1. Of course, Pete is right that any decent Republican now votes for either ROMNEY or SANTORUM. In Florida? Well, it’s winner-take- all and the race remains close (in one poll today a tie). So vote for ROMNEY. On the other hand: If Santorum does very poorly his funding dries up, and he may have to quit. He’s doing better nationwide than in FL and seems to be surging just a bit. Romney’s position may be untenable. Vote for Santorum to keep Rick alive. On the third hand: It’s all about Newt’s momentum. A loss in FL wouldn’t take him out, but it would slow him down a lot. So . . .
2. The good news is that polls from FL show a tight race. The bad is that Newt now has a significant lead (again!) nationwide, and the TEA PARTY energy is clearly with him. (What are those guys thinking!?)
3. Pete’s best line among many fine ones: Newt should say that the liberal elite media has made it impossible for decent men and women to run for president. That’s why you’re stuck with ME.
4. I’m afraid that Newt didn’t look as bad to America as he did to Pete in the recent debate. Pete is very right, thought, that the debate against Obama would be nothing like Newt the bully-victim’s South Carolina “triumph” against a force (the liberal elite media) that actually wants him to prevail for now.
5. Romney the hugely richly guy who made $20-some million without lifting a finger and paid the low capital gains rate precisely because he didn’t work looks really, really bad. How to turn that around? A beginning: Romney’s non-work hurt America a lot less than Newt’s not-quite-lobbying-but-actually-worse work with Freddie Mac.