COMMENTARY | In an attempt to halt the momentum gained by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, Mitt Romney made his most passionate and straightforward attack as he called his Republican opponent a “failed leader.” Spending most of his allotted time centered on Gingrich’s record as house speaker and relationship with Freddie Mac, Romney may have made his point. However, he may also have inadvertently exposed himself as a whiny ‘1 percenter’ who, despite releasing two years of tax records, is representative of the very same Wall Street wolves he claims to detest.
There is a certain degree of irony that the governor would celebrate his own capitalistic ventures making millions yet chastise the speaker for his relationship with Freddie Mac which was not particularly lucrative to Gingrich. As we have learned today, Mitt Romney’s definition of “lucrative” probably differs from most American’s view of wealth as we absorb his recently released tax returns.
As for the speaker, he once again displayed restraint. Stating that Romney’s charge of “influence peddling” was nothing more than the “worst kind of trivial politics,” Gingrich did his best to maintain poise which occasionally seemed rattled as he fell silent on occasion.
While both Ron Paul and Rick Santorum took their respective pleas to Floridians, they were by no means the main attraction of the evening as Romney and Gingrich continued their assault against each other.
So who won Monday evening’s Florida debate?
President Obama.
Considering the number of issues facing our nation, Tuesday evening’s debate became nothing more than a maddening example of politics as usual, a cage match to maim the opponent with irreparable scars for the sake of one’s own agenda.
As our government grows to an absurdly bloated level, energy independence slips further away, our economy and tax structure cry for repair, and individual and religious freedoms are under assault from Obamacare and regulation, voting Americans witnessed carnage — a combination of Gingrich’s all too public ancient history and Romney’s amassed wealth.
Both leave the debates embattled while the GOP wonders if it has fallen on its own sword.
Monday evening, we learned little about any of these Republican candidates. All a tumultuous night in Florida proved was what we already knew about the front-runners. Mitt Romney is willing to burn down the village if that’s what it takes to advance his own political ambitions. Newt Gingrich will never be able to escape his past.
As for Rick Santorum and Ron Paul, they continue to be also-rans, reduced to spectators at the “Romney-Gingrich Circus” where everybody is a loser.
That is, of course, with the exception of President Obama.
Robert Watkins is former investment professional and partner. He lives with his family in Glen Mills, Pa., and is a frequent contributor to Yahoo! News.