Why Fellow Republicans Are So Furious at Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich's trashing of Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare privatization plan on last Sunday's Meet the Press sparked a united Republican revolt against him, one much worse than anything the left is capable of doing to its own. All but four House Republicans had voted for Ryan's plan a matter of weeks ago, after all, and they're not keen on hearing internal dissent voiced in such places as Sunday morning's top political talk show, during the launch of a campaign.
Gingrich recognized the blow he'd made to party unity and scrambled to take his words back, saying, hilariously, "Any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood." Which prompted Democrats to make an ad quoting what he said on Sunday, immediately. You can watch it up top! It's from Priorities USA, the hot new Democratic "Super PAC" founded by ex-White House communications aide Bill Burton.
Ads like this are exactly what House Republicans who'd just put their necks on the line were so pissed about. But they shouldn't worry too much, yet. It's a haphazard ad: Newt Gingrich said this, but then Nikki Haley said something else, and then Mitt Romney said something — but we all know how Mitt Romney lies! What's the message here? Republicans are weird? Gotcha.