Newt Gingrich lectures Juan Williams about his "food stamp" rhetoric in South Carolina
Why did Newt Gingrich win South Carolina?
According to Romneyworld, it's largely because Republican voters there are a bunch of racists who can't tell the difference between Juan Williams and President Obama:
Romney advisers say the 22-point switch in polls in the state took place after Gingrich's extended tussle with Juan Williams over racial sensitivity. "Williams was a stand-in for Barack Obama in people's minds," said one Romney adviser.
Undoubtedly, Gingrich's defense of his "food-stamp" dog-whistle gave him a big boost in South Carolina, but it wasn't the only thing that figured into his victory. Gingrich's thundering response to John King's question about his ex-wife was also enormously important as was the fact that unlike Florida, Romney was unable to drown Gingrich out in ad spending.
Moreover, leading up to the final week in South Carolina, Gingrich made Romney's Bain record a major issue, something that he has since dropped. Another crucial factor: in South Carolina, Romney didn't go nearly as negative as he has in Florida until late in the game. He tried to run on his own merits—and ended up getting beaten badly.
In Florida, Romney has learned from his South Carolina mistakes and as a result, he is likely to win by a wide margin. Assuming that's what happens, Romney will leave Florida convinced of his invincibility, but the only thing he'll have really proven is that when you can outspend Newt Gingrich by a five-to-one ratio, it's not that hard to beat him in a negative campaign. And looking towards November, Romney's problem is that President Obama is not Newt Gingrich.