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Updated 2:48 p.m.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich helped revive his campaign -- twice -- with strong performances in GOP presidential debates.
The self-styled intellectual of the campaign, Gingrich has relied on expressions of support from debate audiences to convey strength in the gatherings, tossing red meat to the conservative audiences with attacks on the media and his Republican rivals.
And that helps explain why Gingrich, whose performance at a Monday night debate in Florida seemed subdued compared to recent appearances, is now threatening to skip any debate in which the audience is barred from participating.
"I wish, in retrospect, I protested when Brian Williams took them out of it, because I think it's wrong," Gingrich said this morning on Fox News, referring to the NBC Nightly News anchor, who moderated the bulk of the debate. "And I think he took them out of it because the media is terrified that the audience is going to side with the candidates against the media, which is what they've done in every debate."
Gingrich vowed to "serve notice" on future debate appearances, insisting that audiences be allowed to express support or opposition to candidates' answers. (A spokesman said Tuesday afternoon that Gingrich intended to attend all the debates, but would certainly protest rules barring audience participation.)
WATCH last night's entire NBC News/National Journal/Tampa Bay Times debate
The declaration wasn't necessarily a surprise, given the way in which Gingrich has made a conscious effort of playing to audiences at debates. Winning their applause by lobbing zingers at the media -- never unpopular among audiences -- is an easy way to improve perceptions of his performance, especially among television viewers.
He won his most raucous applause by assailing CNN moderator John King at a debate last week for asking a question of Gingrich about allegations from an ex-wife that the speaker had asked for an "open marriage" or threatened divorce.
“I am tired of the elite media protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans," Gingrich responded, winning a standing ovation from the audience, which wasn't barred from expressions of support.
Gingrich’s indignation with the “media” was such a hit, it was a major theme of his victory speech after handily winning the South Carolina primary Saturday night, as well as his round of interviews on the networks' public affairs programs the next morning.
Americans are “just sick and tired of being told what they’re allowed to think, what they’re allowed to say,” he told NBC’s David Gregory. “The highest, the most intense passion in both debates [in South Carolina] was a head-on collision about what the news media is doing.”
Amidst cheers of "Newt can win," Newt Gingrich calls the S.C. race "humbling" and "sobering" to see so many supporters rally behind his political message.
But Gingrich has also relied on the news media, too, to help advance his presidential bid. Like all campaigns and candidates, Gingrich uses press accounts to press his attacks on his rivals and to bolster his own claims on the stump.
When his campaign was being nearly crippled by the broadside attacks made by a pro-Mitt Romney super PAC in Iowa, the former speaker frequently pointed to fact-checking work done by news outlets to support his contention that the charges were bogus, an acknowledgment that the media can get it right, at least when it supports Gingrich's claims.
More importantly, the evidence suggests that Gingrich’s campaign has largely been sustained by his performances in the 17 debates that have been nationally televised thus far. In exit polls released after voting finished in South Carolina, almost 90 percent of those voters interviewed said the two debates held in South Carolina were a factor in deciding which candidate to vote for -- and 42 percent of that group said they chose Gingrich, compared to 25 percent who picked Romney.
The debates have been so integral to Gingrich's rise that he has pledged to challenge President Obama to a series of seven, three-hour-long Lincoln-Douglas style debates. Gingrich wins laughter and applause among crowds of supporters with this line, especially when he jokes that he'll allow the president to use a teleprompter, if Obama wants to.
It's smart politics, because Gingrich has made his ability to effectively debate Obama a central selling point of his candidacy. It plays well especially in a primary environment in which Republicans are longing for someone to take a fight to the president.
There's just one problem: It won't happen.
The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD)is a nonprofit organization that has set the debate sites, moderators and rules for the general election in each cycle since 1988. They have already set the parameters for this fall's debates between Obama and his eventual GOP challenger. There will be three debates, held in October in Denver, Hempstead, NY, and Boca Raton, FL. The second debate will be in a town meeting format.
Gingrich probably won't be able to skip these debates if he's the nominee. But he might be reduced to protesting since, per the rules established by the CPD in every previous debate, the audience has been required to hold its applause through the duration of the meetings.
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Newt is a bully and needs the mob to give him courage.
