Callista: Calling the Shots for Hubby Newt

Friday, there was even more bad news on the Newt Gingrich campaign front.  Just as the former top aides to presidential candidate and former House speaker quit on Thursday,  details emerged about the situation.  Both Newt and third wife, Callista Gingrich, admitted that she has a large role in the campaign.

ABC News reported that it was her idea to go on a cruise in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, in turn skipping a major conservative event.  They also went to the opera and other such “private time” events.

Without the candidate on duty to raise money,  the campaign is now deeply in debt.   Former staffers complained that the candidate was not committed to campaigning.  A total of sixteen staffers resigned Thursday, including the entire inner circle and everyone on the payroll for the Iowa campaign.  It was a bloodbath.  (Check out what Stacy McCain has to say at The Other McCain. )

The advisers were upset with the “non-traditional” campaign.   Similar tactics were tried by former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani both tried to run on their fame and failed early on.

Two candidates have appeared to be taking advantage of the Gingrich fallout.  The first is Tim Pawlenty. The Daily Caller reported Friday:

One of Gingrich’s national campaign co-chairs, former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, also announced yesterday that he was joining Tim Pawlenty’s campaign.

 

T-Paw

The Pawlenty campaign made quite the deal of it on their campaign website.  Early in the day, Friday, it seemed to jump off the screen!  By evening, it was topped on the “News” page by the announcement that the Former Director of the National Economic Council Al Hubbard Joins Pawlenty for President.

The person candidate to benefit most may be Texas Governor Rick Perry.  Though he previously said he wasn’t interested in running in 2012, he has, by many accounts, been considering changing his mind.

Additionally, he could have his two former top aides back, after both Rob Johnson and Dave Carney both bolted from Gingrich.

Matt Lewis, writing for The Daily Caller, says his sources say Rick Perry is running.  He continued:

The stars may have finally aligned for Perry, who, until recently, said he had no intentions of seeking the nomination. With no clear front runner emerging, and with Gingrich’s campaign dissolving, Perry could enter the field as a top-tier candidate, surrounded by the same team that helped him defeat Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison last year in the Texas gubernatorial primary. And because Texas leads the nation in job creation, the recent national economic numbers provide an instant rationale for his candidacy.

Yet another “stay tuned” moment.

NOTE: The next Republican Presidential debate will be held Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern on CNN.   See the known GOP debate schedule here.

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