2012: Reassessing

President Obama heads to Pennsylvania, where his poll numbers have slumped, Michele Bachmann tries to recharge her campaign in Iowa, Perry and Huntsman address the New Hampshire legislature, but Perry made another flub – this one about the Granite State, and why is Herman Cain in Ohio?

Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, and Rick Perry all took shots at Herman Cain for the latest allegations of an affair. Huntsman told the Boston Globe, “You’ve got to be reconsidering just based on how we have lost focus on the issues that really do matter. Every time another accusation comes up, it diminishes our ability to stay focused on the issues that really do matter for the American people. And I think that’s a disservice to the voters.”

Bachmann said on a Minnesota talk-radio show: "When [the latest accusation] came out yesterday, everyone said 'this is it he's done. People just don't see that there is an ability for him to be able to come back after that."

A Bachmann campaign aide yesterday Tweeted that moving trucks could be seen outside Cain’s Iowa headquarters, which is across the street from Bachmann’s. But they weren’t moving trucks, just a truck delivering signs, NBC’s Alex Moe and Jamie Novogrod report. The aide, state Sen. Kent Sorenson, who is heading up Bachmann’s campaign in Iowa, later said it was an “accident” and deleted the Tweet. But he added in a phone conversation with NBC’s Novogrod, “I think it's going to happen sooner rather than later."

Perry said this morning on Fox, per NBC’s Carrie Dann, that Cain’s "got to address these issues. Straight up." "If these allegations are true he has an obligation to his family and to the American people to explain."

BACHMANN: She also went after Gingrich in the radio interview: "I think all of these [frontrunner falls] do benefit me. I think that Rick Perry's slide in the polls benefits me, I think that with Herman Cain, and I think now we're re-looking at Newt Gingrich because more information is coming out."

Glenn Beck says he’s voting for Bachmann, something she touted in an email. “I am the candidate Glenn Beck trusts to lead America back to prosperity,” she said. She also got the endorsements of the co-chairs of the South Carolina Tea Party.

CAIN: The New York Post on Cain’s “reassessment” of his campaign: “The pizza king might not deliver to the White House.”

GINGRICH: Gingrich took a jab at Romney, calling him “the former frontrunner.”

Rep. Brian Bilbray, the GOP chair of the Immigration Reform Caucus, took a shot at Gingrich’s stance on immigration yesterday on CNN: “Newt, I don’t care who you are. Quit sending the mixed message that we are going to somehow reward or accommodate you if you broke the law while there are those waiting patiently and playing by the rules, waiting to come into this country legally.”

And Gingrich expressed support for the individual mandate on health care as recently as 2005.

HUNTSMAN: “Republican Jon Huntsman [yesterday] refused to rule out running as an independent candidate for president should he fail in his quest for his party’s 2012 nomination. Asked, ‘Is there any situation in which you would run for president as an independent?’ Huntsman told the Boston Globe, ‘I don’t think so.’ Told that anything but a flat denial could perpetuate speculation about the possibility, Huntsman replied: ‘I’m a lifelong Republican. I’m running as a Republican, and I fully anticipate that that’s where we’re going to be.’”

PERRY: The New York Daily News yesterday on Perry’s flubs about the voting age and the date of next year’s election: “Texas Gov. Rick Perry had another "oops" moment Tuesday….”

Perry had yet another “oops” moment on FOX this morning, one to which New Hampshire voters don’t take kindly. He noted how he's pushing his message "as we get ready for those New Hampshire caucuses." New Hampshire holds a primary, not caucuses, and touts it first-in-the-nation primary status.

ROMNEY: Taegan Goddard notes of his interview with Bret Baier on FOX last night, “Mitt Romney showed why he doesn't do too many interviews.” The Miami Herald, which Political Wire links to, called Romney “icily peevish” at times. “He laughed mirthlessly, or denied video evidence showed him shifting his positions or suggested he was espousing clear positions -- which nevertheless required clarification. When pushed, he told Baier at one point that people should read his book.”

In the interview, Romney said of his support for Massachusetts’ health-care plan, “If it keeps me from winning a primary, so be it.” Romney also took this shot at Gingrich: “He spent his last 30 or 40 years in Washington. I spent my career in the private sector.” He also called him a “lifelong politician.”

Just how unsatisfied are some conservatives with the field? A pro-Palin group is running a one-minute ad in Iowa (with a very small $6,500 ad buy) urging her to reconsider.

Discuss this post

All these shots at Cain for his alleged affair are really a shot at Gingrich, me thinks.

Gingrich is where all the other candidates want to be. He's the anti-Romney of choice right now. Plus, they understand the RNC wants to run a safe, typical, "are-you-better-off-now-than-four-years-ago" campaign, and there's only one candidate in the field who the RNC trusts to do that. So the others know any shots at Gingrich are likely to be amplified by RNC feeds to media outlets.

I think we're starting to see some of that, but it's not clear if its RNC-instigated or just the usual front-runner scrutiny. With Gingrich touching that illegal immigration intraparty third rail, there might be some interest in waiting to see how that plays out before launching the big negative campaign against him.

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:17 PM EST

[All these shots at Cain for his alleged affair are really a shot at Gingrich, me thinks.]

Very true...and the Noot is going to get pummeled because of his alley-cat morals and lack of ethics.

  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:38 PM EST

The DNC strategy is to sling mud at which ever Republican candidate that may be a contender against the Progressive Party candidate. Obama can't run on his record, may have difficulty during a debate schedule, and will have problems when interesting information could be brought up about Barry.

