I think they were really impressed with the way he attacked the press person who asked him about what his ex-wife said. I think he came out with a very strong defense, and people liked that. I think that most people secretly are uncomfortable about private issues becoming public issues.
This is probably because most people do things in private that they don’t want coming out in public. Most people may not have affairs, but there are other things we do that we think we’d be dunned for if others found out. So we don’t want these things to be relevant and we don’t want them to be seen to reflect on our character as far as others see us.
So for Newt to defend himself vigorously suggests that he is a strong guy who can defend the country vigorously. It also suggests that he has the strength to take on whoever needs to be taken on—such as the banks—in order to set the economy straight.
I think that Romney may be admired because he has a lot of money, but people don’t feel like they know who he is because of all his changes in position over the years. Newt has always been Newt. He has always had to defend his name. He has become a terrier of some kind.
I think that is much more appealing than Mitt. Mitt just doesn’t seem to have a there there. Newt, like him or not, is clearly somewhere (even if it isn’t really clear—it sounds clear).
I’m not sure Newt is really who we think he is or who he presents himself as. I suspect he owes a lot of people, but we have no idea who he owes now, due to the recent supreme court decisions that allow people to support him without identifying themselves.
Mitt wants to take the high road, but he can’t. He has to get down in the trenches and mix it up with Newt or he’ll get his liver skewered and roasted for breakfast. Mitt needs to show some character. Some passion. Some desire to be president or he’ll be left making doilies at the women’s auxiliary. It may already be too late. I don’t think he understands the passion that people are looking for and Newt, unfortunately, does.