First pitch—Out of the Park
He couldn’t avoid it. John King, CNN debate moderator last night, was compelled to forcefully ask Speaker Gingrich about the ABC so-called expose′ which was featured on last night’s Nightline. That opening was all Speaker Gingrich needed to seize the high road and he never relinquished it. Another debate won in the most difficult of circumstances.
I must admit, I did not see that this dark episode from Mr. Gingrich’s past could be a positive. Governor Sarah Palin did. She told Sean Hannity yesterday:
“They, thinking that by trotting out this old Gingrich divorce interview that’s old news — and it does feature a disgruntled ex, claiming that it would destroy his campaign — all this does, Sean [Hannity], is incentivize conservatives and independents who are so sick of the politics of personal destruction, because it’s played so selectively by the media, that their target, in this case Newt, he’s now going to soar even more. Because we know the game now, and we just won’t put up with it. Good call, media.”
This was just the end of a very tough but productive day for the Gingrich campaign. Earlier in the day, as he ended his own campaign for the Presidency, Governor Rick Perry powerfully endorsed Speaker Gingrich:
“I believe Newt is a Conservative visionary who can transform our country. We’ve had our differences which campaigns will inevitably have, and Newt is not perfect, but who among us is? The fact is, there is forgiveness for those who seek God. And I believe in the power of redemption for it is a central tenet of my Christian faith. I have no question that Newt Gingrich has the heart of a Conservative reformer, the ability to rally and captivate the Conservative movement. The courage to tell those Washington interests to take a hike if that is in the best interest of our country.”—watch it:
Speaker Gingrich has picked up the momentum on endorsements as well. Here, for example is the Wikipedia list of endorsements of Newt Gingrich for President
Gingrich has received endorsements from:
United States House of Representatives
- Representative Joe Barton of Texas, Chairman Emeritus of the House Energy and Commerce Committee[115]
- Representative Michael Burgess of Texas[116]
- Representative Phil Gingrey of Georgia[116]
- Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia[117]
- Representative Tom Price of Georgia[118]
- Representative Austin Scott of Georgia[119]
- Representative Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia[120]
- Representative Andy Harris of Maryland[121]
- Representative Trent Franks of Arizona[122]
- Representative David Rivera of Florida[123]
Governors and State Constitutional officers
- Governor, former Presidential candidate Rick Perry of Texas[114]
- Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia[124]
- Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens[125]
- Public Service Commissioner Stan Wise[125]
- Public Service Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald[125]
Former officeholders
- Former Senator Robert C. Smith of New Hampshire[126]
- Former Senator and Governor Zell Miller of Georgia [127]
- Former Representative Fred Grandy of Iowa[128]
- Former Representative Greg Ganske of Iowa[129]
- Former Representative J. C. Watts of Oklahoma[130]
- Former Representative John Napier of South Carolina[131]
- Former Representative, former Attorney General Bill McCollum of Florida[132]
- Former Representative Gary Lee of Florida[133]
- Former Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia[124]
- Former Lieutenant Governor André Bauer of South Carolina[134]
Former diplomats, board members and other officials
- Former Ambassador to Tanzania, former Commerce Secretary of South Carolina Bob Royall[135]
- Former member of President Ronald Reagan‘s Economic Policy Advisory Board Arthur Laffer[136]
- Former Director of White House speechwriting for President Ronald Reagan Bently Elliott[137]
- Former chief justice of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, partner at the Nexsen Pruet law firm, Billy Wilkins[138]
- Former member of the board of visitors at the Medical University of South Carolina Debra Wilkins[138]
State Legislators
Florida
- Former Miami Mayor Joe Carollo[133]
- Former Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty[133]
- Vice Mayor of Bradenton and Bradenton City Councillor Patrick Roff[133]
- State Senator Jim Norman (District 112)[133]
- State Senator Thad Altman (Dist. 24)[133]
- Former State Senator John Grant, Sr. (R-Hillsborough)[133]
- State Representative Michael Bileca (Dist.117)[133]
- State Representative Gayle Harrell (Dist. 81)[133]
- State Representative Deborah Mayfield (Dist. 80)[133]
- State Representative Carlos Trujillo (Dist.116)[133]
- Former State Representative Kurt Kelley[133]
- Former State Representative Monica Rodriguez[133]
- Former State Representative Luis Rojas[133]
- Brevard County Chair William Tolley[133]
- Hillsborough County Chair Sam Rashid[133]
- Honorary Brevard County Chair Coy Clark[133]
- Duval County Co-Chair Bert Ralston[133]
- Pinellas County Co-Chair Dr. Miguel Fana[133]
- Jacksonville City Councillor Ray Holt[133]
- Brooksville City Councillor Kevin Hohn[133]
