Mitt Romney Speechifies Lyrics to ‘America, the Beautiful’
What is accomplished by this performance — essentially a patriotic song reduced to a Powerpoint presentation read by a robot?
Day: January 4, 2012
Gingrich Farewell Speech to Iowa: I Will Destroy Mitt Romney
Newt Gingrich may be the nastiest politician to hold office in the modern era. Assuming he can muster the discipline and focus (and money) to follow through on the threats against Mitt Romney he made after losing the Iowa caucuses last night, the Republican presidential race is about to go to a very dark place.
In part, he said:
Most Meaningless National Election Ever
In the wake of the Tea Party, the Occupy movement, and a dozen or more episodes of real rebellion on the streets, in the legislatures of cities and towns, and in state and federal courthouses, this presidential race now feels like a banal bureaucratic sideshow to the real event — the real event being a looming confrontation between huge masses of disaffected citizens on both sides of the aisle, and a corrupt and increasingly ideologically bankrupt political establishment, represented in large part by the two parties dominating this race.
— Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi, asserting that the 2012 presidential race has lost its “elemental appeal” and “may be the most meaningless national election campaign we’ve ever had.”
Perry Equates Obama Admin to Nazis? Campaign Over!
This election is about stopping a president of the United States and his administration that is abusing the constitution of this country, that is putting America on a track to bankruptcy. It is a powerful moment in Americans’ history, and you are on the front lines. This is Concord. This is Omaha Beach. This is going up the hill realizing that the battle is worth winning.
— Rick Perry, comparing the GOP’s efforts to defeat President Obama “to one of the deadliest battles of the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944,” NBC News reports.
Santorum to Obama: ‘Man Up’
If you want to be president, man up and be president.
— Rick Santorum, quoted by BuzzFeed, saying President Obama makes excuses instead of leading.
Republican Enthusiasm Is Waning
123,000
Of 640,000 registered Republicans in Iowa turned out to vote yesterday, along the lines of 2008, when dueling Democrats absorbed most of the electoral energy — an ominous sign for the GOP after the Tea Party-driven enthusiasms of 2010.
Romney-Santorum Split Decision in Iowa a Defeat for the Tea Party
While both the Romney and Santorum camps can claim bragging rights as they head for New Hampshire, Dave Weigel suggests that the results from Iowa reveal one big, unambiguous loser:
