Weigel

The Re-Animator Stage of the Newt Gingrich Campaign

How do you get the media to cover your presidential campaign a day after admitting that it’s scaled back to a couple of guys begging delegates to switch over. You come to D.C. Newt Gingrich appeared at Georgetown University today, for a speech ostensibly about Social Security reform and a Q&A about a bunch of other things – including janitorial work. I counted at least 24 reporters in the crowd. I overheard only a little amazement that editors actually wanted this copy.

The Gingrich campaign retains all the trappings of a bid for president. A Secret Service detail protected the doors of Gaston Hall, denying entry to anyone who lacked a ticket or a special press pass. And the room was packed with students, several of whom might have been registered D.C. Republicans.

But this, happening simultaneously, seems like a more important story. Sheldon Adelson is out.

“It appears as though he’s at the end of his – at the end of his line,” Adelson said in comments Monday that were reported by JewishJournal.com. “Cause, I mean, mathematically, he can’t get anywhere near the numbers, and there’s not – unlikely there’ll be a brokered convention.”

So the re-animator stage of the campaign has to happen without help from a Super PAC.