NEWT'S BAD NIGHT – AT 8:23 A.M. ET:  I should say from the outset that I think Newt Gingrich plays a valuable role, as an intellectual gadfly, in the Republican Party.  But I have serious doubts about his viability as a presidential candidate. 

Newt's problem, and I'm about the ten thousandth person to say it, is that he's a loose cannon who crashes regularly.  He did it again last night in a Florida debate, the last before Tuesday's primary, in which he clearly was not at his best.  Most pundits think Romney defeated him by quite a bit, and I agree.

Newt tried his familiar tactic – attacking the moderator.  It has worked before.  As readers know, I have little love for today's mainstream media, but criticism has to be accurate, well-timed, and not simply a rhetorical gimmick.  Last night, Newt flopped.

(Reuters) - Republican Newt Gingrich has had great success recently by firing up conservative voters with attacks on debate moderators. But a flat-footed performance in Thursday's debate suggests he might have tried the tactic once too often.

The former U.S. House speaker's runaway win in the South Carolina primary on Saturday was attributed in large part to the way he went after the mainstream media in general and debate moderators in particular.

But Gingrich's jab at Thursday's moderator, Wolf Blitzer of CNN, failed to stick as he, Romney, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Texas Representative Ron Paul took part in the final debate before Tuesday's Republican primary.

"This is a nonsense question," Gingrich huffed when Blitzer asked about Romney's tax and financial disclosures. "How about if the four of us agree for the rest of the evening, we'll actually talk about issues that relate to governing America?" Gingrich said.

The comment drew moderate applause but Blitzer did not back down.

"Mr. Speaker, you made an issue of this, this week, when you said that, 'He lives in a world of Swiss bank and Cayman Island bank accounts.' I didn't say that. You did."

COMMENT:  And Blitzer was right.  When you make a charge in a campaign, it becomes a legitimate issue.  Newt overplayed his hand.  While he got moderate applause, that's all he got.

And Blitzer is not a good target.  He plays it pretty straight, is a good journalist, and one of the people who keeps CNN above water.  He also does not have the arrogance and smugness of some others. 

Newt often makes excellent points.  He speaks truths others are afraid to speak.  His attacks on the media, when well-timed, are true, and needed.  But he's got to get beyond one-liners.

Romney is gaining in the Florida polls.  If he pulls out a victory on Tuesday, Newt will have a tough climb.

January 27,  2012