Romney’s supporters and people running his campaign have been attacking Gingrich openly and with strongly, while Romney’s path to taking down Gingrich is through criticism of less zeal. He now has to act with the presence of Gingrich right on his heels. During a campaign event on December 9th, Romney mostly hurt Obama with his disagreement, but just lightly attacked Gingrich by saying that Speaker Gingrich did not embrace the plan proposed by the GOP House majority regarding a plan to take down Medicare. Saturday all will be tested in the Debate in Iowa’s capital. Romney’s add features his strong marriage, which contrasts with Gingrich’s three wives. Congressmen, like Senator Richard Burr said that Gingrich has “the attention span of a one-year old.” In the millions of dollars Romney has raised, a new ad is to premier on television, citing Gingrich’s lobbying past by receiving large sums of money from Freddie Mac. Gingrich has ignored these attacks and does not want to be caught up in the negativity in which he was portrayed. This, however, could backfire in Romney’s face for being too harsh and insensible. Romney has kept 2008 supporters and has been able to spend plenty of time traveling around Iowa, while Gingrich recently cancelled a signing session. Ron Paul, on the other hand, has taken plenty of shots at Gingrich that are more callous. Paul is ruthless in the negative ads he puts in place and Gingrich has to worry more about Paul then Romney’s slight attacks. The race appears to be between Gingrich and Romney and whatever back and forth combative rhetoric occurs it has the potential of success and failure. This is the battle ground, and what is said is put under a microscope mostly to highlight the faults that lie within the candidates. This is Romney’s best strategy and if it holds without potent Gingrich retaliation, then Romney might just be in the White House. This author has a liberal bias by saying the Republicans disorganization and no true candidate leading the polls puts Obama in an ideal position. Romney and Gingrich need a strategy that they stick with until the end, and currently no clear plan has been put into effect by either.
The Wall Street Journal
December 11, 2011
Romney Keeps His Attacks Muted
By SARA MURRAY And PATRICK O'CONNOR
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—While Mitt Romney's campaign and supporters have begun launching sharply negative attacks, Mr. Romney on Friday maintained his more muted approach to criticizing Newt Gingrich, his top rival for the Republican presidential nomination.
Mitt Romney continued his anti-Newt Gingrich barrage Friday with a new web ad that portrays the former House speaker as a conservative apostate. The video, "With Friends Like Newt," looks at Gingrich's criticism of the sweeping House Republican budget plan. (Video: MittRomney.com)
The tone of the election has turned harsh in recent days as Mr. Romney responds to Mr. Gingrich's surge in national opinion polls and in several states that vote early in the nominating process, including Iowa. Mr. Romney has the larger campaign account and staff, and Mr. Gingrich's rise has come as a surprise.
On Friday, Mr. Romney criticized Mr. Gingrich gingerly during a campaign event here. He directed most of his fire at President Barack Obama, but noted that Mr. Gingrich had initially criticized one of the centerpiece policy proposals of the newly elected House GOP majority, a plan to overhaul Medicare that was written by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
"This is a place where Speaker Gingrich and I disagree,'' Mr. Romney said.
Mr. Romney's muted posture may be tested Saturday night, when GOP candidates will appear at a debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
Meanwhile, his campaign this week began running television ad in Iowa highlighting the candidate's 42-year marriage—a not-so-subtle contrast with the thrice-married Mr. Gingrich.
While Mr. Romney takes a muted tone in his personal appearances, sharper attacks are coming from his campaign and its supporters.
On Friday, the Romney camp released a series of criticisms of the former House speaker from people who had served in Congress with him. Among them were comments from former Rep. Susan Molinari (R., N.Y.), saying that Mr. Gingrich "has these visions of grandiosity,'' and from Sen. Richard Burr (R., N.C.), saying he has "the attention span of a one-year-old.''
Getty Images
GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, center, hugs a supporter Friday at a meeting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as his son, Josh Romney, left, looks on.
An independent group supporting Mr. Romney, Restore Our Future, has reserved $3.1 million in TV airtime for ads ahead of the caucuses. A negative ad by the group targeting Mr. Gingrich was to begin airing on Friday night. In a version posted online Thursday, the narrator cites the money Mr. Gingrich was paid by mortgage giant Freddie Mac, the ethics violation he incurred as a congressman and a TV commercial he filmed with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) to push Congress to approve climate-change legislation.
Mr. Gingrich and his campaign have ignored negative attacks in recent days, opting instead to direct most of their attacks at Mr. Obama.
Gingrich supporters held a conference call Friday evening to say that Iowa voters will sour on Mr. Romney and other candidates who campaign through attacks.
"This negativity is going to backfire," said Linda Upmeyer, an Iowa state representative supporting Mr. Gingrich. "What we're hearing from Mitt Romney in Boston is desperation and panic."
Mr. Gingrich held no campaign events Friday, after canceling a planned book-signing at a bookstore in Washington's Union Station. His campaign sent out a note from the bookseller saying the event was canceled due to security concerns.
Campaign surrogates in Iowa insist Mr. Romney retains a core of loyal supporters from his 2008 campaign, when he finished a distant second place in the caucuses. Mr. Romney built his career on turning around enterprises, said Iowa state Rep. Renee Schulte, an Iowa campaign co-chairwoman.
"Eastern Iowa's always liked him," Rep. Schulte said of Mr. Romney's supporters who have stuck with the candidate since 2008. "The same people that liked him then like him now. But they love Ann Romney," Mr. Romney's wife.
Other Republicans are also taking aim at Mr. Gingrich. Rep. Ron Paul (R., Texas) began broadcasting a 60-second spot earlier this month that criticizes the former House speaker. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has an ad up in the state criticizing both Messrs. Romney and Gingrich.
"If the headline out of Iowa says 'Results Inconclusive,' that's a victory for Mitt Romney," said Craig Robinson, who writes the Iowa Republican political blog. "But the only way that happens is if Paul wins, and it's close," he said.
Raynette Beatty, who is leaning toward supporting Mr. Romney, said he needs to make his case more decisively.
"He's got to come out a little stronger," she said. "I don't want to hear him attacking other Republicans. I just want him to come out and tell me how he's going to undo all of the horrible things this administration has put into place," she said, referring to the Obama White House.
Write to Sara Murray at sara.murray@wsj.com
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