- Former Chairman of Calhoun County Commission Dan Wyrick[133]
- Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez[133]
- Palm Beach County Commissioner Steve Abrams[133]
- Former Leon County Commissioner Ed Depuy[133]
- Gingrich Florida Chair College Republicans Nathan Meloon[133]
- Gingrich Florida Chair of Young Republicans Christian Waugh[133]
Georgia
- State Senator Judson Hill (R-Marietta)[125]
- State Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta)[125]
- State Representative Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs) Wilkinson is chairman of the House Ethics Committee and served in the Reagan Administration.[125]
- State Representative Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell)[125]
- State Representative Sean Jerguson (R-Canton) Jerguson is chairman of the Cherokee County legislative delegation.[125]
- State Representative Paulette Braddock (R-Hiram)[125]
- State Representative Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin)[125]
- Hall County Commissioner Ashley Bell[139]
- Hall County Commissioner Craig Lutz[139]
- Hall County Commissioner Tom Oliver[139]
Iowa
- Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen[140]
- House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer[141]
- State Senator James Seymour[142]
- State Senator Randy Feenstra[142]
- State Senator Shawn Hamerlinck[142]
- State Senator David Johnson[142]
- Former State Senator Larry McKibben[142]
- State Representative, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Scott Raecker[143]
- State Representative Bob Hager[142]
- State Representative Chris Hagenow[142]
- State Representative Josh Byrnes[142]
- State Representative Linda Upmeyer[142]
- State Representative Jeff Kaufman[142]
- Former Iowa Republican Party Chairman Ray Hoffman[142]
New Hampshire
- Speaker of the House William O’Brien (R-Hillsborough)[144]
- State Representative William Panek (R-Strafford)[145]
- State Representative Sam Cataldo (R-Strafford)[145]
- State Representative Greg Sorg (R-Grafton)[146]
- State Representative Donald Andolina (R-Strafford)[146]
- State Representative J.C. Daugherty[146]
- State Representative Robert Elliott (R-Rockingham)[146]
- State Representative Gregory Hill (R-Merrimack)[146]
- State Representative Frank Kotowski (R-Merrimack)[146]
- State Representative Kathleen Lauer-Rago (R-Merrimack)[146]
- State Representative Joseph Pitre (R-Strafford)[146]
- State Representative Frank Sapareto (R-Rockingham)[146]
- State Representative Ken Sheffert (R-Rockingham)[146]
- State Representative Laurie Pettengill (R-Carroll)[146]
- State Representative Glen Hill[146]
- State Representative Don McClarren (R-Hillsborough)[146]
- State Representative Joe Osgood[146]
- State Representative Brandon Giuda (R-Merrimack)[146]
- Former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Jack Kimball[147]
South Carolina
- Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell[148]
- House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham[149]
- State Senator Rick Quinn[135]
- State Representative Peter McCoy (Dist. 115)[150]
Academics and commentators
- Hoover Institution economist and columnist Thomas Sowell[151]
- President of the Center for Security Policy Frank Gaffney[152]
US Armed Forces
- Retired United States Marine Corps Major General, Medal of Honor recipient James E. Livingston[153]
- Retired United States Army Colonel Michael D. Steele[154]
Newspapers
Celebrities, political activists, and commentators
- Allen Olsen, Columbia Tea Party[156]
- Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips[157]
- Des Moines Tea Party founder Charlie Gruschow aka “Tea Party Charlie”[158]
- Conservative Club of Des Moines and Des Moines Conservative Breakfast Club founder Darell Kearney[159]
- Carl Paladino, 2010 New York gubernatorial Republican nominee and conservative activist[160]
- Former Shreveport Mayoral and Caddo Parish Commissioner candidate, Tea Party and Young Conservative Activist and Pastor Parker G. Ward of Shreveport, Louisiana[161]
- Former radio host and Republican strategist, son of former President Ronald Reagan, Michael Reagan[136]
- Iowa radio talk-show host Steve Deace[162]
- Former Iowa director for Herman Cain‘s presidential campaign Larry Tuel[163]
- South Carolina Young Republicans liaison, daughter of Lee Atwater, Republican strategist and former Republican National Committee chairman during the administration of former President George H. W. Bush, Sally Atwater[150]
- Christian researcher George Barna[164]
- Retired founder of the American Family Association Don Wildmon[164]
- Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church in Southern California[164]
- Todd Palin, Husband of Sarah Palin and former First Spouse of Alaska [165]
- Tim LaHaye, author of eschatological fiction [166]
- Michael Youssef, founder and President of Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef[167]
- Former top South Carolina strategist for Jon Huntsman‘s presidential campaign, adviser to Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign Richard Quinn[135]
It should be a very interesting day in South Carolina tomorrow.
The Patriot's Trumpet 