In a story titled “Winnowing the Field,” prominent conservative magazine National Review issued a resounding vote of unconfidence in Newt Gingrich, who they believe would be unable to capitalize on the opportunity to win the White House and push the conservative agenda. Among other knocks on the candidate, the editors wrote: “Gingrich’s [House] colleagues were, however, right to bring his tenure to an end. His character flaws — his impulsiveness, his grandiosity, his weakness for half-baked (and not especially conservative) ideas — made him a poor Speaker of the House.”
The Review also dismissed three other candidates: Rick Perry for ineloquence, Ron Paul for being a conspiracy theorist, and Michele Bachmann for poor judgment. The three not-without-flaw candidates that the editors say deserve serious consideration are Jon Huntsman, who’s unpopular; Mitt Romney, who’s got a liberal underbelly; and Rick Santorum, who lacks “executive experience.”
In sum, the National Review supports pretty much anyone but Newt Gingrich, the GOP’s current front-runner.