The reason for all this is government control, we have given the gov. to much control of our lives instead of rellying on our selfs to control our own lives, we have become dependant on government to fix it all, and in return have lost a lot of our freedoms. And its getting worse in the direction of there control over us, our country was meant for the least amount of government in the people’s liv......es, it was meant for We the People! Government has gotten big to large to expensive its time to reduce there hold on us and make our lives in more control of our own responsibility. Its tyranny the hold the government has on us, and it should not be a class warfare, rich or poor or even middle class we have to take back control and responsibility of our lives, we can not wait for the government to do it for us, or even let them control what we need or what they will give us. Capitalism is the best system for freedom in ones life just by the economic freedoms it gives the individual to improve ones life, were Socialism gives the government control to dictate the process in our lives. The American dream is not lost unless we let it be. Its not democrat or republican either or corporations and profits that determine the direction of our country, it is us! When we vote we can vote the career politician out and vote the new person in until they get it right, and why they are in office we can even petition to remove them from there jobs if need be. There should be term limits anyhow as they put on the president of America. Our constitution, and bill of rights makes our country strong, the protest should be about redress and we the people taking our country back, remember its suppose to be God, we the people, then the government, not as it has become today; the government , we the people, then God. God bless America and its people in a free country of good people..
I would LOVE to attend one of the RepubliCANT debates and let Mr Newt know what a lying, cheating, thieving, no-good racist pig he is and why the U.S. would be taking a huge step backward if this idiot ever got near the white house. His own party kicked him out of the speakership because he was a moron who could not lead.
Newt did a good job. The man is wicked smart (but not my candidate). Mitt looked like he had a stick up the butt and too much botox. The other two just warm the stage. I'd rather see Newt take Florida. I like lively debates.
All I can say about Newt at this moment is. What an idiot. Instead of applause, I think the Republican debates should be accompanied by a laugh track! The entire Republican field sounds like the escaped patients from the locked ward of the local psychiatric hospital. A real danger to themselves and others.
The only comments worth reading are the ones that are-Comment collapsed by the community
Oh MSN and your big brother censorship..Noo freedom of thought here..lol..I get on here and see that more than half are collapsed..lol...Priceless!
Look,the president and Mitt,and Newt,and Santorum are all Rothchild zionist puppets..They all support the NDAA and martial law by destroying the freedoms and the constitution, so they can rob us all blind...
Of course this so-called "intellectual" has to hear roars from the rabble. I can't quite put him in Palin's category because nothing she ever said made any sense, but the point is, it didn't need to. She and Gingrich are Commanders in Chief of dog-whistle commands, commands devoid of content but delivered in such a way that the mindless jump to their feet screaming and thinking, "Man, ain't that intelekshual."
Newt's "clappers" are the same audience that goes to NASCAR races ....to see a bad accident.
He loads the auditorium with his supporters who will yell and cheer for this attention mongering buffoon.
He's shrewd and has the ability to use reverse psychology effectively in debates. He's no leader as can be attested to by various Congressional people. He has a dictatorial stance rather than a person who can be an effective and fair leader.
The more I see of Rick, Mitt & Newt, the more they seem like Moe, Larry & Curly
Like that will create jobs and balance the budget.
Just goes to show PT Barnum was correct all along.
Turning back time is exactly what we need. All the way back to at least Ronald Reagan. He was the last President that had any leadership and common sense to work with. Nothng to speak of since. This nation is rapidly going to Hell in a handbasket and this current administration is not helping and that includes Congress.
Trent Lott says Newt cannot beat Obama in a general election. Per CBS News.
Audience Participation at the GOP debates... I can only shake my head... after listening to these windbags pour out countless avalanches of pure bullsh-t, I had to stop and think what "Audience Participation" actually means here... and here's what I came up with:
While seated five rows back, I turned to the gentleman next to me and asked: "Did you see last night's game?"
He responds, "Yes, but what does that have to do with the debate?"
I reply, "Just as much as that last answer had to do with the question."
We've come too far to turn back - yeah right, too deep to dig up inthe hellhole of debts and so dig more for more debts. What a pimp.
Newt is a lying pig who wants mob-rule at debates. Mitt is a elite robot who cannot speak unless told what to say by handlers (off the cuff comments are always gaffs). Santorum is gutless, pseudo-Christian (i.e., not standing up to the racist woman) and who will be harmful to women's rights if elected. Ron Paul is just too far right, radical.
Republican voters change their minds on who they want to run, DAILY. Why on earth should we believe that ANYONE of these losers is a good choice if the GOParty can't make up their minds on one. They are all flip-floppers.
Gingrich - Liar in Chief!! Womanizer in chief !! hypocrite in chief!!
If he became president (God/Allah/Jesus/Buddha help us) would he have the government take over Tiffany's for Calista?
Detroit-Storm you're so right!!!
about what? I lost track...
great thanks music video