Tuesday, Dec. 27 2011 6:38PM
Its News to Me
Election 2012: Campaign blunders abound
By John Beaudoin, jbeaudoin@lsjournal.com
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ReprintYou’ve really got to hand it to the supposed Republican frontrunner, Newt Gingrich. I mean, it’s one thing to have to dodge and dip around constant personal questions.
It’s quite another to have to openly admit your campaign wasn’t organized enough to even get on the primary ballot during a key Super Tuesday vote.
And Gingrich wasn’t alone. Fellow White House hopeful Rick Perry also didn’t get the required 10,000 signatures – which includes a provision that a certain amount come from each Congressional district in the state – to ensure his place on the ballot March 6 in Virginia.
At the very least, this is embarrassing for both campaigns, but particularly so for Gingrich, who, while he has been dogged with staffing issues this year, was just starting to seem like a real frontrunner when this happened. Both candidates have expressed their distaste for the decision made by the Virginia GOP, but even they are not alone. In fact, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are the only two Republican candidates that secured the correct amount of valid signatures to appear on the ballot, a testament to their organization and the amount of boots they have on the ground.
Gingrich called the system in Virginia – his home state by the way – “failed” for not letting many of the major candidates on the ballot.
By while the omission is certainly going to be a setback to his campaign, much more than others, for sure, it doesn’t rise to the level of a “day of infamy” as reported by his campaign manager. Yes, Michael Krull compared not appearing on the Virginia ballot to Dec. 7, 1941. How stupid and thoughtless.
Between that tactless comment and a failed effort in Virginia, I think Newt ought to be looking at even more staff turnover. It’s obvious he doesn’t have the right people in place running his campaign. And frontrunners just don’t act this way. And really, this bump in the road underscores just how far away the Republicans probably are from finding the right candidate to challenge Barack Obama.
Because you can bet by the time Super Tuesday rolls around, Obama and his organizers will be rolling in full force.
John Beaudoin is the publisher of the Lee’s Summit Journal. To comment, call 816-282-7001 or email jbeaudoin@lsjournal.com
