Gingrich?

Larison vents:

As a politician with connections in Georgia, Gingrich may have had some advantages in South Carolina that the other candidates didn’t have, but that isn’t much of an explanation. I suppose there was bound to be some backlash against Romney somewhere, but it’s a shame that it came in the form of elevating the government-expanding, warmongering lobbyist disgrace once again. What’s the message here? “We don’t like the rich moderate, so we’re voting for the disgraced hypocritical lobbyist instead”?
Romney can be a dishonest demagogue, but Gingrich is the one who thinks (or pretends to think) the “Kenyan anti-colonialist” theory about Obama makes sense. Many Republicans are unenthusiastic about Romney, but far more people nationwide can’t stand Gingrich. Romney has a record of trying to have things both ways on many issues, but as far as I know he has never been on both sides of a major issue within the same month. Gingrich has that unfortunate distinction. Gingrich isn’t going to be the nominee. The Republican primary electorate can’t be that stupid.

I'm not sure.  I think Gingrich's win will force the party bosses to renew their attacks on him, but I don't know how that will play with the base.  They seem to thrive on rebelling against anybody they perceive as their betters.  I still believe support for Gingrich will collapse again, and Romney will squeak out the victory.  I think Gingrich is unelectable nationwide.

But what is troubling to me is the renewal of the "Real America" bullshit which Sarah Palin was peddling at the end of the 2008 election.  I find it to be so brutally and baldly racist and anti-intellectual.  I don't comprehend how Newt Gingrich can simulateously run as the brilliant, intellectual professor and also as the demogogue.  Of course, I also don't understand how the Republicans can simultaneously claim the Democratic Party promotes a victimization narrative, and also claim to be victims of media bias and bigotry against Christians.  The rage and self-pity of the Republican base is puzzling and scary.  I sure hope the Gingrich campaign isn't a foretaste of the Republican general election campaign.