Pete Spiliakos

I’m wondering if the Republican field is actually a lot more open than most people think.  I don’t think Gingrich’s numbers last and he has very large numbers.  Gingrich is, at the moment, pulling from both those Republicans who value authenticity and those who value . . . . Continue Reading »

Gingrich is polling at 50% in Florida.  He is more than doubling Romney’s support in the Rasmussen poll. Peter asks below if there is enough time to stop Gingrich.  If we were talking on Christmas Day, I’d say no.  But it is December 1st and I’ll be very, very . . . . Continue Reading »

For this ad. I’m tired.  Maybe some thoughts on Cain, Gingrich and Romney tomorrow. . . . . Continue Reading »

Gingrich is surging in the polls and, with Cain’s new issue and possible withdrawal,, Gingrich stands to gain even more in the short-term, but I still don’t expect it to last.  The problem of stopping Gingrich is insistent, but it is insistent for the right-of-Romney candidates not . . . . Continue Reading »

I think the answer is very, very, likely yes and before the Iowa Caucuses (not that he’ll drop out, just that he will have substantially lower support than now.)  There was this time during the Cain boom when he had just spent the section of a debate dealing with criticism of 9-9-9 by . . . . Continue Reading »

Carl asked that I give Romney’s economic plan the same treatment I gave Gingrich.  Okay.  Here is a quick summary of what I think: 1.  Romney’s 59 point plan isn’t that bad or good. It doesn’t include huge new programs or include tax cuts that will blow a hole . . . . Continue Reading »

I was reading Ross Douthat this week and this observation struck me with some force, He wrote, “Policy innovation always creates losers as well as winners and earns adversaries as well as supporters. But policy innovation in an age of austerity tends to be politically perilous, because the . . . . Continue Reading »

1.  I don’t think the immigration issue hurts Gingrich in sort of a complicated way.  Gingrich voted for amnesty in 1986.  Now he supports another kind of limited amnesty.  He can talk all he wants about red cards and American-born grandkids, he is still going to be . . . . Continue Reading »

I think Gingrich had a better answer on immigration policy than Romney.  But better isn’t necessarily politically prudent.  The line on Gingrich is now going to be that he is for amnesty.  Not just that.  He is going to be the pro-federal health insurance purchase . . . . Continue Reading »

The Gingrich/Paul exchange on the PATRIOT Act was entertaining and all, but did any one notice any particular policy issue in dispute?  One guy was talking about the PATRIOT Act helping prevent the destruction of a city and the other guy was talking about it violating our rights.  . . . . Continue Reading »