Gingrich’s nuclear winter has arrived

The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday, Jan. 31:

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(MCT) — Newt Gingrich is behaving as though he read the direst warnings about his temperament and set out to prove them all true.

Looking desperate in the face of sliding GOP poll numbers in Florida, Gingrich has responded to the pressure by lashing out at front-runner Mitt Romney with the discipline of a playground bully.

His appearances on Sunday morning news programs offered a fresh display of over-the-top Gingrich, the man who vowed to trigger political “Armageddon” once the Republican presidential campaigns reached the South.

Translation: If I’m going to lose, I’ll take everyone down with me.

Gingrich’s nuclear winter has arrived in a balmy January in Florida. Asked to interpret his sliding numbers, the former speaker proved that he’s incapable of self-examination. Instead, it’s Romney’s fault. And Rick Santorum’s, too, for not pulling out of the race yet.

In place of the battle of ideas that Gingrich so disingenuously demands, he is waging a war of cheap shots and ad hominem epithets.

Just in one brief segment on ABC’s “This Week,” he accused Romney of being “relentlessly,” “maniacally,” “fundamentally,” “breathtakingly” and “blatantly” dishonest.

Not to mention “factually false.”

The former speaker has taken his grudge match against Romney so far off track from a debate over issues that it’s hard to see how it returns.

Gingrich says, in essence, that he has no choice. He says that the Republican “old order” and various kinds of “elites” have ganged up on him in a massive effort to defeat him in the first mega-state primary.

“They are recognizing that if I come back as president, that I will be for very dramatic, very bold change, and they are terrified,” he told Fox News Latino last week.

Gingrich has a point there. The Republican establishment is absolutely terrified by his campaign, but it’s near-term, not long-term. Gingrich could discover why if he listened to what came out of his mouth.

In addition to his expanding galaxy of ideas, Gingrich is giddily proud of his acid tongue and instincts for finding the perfect opportunity to belittle people. He tantalizes supporters with the prospect of cornering President Barack Obama on a television somewhere, baring his teeth and gnashing away.