Good for all concerned

What a night — the last debate before GOP voters head to the caucuses in Iowa on Jan. 3 to cast the first votes in the Republican primary of 2012 was, at least in some ways, good for all the candidates. The front-runner, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), had the crowd roaring when he talked about the need to start the Keystone pipeline and President Obama's political calculation in opposing it and again with his attack on our judicial system. The audience loved that Newt, and his applause was thunderous. But there was no applause for his explanation of his well-paid relationship with Freddie Mac. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) argued his $1.6 million earnings from the government-sponsored entity were paid-for influence-peddling, helping the GSE fight a public-relations battle with Republicans who opposed it. Gingrich attempted to deflect the confrontation by claiming Bachmann was factually wrong, but his answers didn't even prompt staff to clap on his behalf.

Bachmann later fought Gingrich on his support for GOP candidates who had supported partial-birth abortion, and he again accused her of getting her facts wrong. She gave an impressive response, defending herself as a "serious candidate" who cites true facts, and noting that Gingrich has used the same tactic against her several times.

Ron Paul was strong as usual on his plans for a vastly shrunken government, but he dug his foreign-policy hole deeper than ever before with his concern about what he said was the spread of propaganda by his own party about Iran and his passing comment about how President Obama should be given credit for pulling back from sanctions against Iran because they aren't working and are making the situation worse.

Romney recovered from his $10,000 bet moment and decided — surprisingly — not to attack Gingrich in any way. This from the guy who has spent the week portraying his rival as a "zany" jewelry addict who spends too much at Tiffany's, is unreliable as a conservative leader and is very wealthy. Of course, since Romney has also been an unreliable conservative, flip-flopping on major issues important to Republican voters, and is roughly eight times as wealthy as Gingrich, it was a strange line of attack.

This morning there is good news for Romney — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will endorse him, giving him a needed boost in the Palmetto State. Other establishment figures — Bill Bennett, the National Review — are also rallying to his cause, questioning Gingrich's ability to win the general election. So will Romney give up the attacks? Will Newt's slide continue in Iowa? Or will Gingrich get his groove back?

Two weeks is actually a long time in this game.


Thank you for your participation in Ask A.B. throughout 2011! We are dark for the holidays but return on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, and look forward to your questions and comments — keep them coming to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Best wishes for a happy, healthy new year, and thank you.