Obama campaign shifts, targets barbs at Newt G

Gingrich goes further pushing his Personal Savings Account Social Security plan by advocating none other than the Ryan-Sununu Bill which called for a total reform of the system, including privatization and personal accounts. That’s Paul Ryan (R-WI) and former Senator John Sununu. At this exact moment that he’s pitching their plan l look over to my television to see John Sununu, a big time Ronmney supporter, on Candy Crowley slamming Newt Gingrich for his lack of discipline. In fact, just last week the Romney camp launched the ad “With Friends Like Newt” attacking him for calling Paul Ryan’s recent budget proposals “Right wing social engineering”. It’s pretty clear to me that Newt’s going to max out his Home Depot card mending the bridges he’s burned with fellow Republicans. When people you praised just 5 years ago are now gunning for your head it’s not a good sign.


"Newt is back," said David Axelrod, Obama's chief campaign strategist, during a briefing with reporters in Washington. "The question is can he sustain this."


Gingrich, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, ended his 20-year congressional career after Republican losses in the 1998 elections.


Axelrod called Gingrich the original "Tea Partier" who had led three government shut-downs and worked to roll back environmental protections and cut the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly and disabled.


His rise has prompted Axelrod and his team to forecast a Republican primary battle that will last well into next year, perhaps as long as June -- which would, it believes, reveal more weaknesses in both candidates that will help Obama.


"Just remember the higher ... he climbs on the pole, the more you can see his butt," Axelrod said folksily about Gingrich, quoting some "homespun wisdom" he said he heard from a Chicago politician years ago.


"The Speaker's very high on the pole right now, and we'll see how people like the view."


The Obama campaign's attacks lend further legitimacy to Gingrich, who is ahead of Romney in Iowa and South Carolina, and is gaining ground in New Hampshire, where Romney has led for months.


Those three early voting states will help determine the outcome of the nominating contest, which Obama advisers said could still be a close race five or six months from now.


"You could see this thing going way deep, unless someone runs out of momentum or money," said Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.