DamnYankees: Highly unlikely. The idea he'd win in a landslide in a down economy is really, really unlikely.

If Obama is leading in South Carolina, it's a very, very bad sign for the GOP.

/Would love to hear a reporter ask Mitt and Newt if they will speak at Bob Jones University before the SC primary . . .

MeinRS6: There will be no economic boom while Obama is prez. The sooner he is gone the better.

If Obama is leading in South Carolina, it's a very, very bad sign for the GOP.

Checking electoral maps over the last few decades . . .

Looks like Clinton/Gore in '92 and '96--the last time the Democratics won consecutive presidential elections since the 60s--lost South Carolina in both those years, despite running well in several other Southern states. Even in the Democratic landslide of '64, South Carolina voted for Goldwater.

If the Democrats can compete in South Carolina this time around, it is bad news . . . for Obama.

/Granted, it's still a long way off.

The republicans are now ready to get serious. For months they showered love down on Bachmann, Perry and Cain as their favorites, only to discover belatedly that these people are morons--perhaps, functioning morons--but morons nevertheless who had no chance in hell of winning outside Alabama. Now they've settled on Gingrich, Romney and Paul. Paul is dismissible simply due to his policy on ending the wars. The GOP base loves its wars and won't have it. Bye bye. Romney is not a true christian, he's flip flopped more than the fictional record presented by Karl Rove of John Kerry, and actually has been a job killer at Bain capital. He's about as sincere as an 8th grader who's found himself alone for an hour with his new girlfriend at her parents' house. This leaves the Newt. He's high in the polls, but also has the highest poll negatives.Newt's just released his tax plan, which lowers rates on the 1%, his fellow Tiffany shoppers, and heaps it onto the middle class. He's betting the middle class republicans are still stupid. Are they? Are they willing to take janitorial jobs away from tax-paying lower class Americans and give them to a smattering of kids by smiting child labor laws. Newt has said we should be more like China. Really? No laws, no regs, all to boost profit, at the expense of the working class. There are still enough republicans that hold a shred of a bullshiat detector. Newt will not win. I would eat my hat, shirt and pants if he did. But he will be the GOP nominee, so the game is on. Ample evidence has rolled in to prove that Obama's policies have helped heal the economy that Bush and his republican congress trashed. His only problem has been that he hasn't gone big enough. But Americans will not gamble on the alternative.

There will be no joy in Mudville for republicans. All that remains to be seen is what happens in House elections. Will republicans lose big, or just a little? And will the GOP continue to put party before country by opposing actions that are good for the country simply because they will boost Obama. If this is the case I am looking to see a GOP rout, once in a generation sweep, that returns the House to democrats. There will be butthurt, there will be exploding heads. Fine, let them explode, hire Newt's kids to clean up the "moran" brains on the floor, and then re-assess what the republican party is all about.

MeinRS6: To be fair, there really is only one poll that matters.

The GOP is failing to ignite their most passionate supporters. If Newt gets nominated, it will light a fire under liberals to support Obama. If Mitt gets nominated, a huge chunk of the GOP stays home or votes for a 3rd party. If Perry gets nominated, it will be bad for the GOP for three reasons: it will light a fire under liberals to support Obama, it will turn independents against the GOP, and, um, I forget the third reason.* Oops!

Link (new window)

*Perry's views on immigration will hurt him with the base (though not quite as much as Romney's magic underwear issue).

/But hey, keep thinking that there's no problem.

Oh, and the Boston gig's been cancelled your party's trailing in South Carolina. But don't worry, it's not a big college town solid red state.

hubiestubert: To be fair, before any victory champagne is ordered, it might be well to see who actually gets the nod.

I do think that this is the election for the current leadership to lose, and with Congress digging their heels in, it is an excellent opportunity to clean house, but it would be better to see who gets the nod before uncorking those bottles.

A lot can happen between now and November. Even between the Primaries and November...

I'm not breaking out the champagne, but it's just a very bad sign that the two front-runners are losing to Obama in Bob Jones University's state.

/Fun fact: the original Bob Jones once said he'd rather see a Successful and Attractive African American elected president than a Catholic (referring to Al Smith's candidacy in in '28). I wonder what he'd have to say about a race between Obama and Gingrich . . .

Yes, yes it does. Have you watched the Republican debates? Have you seen the analysis of their policy proposals? These guys are insane, the best of the lot is a Mormon that the Christian conservative base just can't stand.

HighOnCraic: hubiestubert: To be fair, before any victory champagne is ordered, it might be well to see who actually gets the nod.

I do think that this is the election for the current leadership to lose, and with Congress digging their heels in, it is an excellent opportunity to clean house, but it would be better to see who gets the nod before uncorking those bottles.

A lot can happen between now and November. Even between the Primaries and November...

I'm not breaking out the champagne, but it's just a very bad sign that the two front-runners are losing to Obama in Bob Jones University's state.

/Fun fact: the original Bob Jones once said he'd rather see a Successful and Attractive African American elected president than a Catholic (referring to Al Smith's candidacy in in '28). I wonder what he'd have to say about a race between Obama and Gingrich . . .

Depends on whether or not Bob Jones would be a board member of Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae in this alternate universe.

How can Barack Obama, as this new NBC/Marist poll has it, be beating Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in South Carolina, of all places?

More like Marxist poll, right guys?

Subby: Does this mean he's headed for a landslide victory next November?

Gene is smoking Obama at the polls. Gene Rick (R) 2012!

sigdiamond2000: MeinRS6: To be fair, there really is only one poll that matters.

That's right. The one that shows Obama losing.

Yeah, just like Fox News said it was important that they highlight the farkING OUTRAGE that is the fact Obama's daughters ate Asian-inspired food at school on 12/7.

//you can blow the Rasmussen out your ass

The only way I can see the GOP winning is if Romney takes a stance and sticks to it. Newt has too much luggage than just the affairs and Ron Paul, while having moments of reason, is overall crazy. And seeing the beating Romney took this week in the debate, Obama may as well cozy up in his chair.