Rather than debate the Obama record, the DNC is more interested in having the 'MUD' brought up with the Republican candidate spending more time defending the allegation rather than present his policy plans for the country.

I don't know about your feelings, but I don't see much for this 'Hope and Change' thing that didn't work.

  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:35 PM EST

winemaker - that might be true during the general election campaign, but for now, I'm thinking the DNC attacks will be focused on the opponent they want. It makes that candidate for nomination look like the presumed nominee.

If that's correct, then we have an unusual situation in which the DNC and RNC both want the same Republican nominee. Now if they jointly can just convince more than 23 percent of Republican Party membership to go along with it...

    #1.3 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 4:52 PM EST

    Seriously - listen to these people - they don't even understand that they are slowly, daily destroying what is, if any, left of the Republicans chance of winning the Presidency, but they are so naive and arrogant that they really think they can. Bauchman - the lights on but no ones home. Cain is just plain toast. Perry might as well go back to making the "great" state of Texas a joke. Romney will most likely squeak through as the nominee.

    @winemaker - it's not hard to find "MUD" as you call it on the candidates that the TPGOP has produced - they pretty much do the job for the DNC. Your ilk has been slinging "MUD" since Obama stepped in the Oval office.

    BTW - Obama has plenty of accomplishments that you guys just like to ignore.

      #1.4 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:56 PM EST
      Reply

      Bachmann:

      “I am the candidate Glenn Beck trusts to lead America back to prosperity,” she said.

      So, it seems Mishie is proud to be chained to this boat anchor named Glenn Beck.

      ...glub glub, Mishie...glub glub...

      http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_65/michele_bachmann_touts_glenn_beck_vote_south_carolina_tea_party_boost-210601-1.html?pos=hatr

      • 1 vote
      Reply#2 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:34 PM EST

      I was snookered into reading this post by the photo of Obama. I'm sick of reading about the cabal of morons running for the Republican primary! Who cares what Bachmann, Huntsman, Cain, and Perry think? I mean, honestly, they don't have a shot, they are just out there attacking the President, like a horde of Black Friday shoppers swarming over a pile of towels.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#3 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:41 PM EST

      cool, my Newsvine picture is next to my name. Wow, miss a day on First Read, miss alot!

      • 2 votes
      Reply#4 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:49 PM EST

      Amy, I to went to this post because of the Obama photo. Personally I am tired of First Read constantly posting articles about Cain, 3 or 4 a day is enough for someone who everyone knows will not get the nomination.

      When I saw the photo of Obama, I was sure First Read was going to have something to say about Obama's current Rasmussen poll showing Obama at only 43% approval rating, the lowest since Jimmy Carter at this point in his term.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#5 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:01 PM EST

      Sfrect, what is the approval rating for the House and Senate? They are the ones who are making Obama's rating so low, because they, the GOP, wants to make him a one term president. Their extra words. So how can Obama get anything done or passed if the GOP is TOTALLY against him.

        #5.1 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:29 PM EST

        Derf, Typical liberal response blame the republicans. The approval rating for congress is always low but it has nothing to do with Obama's rating. Remember the democrats control the Senate. Also, Reagan and Clinton both accomplished things while the congress was controlled by the opposite party. In Obama's case it's called a lack of leadership. Never in my many years of following politics have I seen a President constantly play the class warfare and blame game. As for the GOP wanting to make him a one term president is just like the democrats wanted to make Bush 1 a one term president.

          #5.2 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:26 PM EST
          Reply

          Looking at the "Gross Odd People" (GOP), and the "Really Not Competent" (RNC) is like watching a very disturbed Clown Show. The "Party Of NO" no longer a political party, but instead, it is a Lobbyist Group representing the economic will of the Koch Brothers. This GOP Lobbyist Group is also strongly connected to "Goofy Grover." For this traveling GOP Clown Show nothing has changed in their messages of "Mental Madness." The GOP Lobbyists Group is all for extending the "Brainless Bush" Tax Cuts. They are for destroying Social Security, and taking out all economic safety nets. "Bitchy Bachmann" is a "Social Sadist" that believes that her fellow citizens should starve, and those without health care can die. "Romulian Romney" is flying around the nation in their Bird Of Prey spewing lies at will. Then there is "Scary Perry" who has no speaking or thinking abilities. He is the biggest GOP Clown of all, and his 3x5 Card Tax Plan is a joke. Then there is "Crazy Cain" the GOP/RNC sexual pervert. This individual was constantly going about his Three 9 plan. The GOP "Hoodlum's On The Hill" in the GOP House will never raise taxes on the very rich. Their loyalty to "Goofy Grover" is "Economic Treason" to the American People. Is America getting sick and tired of the Party of NO yet??? I hoipe so!

          • 2 votes
          Reply#6 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 2:21 PM EST

          Great insight...not.

          • 1 vote
          #6.1 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 3:00 PM EST
          Reply

          I just don't understand the Republican voters. First it was Bachmann who everyone wanted to be their person to run against Obama, she crapped out. Then it was Perry, he crapped out. Then it was Cain, now he's crapped out. Now it is Newt. Can't these people make up their minds who they want to runn for President??? Oh that's right they are Republicans voters, apparently just like their lawmakers, can't think for their selves, can't make tuff decisions on their own, they need someone to tell them how to vote and how to tuff make decisions(Grover and the TEA Party members).

          • 1 vote
          Reply#7 - Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:23 PM EST
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