Several outlets are reporting that most of Newt Gingrich's senior staffers for his presidential campaign have abruptly quit en masse. This appears to be what Beltway insiders call a "hilarious total implosion."

Politico's Jonathan Martin has dug up at least some of the big names:

Newt Gingrich's top campaign aides resigned en masse today, POLITICO has learned. Campaign manager Rob Johnson, strategists Sam Dawson and Dave Carney, spokesman Rick Tyler, and consultants Katon Dawson in South Carolina and Craig Schoenfeld in Iowa have all quit to protest what two officials called their "different vision" for the campaign.

Although we cannot confirm, the "different vision" for the campaign was most likely one that didn't suck. Or sucked... more? It's unclear at this time.

Sad to see Rick Tyler leave, though. Who on Team Newt will entertain us with medieval fantasies about armed cocktail-swilling sheep now? Not that it looks like he'll have a role for a campaign spokesperson much longer, of course, since the campaign will probably end in five minutes.

And there's more: Gingrich's "entire team of paid Iowa campaign staff" has quit, too. This is cruel.

[Image via AP]