Romney and Gingrich on the Definition of Lobbying

      Last week on Thursday's debate Romney was all about love for his other GOP opponents. He stuck to attacking Obama. Something apparently has changed as he was out and after Gingrich today. That thing is likely his double digit loss to Newt on Saturday in South Carolina.

      Just to be clear I'm all for Newt. I would love to see him take out Romney. Today Mitt accused Newt of being a lobbyist for Freddie Mac who the GOP has spent three years demonizing at part of the "government failure" that caused the economic crisis.

      Newt's answer is that he was not a lobbyist, Freddie Mac gave him $1.6million dollars for his services as a historian. Yet Romney now seems to not believe this

      "Saying that Newt Gingrich is a lobbyist is just a matter of fact. He indicates that he doesn't fall within the narrow definition of lobbyists that he might have in mind. But if you're working for a company, getting paid for a company through one of your many entities and then you're speaking with congressmen in a way that would help that company, that's lobbying," Romney insisted. "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck."

       If you're working for a company, getting paid with it through one of your many entities and your speaking with congressman in a way that would help the company that's lobbying. Geez. That's a little too confusing. I mean I think the idea that he was the Freddie Mac historian rings true.

       Romney even wants Congressional records, "Let's see the records from the ethics investigation. Let's see what they show. Let's see who his clients were at the time he was lobbying Republican congressmen for Medicare Part D. Was he working or were his entities working with any health care companies that could have benefited from that?" Romney said. "That could represent not just evidence of lobbying but potentially wrongful activity of some kind. And finally, let's also see the relationship with Freddie Mac and the work product of Freddie Mac. Let's have full disclosure of what's going on."

      Maybe Newt can give them up in exchange for Romney's tax returns. I tell you I want Newt but everything that happens in this race is a win for Obama. As for the argument that with the economy in bad shape Obama is in trouble regardless of the candidates, that is wrong for two reasons. One is the economy continues to show improvement.

      However even if there were no improvement how can the weakness of his opponents make no difference. If you are a trainer and your boxer is scheduled for a big match but has been fighting some health problems-maybe he's 20 pounds overweight-you still can't say that because of these problems anyone he fights will be tough for him to beat.

     It still matters whether his opponent is Mike Tyson or Minnie Me. The GOP this year is the party of Minnie Me.