Desperate Mr. Romney Puts Out Desperate Call for Help – And The Desperate Respond, Big Time

But Mr. Gingrich Gets Big Endorsement from Convicted Republican Congressman, So Is it Even?

The Dismal Political Economist warned everyone about how unreliable polls would be immediately following the South Carolina triumph of New Gingrich, but the Romney campaign was apparently not paying attention, panicked and called upon the Republican establishment to help him out.  The Republican establishment has responded nicely.

Here is former Presidential candidate and respected party elder Bob Dole on Mr. Gingrich.

"I have not been critical of Newt Gingrich but it is now time to take a stand before it is too late. If Gingrich is the nominee it will have an adverse impact on Republican candidates running for county, state, and federal offices. Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him

But wait, there’s more.  Elliot Abrams, a far right war hawk says this

The overnight Drudge Report banner: “Insider: Gingrich repeatedly Insulted Reagan.” The headline linked to a devastating takedown by Elliott Abrams in the National Review, who wrote, among other things, that Gingrich had a long record of criticizing and undermining Reagan’s most transformative policies.

And more, from the National Review, William F. Buckley’s old rag

The editors, who have been extremely critical of Gingrich for weeks, waved conservatives off the Gingrich bandwagon. “Gingrich backers say that he is inspiring. What he mostly seems to inspire is opposition.”

Ann Coulter is one of the meaner members of the Republican establishment, nobody wants to be on her bad side.

the conservative columnist writing on her self-titled website, warns: “Re-elect Obama, Vote Newt!” She, too, gets Drudge promotion, with a column punctuated with this punch: “Hotheaded arrogance is neither conservative nor attractive to voters.”

And finally from Tom DeLay, who served with Newt but had to leave the Leadership after being charged crimes is not too happy with Mr. Gingrich either

“He’s not really a conservative. I mean, he’ll tell you what you want to hear. He has an uncanny ability, sort of like Clinton, to feel your pain and know his audience and speak to his audience and fire them up. But when he was speaker, he was erratic, undisciplined.”

So what is happening here?  Well Mr. Romney obviously put out a concerted call for help from the Republicans who were worried not so much about Mr. Gingrich getting the nomination as they were of his dragging out the coronation of Mr. Romney and leaving political ill will in his path. 

So they all rallied, well most but not all.  There is Duke Cunningham, a California Republican who is now serving jail time for misdeeds while he was in the Congress.  Mr. Cunningham has expressed support for Mr. Gingrich.

Not many of Newt Gingrich's former House GOP colleagues support his presidential bid, but the Voice of San Diego found one who does: Former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA), who is in prison for conspiracy and tax evasion.

Cunningham sent a message to Gingrich: "Newt, a voice out of the past. Down but not out and still fighting. First I do not want anything from you but have been watching the debates. I have 80% of inmates that would vote for you. They might not be able to but their extended families will."

And to answer the burning question everyone must have, the answer is “No”.  Mr. Cunningham was never known for having a sense of irony or humor.