Gingrich Scores Big With Conservatives Following South Carolina Debate

Based upon an unscientific appraisal of the reaction among many of my conservative friends on  Newt Gingrich’s performance in the South Caroline GOP Presidential Primary debate Monday night, I would say that Gingrich gained ground on those candidates vying for the non Romney vote. Candidates who receive rare standing ovations in debates, as Gingrich did Monday evening must be considered to be heading in the right direction with 4 days to go before the South Carolina Primary.

Apparently the former Speaker of the House does also and so does Sarah Palin who endorsed him Tuesday morning, sort of, but only in South Carolina’s primary, to keep the Republican nomination race going. “If I had to vote in South Carolina, in order to keep this thing going, I’d vote for Newt and I would want this to continue, Palin opined.

Rush Limbaugh observed that Gingrich showed he was a true conservative  during his nationally broadcast radio show on Tuesday and included sound bites of the moment in which Newt received a standing ovation during his monologue, which Rush stated he had never seen before in a Presidential debate.

The dramatic moment occurred after Juan Williams of Fox News asked racially tinted questions to Gingrich. Limbaugh applauded Gingrich for refusing to take the bait and answering in a racial context. “He answered within the context, that we’re all people and that we, as conservatives want the best for everybody”

Williams began his line of questioning by reminding Gingrich he had stated recently that black Americans should  demand jobs, not food stamps. He then went on to say “You also said that poor kids lack a strong work ethic and proposed having them work as janitors in their school. Can’t you see that this is viewed at a minimum as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans, Williams asked in a condescending tone. That question not only infuriated me but I think it infuriated Conservatives all over the country, according to my facebook friends and particularly in that audience in South Carolina where boos could be heard throughout the confrontation.

“No I don’t see that”, Newt calmly replied as if the question was very predictable,  “New York City pays their janitors an absurd amount of money because of the union. You could take one janitor and have 30-some kids to work in the school for the price of one janitor, and those kids would be a lot less likely to drop out. They would actually have money in their pocket. They’d learn to show up for work. They could do light janitorial duty. They could work in the cafeteria. They could work in the front office. They could work in the library. They’d be getting money, which is a good thing if you’re poor. Only the elites despise earning money.

The crowning moment  occurred after Newt went for the jugular by stating: “I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness, and if that makes liberals unhappy. I’m gonna continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn someday to own the job” As Gingrich described the moment on "Fox and Friends" he said from where he was standing he saw row after row get up in a cascading view starting from the back of the auditorium and moving towards the front while the entire room shook with thunderous applause

As I contemplated this thrilling moment all day yesterday,  I thought it struck a poignant tone in the minds of conservatives like myself because we’re tired of liberals implying we’re racists simply because we believe big government entitlement style policies are not healthy for anybody, not just African Americans.  And it was particularly refreshing and encouraging to see a candidate for President of the United States with the intelligence, courage, and the ability to actually articulate those thoughts on the national stage.