. Cain declined to comment and told the group of reporters to read the past coverage that has dominated headlines this past week, saying simply his campaign was done addressing the matter.

“We are getting on message. End of story,” he said about shifting the attention back to his campaign and policy beliefs.

Gingrich was asked whether he could withstand his campaign and his leadership in the polls with a smaller budget. He replied that his campaign runs on principles and his current status reveals his successful approach.

Declining to comment on how he would respond to a question about a sexual harassment issue, Gingrich said he would not comment on Cain’s media scandal and that the only person he would continue to target in the future would be President Barack Obama and his ideologies and decisions.

“Gingrich’s presidential version, the 21st Century Contract with America”

29 September 2011

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich is set Thursday to release a 21st-century version of the “Contract With America,” the landmark 1994 document that outlined the Republican Party’s goals for the country and is credited with helping the GOP take over Congress that year.

Gingrich, who is running for president, plans to unveil his new plan at a campaign event at a financial services company in Des Moines. A key architect of the original contract, Gingrich has promised that the new one will be far more ambitious and will serve as a starting point for addressing the nation’s greatest challenges. “The New Contract” will rest on four “pillars”; new legislation, executive orders to be signed immediately upon taking office, a revised training program for presidential appointees and government modernization.

“The scale of what I’m going to propose is breathtaking, and I’m prepared to spend the next 10 years of my life implementing it,” Gingrich said Tuesday before a screening of one of his films in Philadelphia.

Gingrich’s presidential version, the 21st Century Contract with America, proposes to give Americans the choice of either the existing system for paying taxes or an optional, flat-tax rate.

For health insurance, Gingrich proposes people can either purchase coverage through a tax credit or by deducting the value of a policy up to a certain amount, according to the Register. Senior citizens could stick with the federal government’s Medicare program, or get financial aid to pay for coverage from the health insurance provider of their choosing.

On Social Security, Gingrich wants younger people to have the option of paying into personal savings account.  Gingrich’s new contract also has sections on topics such as illegal immigration, national security and energy production

Gingrich is also rising in the polls receiving 11% in a recent CNN/ORC International Poll. Gingrich said the primary focus of the contract will be creating jobs and balancing the budget.  Putting forward his Contract with America could play well with conservative voters, who are re-evaluating the candidates after a shaky debate performance Thursday by presumptive front-runner Rick Perry. In addition to being Gingrich’s greatest political achievement, the Tea Party co-opted the name to write a Contract from America in 2010 for congressional candidates to sign on to.

Gingrich will release his plan in Iowa this afternoon,  and continuing his much more recent active campaigning this week gave voters and potential supporters in Pennsylvania a preview of what to expect and the scale of his ambition should he be elected president.

Gingrich was again a whirlwind of ideas.  He talked about replacing the Environmental Protection Agency​ with something that works better.  He said that because liberals hate vouchers but love Pell Grants, he wanted to give Pell Grants for K-12, so that schools would have to pay attention to parents and not to the federal Department of Education.

He referenced Abraham Lincoln’s comments after the Dred Scott decision, in which Lincoln said that it should not be possible for nine appointed people to dictate to all Americans.  Gingrich threatened to abolish the courts run by liberal activist judges.

And Gingrich said his contract will be different from the 1994 contract because, after watching things like the stimulus bill and ObamaCare being passed in Congress, he decided the new contract would be more “directional” and out in the open, something that would allow for regular hearings before legislation is written “the old-fashioned way.”

According to Gingrich, Americans have “to believe in our system of representative government,” which cannot happen if legislation is written by staffers prone to be influenced by lobbyists.

Gingrich also differentiated himself from some of his contenders.  He jabbed Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas DREAM Act, which gave instate tuition rates to illegal immigrants, by joking about how, if citizens want cheaper tuition, they should attempt to cross the border, come back, and declare themselves noncitizens.

He also praised the spirit of the FairTax, but said he would be leery of the federal government imposing a national sales tax and an income tax because it would give Congress two methods in which to further tax Americans.

