Santorum and Gingrich debate Friday.

[Bull Moose Base]

Just when Cain drops out, Gingrich opens the door to someone else.  The parade of hilarious self-sabotaging Republican frontrunners continues...

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2380

[Bull Moose Base]

Question: Does Gingrich, consciously, subconsciously, whatever, want to lose?  Or have the strong reviews from debates when no one was attacking him coupled with the largely coincidental timing between his 1-on-1 debate with ignorant Herman Cain and their subsequent seesawing in the polls deluded Gingrich into thinking the more he debates the more people will be convinced he should be president?  And that it's a fine strategy for a guy with a double digit lead in Iowa and nationally to throw a lifeline to a desperate rival who has shown some debating chops and is very well-suited to the Evangelicals who make up a majority of Iowa caucusgoers?

[Politico]

Why would Gingrich give Santorum a chance to gain traction in Iowa?

[cavalcade]

I was wondering if Santorum would take Gingrich up on the challenge...he is a good debater and loves to speak.

Question: Does Gingrich, consciously, subconsciously, whatever, want to lose?

Maybe.  I think that he, like Cain, isn't exactly passionate about winning.

[anvi]

The link said that the debate offer was initially made to Mittens, and when Romney turned it down, Santorum volunteered to take his place.  So, the short-term result is that Romney is further sidelined, Gingrich gets to put himself out there with a candidate well-liked among conservatives, who, furthermore, isn't a threat to him.  As far as the Gingrich people are concerned, it's all upside.

Of course, the rest of us know different, and so does Romney.  The more Gingrich is out there, the more he gets a chance to speak, and the more he gets a chance to speak, the more everyone is going to either remember or find out how crazy he is.  There's no need to exert lots of effort to beat a guy when you can absolutely count on him to beat himself.  Romney will  just stay out of Gingrich's way until everyone finds him still standing, with money and a ground operation, after Gingrich implodes.  The primary electorate has an uncanny knack for going in the end for the most electable candidate, and anybody who follows consistent returns in national tracking, or who looks at crucial swing states, knows that person is Romney.  Romney is far from the best GOP candidate in history, but nominating anyone else would just be a losing proposition.

[Politico]

The link said that the debate offer was initially made to Mittens, and when Romney turned it down, Santorum volunteered to take his place.  So, the short-term result is that Romney is further sidelined, Gingrich gets to put himself out there with a candidate well-liked among conservatives, who, furthermore, isn't a threat to him.  As far as the Gingrich people are concerned, it's all upside.

Of course, the rest of us know different, and so does Romney.  The more Gingrich is out there, the more he gets a chance to speak, and the more he gets a chance to speak, the more everyone is going to either remember or find out how crazy he is.  There's no need to exert lots of effort to beat a guy when you can absolutely count on him to beat himself.  Romney will  just stay out of Gingrich's way until everyone finds him still standing, with money and a ground operation, after Gingrich implodes.  The primary electorate has an uncanny knack for going in the end for the most electable candidate, and anybody who follows consistent returns in national tracking, or who looks at crucial swing states, knows that person is Romney.  Romney is far from the best GOP candidate in history, but nominating anyone else would just be a losing proposition.

Well said. The only concern in some quarters is that there is too little time left for Gingrich to implode on his own. In other words, somebody needs to act as a catalyst in ensuring his implosion prior to the roll-out of primaries/caucuses. Maybe Paul, Perry or Santorum will be that catalyst.

[cavalcade]

The link said that the debate offer was initially made to Mittens, and when Romney turned it down, Santorum volunteered to take his place.

I think Newt has made it an open offer to everyone (except Paul?).  Cain did it already, Romney said no, Santorum and Huntsman are on the calendar, Bachmann is probably thinking about it, and Perry is out for obvious reasons.

[The Mikado]

Joementum, it's not that.  It's that Gingrich truly believes that he is God's gift to debating and also loves combat.  It's the same logic behind his general election offer that Obama do 9 debates with him.  He loves this stuff.

[anvi]

The only concern in some quarters is that there is too little time left for Gingrich to implode on his own.

I've been watching Gingrich long enough to have complete faith in his limitless self-undermining abilities--they really are quite impressive.    And, besides,  there is still a month left before Iowa, and, regardless of how January goes, Mitt has enough, I think, to keep him going through February, where the sparse number of contests favor him.  Sometimes, even when one is down to the wire, patience is still a virtue. 

[Torie]

The only concern in some quarters is that there is too little time left for Gingrich to implode on his own.

I've been watching Gingrich long enough to have complete faith in his limitless self-undermining abilities--they really are quite impressive.    And, besides,  there is still a month left before Iowa, and, regardless of how January goes, Mitt has enough, I think, to keep him going through February, where the sparse number of contests favor him.  Sometimes, even when one is down to the wire, patience is still a virtue. 

