Rick Santorum: The GOP's Surest Path to Defeat

Purity. The word takes on a double meaning in the world of electoral politics. Within the Republican Party especially, the struggle between those searching for ideological purity and those carving out more practical, nuanced positions can be both entertaining and horrifying to watch. For the typical Evangelical/Tea-party activist, the word takes on a a very positive tone; such as "purified drinking water". On the other hand is the establishment who, when faced with the word, hears something far closer to the "race purification" doctrine espoused by the Fuhrer.

Unfortunately, the former is winning out in our party. Practicality and electability have taken a back seat to an ideological predictability that is so bold and disconnected with the American people as to virtually guarantee electoral defeat in November. In their one way tunnel of thought, the answers of our party brethren are always the same and never vary: Abortion? It's always wrong and never ok in any circumstance. Ever. At all. Gay marriage? It's destroying the country and threatening our children. Defense spending? No cuts, for any reason, at any time. Ever. Taxes? Get rid of 'em. The poor? Lazy. Women? Home makers. The courts? A beacon of truth and reason when we agree, activist and overreaching when we do not.

The purists can come no closer to a perfect candidate than Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania, who today is threatening the once seemingly inevitable nomination of Mitt Romney. And, of course, the problems with his candidacy are as predictable as his socially conservative, devoutly Catholic politics. He has compared homosexuality to polygamy and incest. He has said that women being allowed in combat rolls raises certain "emotional concerns". He has said that homosexuals should not be allowed to serve openly in the military. He has said contraception is dangerous to women. He has raised questions regarding the moral integrity of mothers who choose to have careers rather than be career mothers.

Regardless of how one actually feels about these issues, there is a skill in politics that good politicians learn, and learn fast. The art of learning when to shut one's mouth can be a very helpful skill. Only ideologues possess the kind of self righteous chutzpah required to actually say they believe homosexuals are as dangerous as men who have sex with their daughters or that working mothers are, somehow, subpar.

Needless to say, these issues would be unimportant if Americans at large actually agreed with Rick Santorum. The problem, of course, is that they do not. If the GOP is willing to nominate a man so comfortably out of the mainstream on these very sensitive issues then it is prepared to lose one of the most consequential elections in a generation. In the pursuit of everything these purists will gain nothing and insure the president's reelection.

It has been said, often grudgingly, that the establishment always wins in the nominating process. Let's hope that it does this time, at least.

The Implosion of Newt Gingrich

I can think of several reasons to oppose the candidacy of Newt Gingrich for the Republican nomination. From the mismanagement of his campaign thus far to his lack of any real organization on the ground and no money to speak of to his questionable ethics both in his professional and private life, there are numerous red flags being raised warning us of what a Gingrich presidency might look like. Exhibit A, however, is his arrogance and the anger management issues that come with it.

Last night, after losing to Mitt Romney in Nevada, the former Speaker of the House decided not to host a party and give a speech, as is traditional in these cases. Instead, the Speaker chose to hold a press conference in which he attempted to do what he does best; chastise the media and blame his campaign's failure on Mitt Romney's "dishonesty", calling him a "Soros candidate". The episode quickly disintegrated into an episode of a man desperate for any explanation of his poor performance other than his own inability to raise money, earn support and organize a GOTV campaign. Former GOP House leader Dick Armey, now Chairman of Freedome Works, has pity for Newt, but still calls Newt what he is, namely, a sore loser:

Armey said that Gingrich’s criticisms of Romney were not helpful for either the GOP in November or Gingrich’s own campaign during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “I feel bad for him. I think he’s digressed into a state of taking a second-rate campaign and turning it into a first-rate vendetta,” said Armey

Of course, Newt's problem is not that he's incapable of being president. It's not that he is a poor debater. Nor is his problem that he is not intelligent or an important conservative thinker. Newt's problem is that he's not as smart or effective as he thinks he is, and after two subpar debate performances in Florida people are beginning to figure that out. If Newt Gingrich wants to have any chance of being competitive in this race again, he'd better figure that out for himself, and soon. Politics requires a certain arrogance if you are going to survive in the mine field of elected public life. But it also requires more humility, or at least feigned humility. Newt has neither feigned nor actual humility (which one might find odd for a man on his third wife).

The simple truth is that arrogance, not a determined desire to be president, is what is driving Newt's campaign. His over the top rhetoric as he grapples to explain to himself why he is losing is only making it worse. More from Mr. Armey:

“I thought that last night was really sad for him,” said Armey about Gingrich’s Saturday speech. “Quite frankly again so much of Newt’s whole life is overstated, he overstates the case in such a hyperbolic fashion, it just looks vindictive.”

And that's what it is.

It's time for Mr. Gingrich to take a page out of Mr. Romney's 2008 play book and step aside and make way for the GOP nominee.

Mitt Romney 2012?

All of you former Right Up Front readers know of my undying affection and unyielding loyalty to Mitt Romney. Indeed, he is my first choice for the nomination in 2012. Now it looks like the Stormin' Mormon may be testing the waters for an encore run at the GOP knod. Politico's Jonathan Martin has the details.

After a few stops in some early primary states and lavish fundraiser at a "trendy" Washington eatery, there are many reasons for any former Romney fan to be hopeful. And who better to go up against a now-obviously undisciplined current White House resident than the uber-disciplined, results oriented former businessman and governor?

Lucky for those of us squarely in the Mitt camp, it appears we're in good company. In March, he won the CPAC presidential preference straw poll for the third year in a row. He is consistantly among the top Republicans in poll after poll, including this one. And this one. He competes the best among the other GOP potentials against Barack Obama in that poll, and even ties the president at 45% in this one. Granted, dear readers, it is far, far, far too early to be vesting any weight in these polls. Not because they are not accurate. But because the situation right now will absolutely not exist in 3 years when we choose our (wo)man.

Or will it?