In doing so, he differentiated himself from businessman Herman Cain​’s “9-9-9″ plan that calls for a 9% flat tax on income, a 9% corporate tax and a 9% national sales tax, a point he repeated when appearing on Fox News’s Fox and Friends earlier today.

Gingrich also spoke, as he brilliantly does, about why America is exceptional.  He said he has been shaped by Gettysburg, Valley Forge, and the events leading up to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

“Freedom survives one generation at a time,” Gingrich said.  “You are the land of the free if you are the home of the brave.”

In another sign that Gingrich’s challenge is on the rise came when TheTeaParty.net announced today that it will feature former Speaker Gingrich, in its next Tea Party Cyber Tour tele-townhall event on September 29 at 9:45 PM ET. Gingrich’s marathon style approach to the campaign combined with the slug feast going on between current front-runners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney is certainly assisting Gingrich and Businessman Herman Cain.

“Gingrich's presidential version, the 21st Century Contract with America”

29 September 2011

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich is set Thursday to release a 21st-century version of the “Contract With America,” the landmark 1994 document that outlined the Republican Party’s goals for the country and is credited with helping the GOP take over Congress that year.

Gingrich, who is running for president, plans to unveil his new plan at a campaign event at a financial services company in Des Moines. A key architect of the original contract, Gingrich has promised that the new one will be far more ambitious and will serve as a starting point for addressing the nation’s greatest challenges. “The New Contract” will rest on four “pillars”; new legislation, executive orders to be signed immediately upon taking office, a revised training program for presidential appointees and government modernization.

“The scale of what I’m going to propose is breathtaking, and I’m prepared to spend the next 10 years of my life implementing it,” Gingrich said Tuesday before a screening of one of his films in Philadelphia.

Gingrich’s presidential version, the 21st Century Contract with America, proposes to give Americans the choice of either the existing system for paying taxes or an optional, flat-tax rate.

For health insurance, Gingrich proposes people can either purchase coverage through a tax credit or by deducting the value of a policy up to a certain amount, according to the Register. Senior citizens could stick with the federal government’s Medicare program, or get financial aid to pay for coverage from the health insurance provider of their choosing.

On Social Security, Gingrich wants younger people to have the option of paying into personal savings account.  Gingrich’s new contract also has sections on topics such as illegal immigration, national security and energy production

Gingrich is also rising in the polls receiving 11% in a recent CNN/ORC International Poll. Gingrich said the primary focus of the contract will be creating jobs and balancing the budget.  Putting forward his Contract with America could play well with conservative voters, who are re-evaluating the candidates after a shaky debate performance Thursday by presumptive front-runner Rick Perry. In addition to being Gingrich’s greatest political achievement, the Tea Party co-opted the name to write a Contract from America in 2010 for congressional candidates to sign on to.

Gingrich will release his plan in Iowa this afternoon,  and continuing his much more recent active campaigning this week gave voters and potential supporters in Pennsylvania a preview of what to expect and the scale of his ambition should he be elected president.

Gingrich was again a whirlwind of ideas.  He talked about replacing the Environmental Protection Agency​ with something that works better.  He said that because liberals hate vouchers but love Pell Grants, he wanted to give Pell Grants for K-12, so that schools would have to pay attention to parents and not to the federal Department of Education.

He referenced Abraham Lincoln’s comments after the Dred Scott decision, in which Lincoln said that it should not be possible for nine appointed people to dictate to all Americans.  Gingrich threatened to abolish the courts run by liberal activist judges.

And Gingrich said his contract will be different from the 1994 contract because, after watching things like the stimulus bill and ObamaCare being passed in Congress, he decided the new contract would be more “directional” and out in the open, something that would allow for regular hearings before legislation is written “the old-fashioned way.”

According to Gingrich, Americans have “to believe in our system of representative government,” which cannot happen if legislation is written by staffers prone to be influenced by lobbyists.

Gingrich also differentiated himself from some of his contenders.  He jabbed Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas DREAM Act, which gave instate tuition rates to illegal immigrants, by joking about how, if citizens want cheaper tuition, they should attempt to cross the border, come back, and declare themselves noncitizens.