I'm quite serene anvi, for what that is worth.

[Keystone Phil]

Newt clearly views Santorum as more debate practice. Be careful what you wish for...

[President von Cat]

The link said that the debate offer was initially made to Mittens, and when Romney turned it down, Santorum volunteered to take his place.  So, the short-term result is that Romney is further sidelined, Gingrich gets to put himself out there with a candidate well-liked among conservatives, who, furthermore, isn't a threat to him.  As far as the Gingrich people are concerned, it's all upside.

Of course, the rest of us know different, and so does Romney.  The more Gingrich is out there, the more he gets a chance to speak, and the more he gets a chance to speak, the more everyone is going to either remember or find out how crazy he is.  There's no need to exert lots of effort to beat a guy when you can absolutely count on him to beat himself.  Romney will  just stay out of Gingrich's way until everyone finds him still standing, with money and a ground operation, after Gingrich implodes.  The primary electorate has an uncanny knack for going in the end for the most electable candidate, and anybody who follows consistent returns in national tracking, or who looks at crucial swing states, knows that person is Romney.  Romney is far from the best GOP candidate in history, but nominating anyone else would just be a losing proposition.

If the Republicans always choose the "most electable" candidate, why did they give the nomination to McCain in 2008, and not Romney? Romney had the organization and the money for the general, he was also younger and most importantly, totally removed from the toxic Iraq War.

[Wonkish1]

And people didn't believe me when I said that Newt wont let up when he's up in the polls. By any campaign standard Newt should be going safe right now and avoiding any opportunities to give someone else a shot.

But he doesn't just want to eek by. He wants to win by the biggest margin possible and he wont pass on any opportunity that may expand his lead(even by a little).

There is another reason why he's doing this particular thing(Lincoln Douglas) when he's up, but maybe I'll get into that some other time.

[California8429]

Newt clearly views Santorum as more debate practice. Be careful what you wish for...

More so he views him as someone who accepted opposed to Romney that is too scared to do it. As these one on one debates continue Romney will look like a baboon for being the last one who will refuse to debate.

Santorum and Gingrich actually somewhat like each other so...

[Keystone Phil]

Santorum and Gingrich actually somewhat like each other so...

I know. That doesn't mean Newt doesn't look down on him as nothing more than debate practice in this case.

[Wonkish1]

Newt clearly views Santorum as more debate practice. Be careful what you wish for...

More so he views him as someone who accepted opposed to Romney that is too scared to do it. As these one on one debates continue Romney will look like a baboon for being the last one who will refuse to debate.

Santorum and Gingrich actually somewhat like each other so...

Yep that is another factor.

[anvi]

If the Republicans always choose the "most electable" candidate, why did they give the nomination to McCain in 2008, and not Romney? Romney had the organization and the money for the general, he was also younger and most importantly, totally removed from the toxic Iraq War.

I think it's important to remember that, until the bottom fell out in the financial crisis in September of 2008, McCain was either tied or at least slightly ahead of Obama in national polls and looking like he was gaining strength in the swing states.  While Iraq remained a huge issue all through the Democratic primaries, it was not Iraq that sunk McCain so much as the financial crisis and the avalanche of misfortunes that struck his campaign in October.  And, even after all that, McCain pulled in 46%, and garnered just shy of 60 million votes.  Not bad results for a terrible last month in the campaign and a bad year for Republicans nationally.  Despite his otherwise good operation, I'm not really convinced Romney was quite ready for prime time in 2008.  I think McCain was the best candidate to put up last time around, despite the final results.  I surely don't think Romney, had he been nominated, would have fared better through the financial collapse than McCain had.

If the GOP wants the best shot they have at the White House, and doesn't just want to posture, they'd best pick Romney.  That doesn't mean they will nominate him, and it doesn't mean Romney will necessarily win the general, but I think, based on consistent data as well as how self-destructive Gingrich is, Romney is the best bet.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Joementum, it's not that.  It's that Gingrich truly believes that he is God's gift to debating and also loves combat.  It's the same logic behind his general election offer that Obama do 9 debates with him.  He loves this stuff.

All of this reminds me of that hilarious media-originated myth about McCain being the master of the town-hall debate and then performing terribly when actually in a town-hall with Obama.

["'Oeps!' De blunders van Rick Perry Indicted"]

If the Republicans always choose the "most electable" candidate, why did they give the nomination to McCain in 2008, and not Romney? Romney had the organization and the money for the general, he was also younger and most importantly, totally removed from the toxic Iraq War.

Besides what anvi said, Romney polled poorly in general election match-ups, losing to both Clinton and Obama by double-digits. Some of the flaws that have undermined him in this campaign - the personal awkwardness and Richie Rich image - were much more pronounced in '08; the "who let the dogs out" incident probably got more buzz than any pre-Palin candidate gaffe that cycle.