Politicklish™

Gingrich Firm Releases One of Its Contracts With Freddie Mac – Bloomberg.

The prospect of being flattened by the Newt Gingrich steamroller wonderfully concentrated Mitt Romney’s mind during last night’s NBC debate in Florida. Romney, suddenly in second place and falling fast after Gingrich slaughtered him in South Carolina, sent a simple and unambiguous message to GOP voters: This guy is trouble.

In the most uncomfortable confrontation yet in these debates, in the first half-hour, Romney and Gingrich cut out the middleman — NBC’s Brian Williams — and went at each other. The problem for Gingrich and his undeniable momentum was that the issue was Gingrich.

Did Gingrich lobby for Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage business that paid him $1.6 million as it was helping to destroy the housing market? If not, why did Freddie Mac pay him $1.6 million? Gingrich denied it huffily, but had no answer when Romney pointed out that the money was actually paid to Gingrich by Freddie Mac’s chief lobbyist.

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via Mitt Romney says Gingrich is trouble—John Podhoretz – NYPOST.com.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday Newt Gingrich’s past actions have been “an embarrassment” to the Republican Party and a reason why he should not get the GOP nomination for president.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

via Chris Christie: Gingrich ‘Has Been an Embarrassment to the Party’ | Video | TheBlaze.com.

Comments worth considering

Elli, on January 22nd, 2012 at 5:14 pm Said:

“If he gets the nomination or after that the presidency, every gay marriage activist in the country will be holding up a sign that says, ‘Hey, Newt, I just want to get married once.’”

steve, on January 22nd, 2012 at 5:22 pm Said:

“If he is elected, it will be pretty difficult to take Callista seriously as First Lady when she promotes Christian values.”

via Rod Dreher » Gingrich family values.

The Obama administration will begin to tap federal retiree programs to help fund operations after the government lost its ability Monday to borrow more money from the public, adding urgency to efforts in Washington to fashion a compromise over the debt.

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Treasury to tap pensions to help fund government – The Washington Post.

New Obama OMB director a Bain alum | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner.

Three former factory workers featured in a film about layoffs at companies bought by Mitt Romneys Bain Capital say they werent laid off by Bain, as the film implied, but got promotions and raises after Bain bought the plant they worked in.

The workers charges of inaccuracy involve “When Mitt Romney Came to Town,” a 28-minute film also known as “King of Bain.” The film has become a focal point of the Republican presidential race in the past week. It was cited by rival Newt Gingrich at a televised debate last weekend and has been posted online…

via Featured Workers Call Bain Film Inaccurate – WSJ.com.

Obama: Incompetent or Evil? – National Review Online.

And the Democrats want to follow that?

S&P Cuts Credit Ratings for Nine Euro Zone Nations – Business News – CNBC.

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You wouldn’t know this from listening to some Republicans’ lamentations. It sounds pretty strange when the former House speaker (Mr. Gingrich), the former No. 3 in the Senate Republican leadership (Mr. Santorum), a past chairman of the Republican Governors Association (Mr. Perry), and a former vice-presidential chief of staff (William Kristol) and others warn against letting “the establishment” choose the Republican nominee. If there is a “GOP establishment,” they are surely part of it.

More to the point, a small membership committee does not govern the process. No group of power brokers can pressure others into uniting behind one candidate. Millions of primary voters and caucus-goers will select the GOP’s nominee. That’s good enough for most of us.

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Romney Makes History | Karl Rove.