Poll of the Day: Newt Gingrich and Baths

Thanks to Rasmussen Reports for this one: The survey finds that “43% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the former House speaker and think the protesters should take baths and get jobs,” but just as many disagree. That’s surprising. Who doesn’t want people to take baths and get jobs? Most Republicans, who actually will pick their nominee, love the line, and it’s another token of how Gingrich is succeeding. The former speaker has always blended high-falutin’ ideas talk with brutal politics. In his post-speaker career, the falutin’-to-brutal ratio was something like 70/30 – he could be counted on to criticize his party pretty honestly, and team up with Democrats for high-profile causes he agreed with. Gingrich 3.0 has shifted the ratio back to 30/70, and he’s built a direct line into the conservative/Tea Party id. The movement despises Occupy Wall Street, as it has always despised the counterculture. Gingrich has slapped the Occupiers around with utter contempt, leaving it up to other pols to mew about how, well, gosh, we understand why people are angry at Washington.