This Is A Political Civil War––Anyway You Slice it!

Governor Sarah Palin, Speaker Newt Gingrich and many Tea Party members are of the belief that a protracted GOP Presidential primary is a good vetting exercise, and that such an exercise only strengthens whoever the potential GOP nominee will be for the Fall.  

But that does not seem to be how long-time establishment Republicans, such as former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and D.C. pundit, Karl Rove view it. Both men recently took to the national news shows to voice their opposition to the negative tone and long, drawn out battle of this year's Republican primary.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74183.html 

So... which side is right? Would Barbour, Rove and company rather wait until the Fall and allow President Obama's savvy opposition research team to present to the general public all the background information that is currently bombarding the airwaves on Mitt, Newt, Rick or Ron (whichever should win the nomination)?


Or is Sarah Palin's position the right one: encouraging the fight to continue so that all the voters in all the States get an opportunity to participate in this democratic process? 


For the record... both sides have merit in their arguments. 

But, as I see it, there is a bigger tussle going on as well... a fight for the soul and direction of the Republican Party and which of these sides will be in charge going forward.  And that battle doesn't appear as if it is going to be over anytime soon!

The GOP battle lines that are being drawn are clear to me: they are between rich, money-having, elite Republicans––that Romney represents... versus the working class, poor, grassroots Republicans––that Palin/Gingrich relate more to.

If the rich Republicans can shut down the "negative" primary wars at this juncture, then their candidate, Mitt Romney, moonwalks to the nomination.  

But... if the poor/regular Republicans can hang on and allow the primary process to continue through the Convention in Florida, there is a big chance that they will have a majority at the table and can force a brokered convention––which will open the door for a conservative-favorite such as Palin or another Tea Party candidate to be victorious.


Rich/poor... elite/grassroots... This is a political civil war anyway to slice it!!

Mississippi and Alabama: A MUST for Gingrich or Santorum!

The South has always been a must-win for any GOP presidential contender.  

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/mar/12/gop-bid-down-to-southern-do-or-die-focus/

But this year it is especially critical for Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senator Rick Santorum to carry the southern states in order to amass enough delegates to go forward to the 2012 nomination in Tampa, in hopes of a face-off against President Barack Obama in November. 

As I said in the above quote in the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Mississippi and Alabama primaries are 'do or die' contests for both candidates. 

It's true that Governor Mitt Romney currently leads in delegates, but with MS, AL and Texas primaries on the horizon, those numbers could change the landscape significantly.  And the way I see it... it's going to come down to the Evangelicals and Christian conservative voters this year. No doubt about it!