Gingrich Disappoints, Probably Can't Win

Per my last post, I was squarely in the Gingrich camp. In fact I was there before Newt's stunning rise in the polls. I was convinced that he had the conservative chops, the Constitutional grounding, the smarts, the wit, and the political experience and savvy to whip Obama soundly in the general. I still think so. While his and Romney's records have been grossly mischaracterized by pundits on both the left and right--each is a solid, mainstream conservative and either would lead the country in the right direction and out of the economic malaise we find ourselves in under the Euro-socialist policies of President Obama and the Democrats.

But here's where I now part with Gingrich and find myself tilting towards Romney: Newt has failed to create a viable political organization. He created an exploratory committee in the LAST election cycle. He's had over four years to organize and raise funds for a viable campaign. But he's failed to do so. In fact, much of his organization defected to the Perry camp (an indictment on their judgment!), presumably because Newt wasn't serious about his candidacy. Perhaps they were right. The Speaker is unprepared. Come to find out, he barely made his filing deadline in Ohio (meaning he wouldn't have shown up on the ballot) and is currently scrambling to amass the required number of signatures in Virginia, where he LEADS IN THE POLLS, to obtain ballot status there!

How can his ineptitude as Chief Executive of his own campaign translate into a winning formula for the highest office in the land--especially against the presumed billion-dollar assault that will be hurled at him by the Obama camp? No, it's not Newt's political baggage, his controversial personal attributes, or even some of his wild hair ideas (like executive judicial review) that will eventually sink him. Ironically, and perhaps appropriately, it's his deficiencies as an executive that will prevent him from becoming America's CEO. Fortunately for Romney, the "turn-around king," that's where he truly shines. And it's why, despite his unfortunate lack of appeal to misguided Tea Party conservatives, Mitt's helmsmanship remains our best shot at turning around this storm-tossed ship of state and returning to more prosperous and libertarian waters.