He also praised the spirit of the FairTax, but said he would be leery of the federal government imposing a national sales tax and an income tax because it would give Congress two methods in which to further tax Americans.

In doing so, he differentiated himself from businessman Herman Cain​’s “9-9-9″ plan that calls for a 9% flat tax on income, a 9% corporate tax and a 9% national sales tax, a point he repeated when appearing on Fox News’s Fox and Friends earlier today.

Gingrich also spoke, as he brilliantly does, about why America is exceptional.  He said he has been shaped by Gettysburg, Valley Forge, and the events leading up to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

“Freedom survives one generation at a time,” Gingrich said.  “You are the land of the free if you are the home of the brave.”

In another sign that Gingrich’s challenge is on the rise came when TheTeaParty.net announced today that it will feature former Speaker Gingrich, in its next Tea Party Cyber Tour tele-townhall event on September 29 at 9:45 PM ET. Gingrich’s marathon style approach to the campaign combined with the slug feast going on between current front-runners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney is certainly assisting Gingrich and Businessman Herman Cain.

Newt’s 21st Century Contract With America

An interesting development in the GOP presidential race this week was the announcement by former House Speaker and GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich that he will unveil a “21st Century Contract With America” next week in Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register.

The plan is modelled after the original Contract With America released by the Republican Party in 1994, just weeks before the GOP reclaimed the majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years.

Gingrich said the new Contract With America would be “10 times deeper and more comprehensive than 1994,” noting that the original “didn’t fundamentally change the trajectory of America.”

The original contract which Gingrich promoted as Speaker of the House called for smaller government, lower taxes and greater public accountability. Gingrich said the new contract’s ideas are “very big.” “They’re exactly what Abraham Lincoln would have campaigned on,” he said.

Gingrich is a man of ideas and has been the stand out candidate in the Republican debates over the last few months despite much of the media attention going to the other perceived three leading candidates. His campaign had been beset with challenges, including the early resignation of much of his staff and headlines about his comments on a GOP-plan on Medicare. The interesting thing about Gingrich compared to the other candidates is that he may actually have the right strategy and politics has always been a marathon not a sprint.

The Republican field certainly sense the weakness in President Obama’s re-election  bid however, the fact that talk still looms over other potential entries does go some way to demonstrating that GOP supporters are not entirely convinced with the current field. I base the current dis-satisfaction or uncertainty due to the large focus on Romney, Bachmann & Perry. Little or no attention has been paid to the other candidates in the field in comparative terms.  I do predict however, that Gingrich could be the dark horse to break out from the pack if he continues to perform well in the debates and a new Contract With America could blow the other candidates plans out of the water.

“One of the major themes of next year if I’m the nominee, is going to be that President Obama is the best food stamps president in American history, and I’ll be the best pay check president in American history,” Gingrich said at a campaign stop in Iowa. “And I will be happy to debate Obama on any university campus in the country, including Harvard and Berkeley. I’m not afraid to debate this president anywhere, any time, on any topic.”

Gingrich is the type of candidate who could virtually defeat President Obama at the stump like no other candidate. He certainly possesses all the skills, knowledge and talent to lead the nation and has that presidential like voice however, many are questioning if he has left it too late. Gingrich personally refers to late-surging candidates such as John McCain and Ronald Reagan as examples of how he can win and views the “New Contract With America,” as the type of new platform he may just need for his campaign.

The secret weapon in Gingrich’s armoury over his fellow GOP candidate’s is the sheer scale and reality of the Obama re-election machine any GOP nominee will face. Speaker Gingrich knows it will take a considerable effort to beat President Obama in a general election campaign with an expected billion dollar campaign war chest. Could it be Gingrich is testing out some theory in the GOP primaries to see if it could prove effective against a big spending President Obama campaign?

The former Speaker said he will release the proposal on September 29 in Des Moines, Iowa. Personally, I always look forward to hearing what the former Speaker has to say and believe beyond individual party politics, he is the most capable politician in terms of bold, fresh, innovative ideas in the field who can provide real solutions to the national problems facing America at present like no other.

I eagerly await the release of his new plan next week.