iowa, four weeks from this coming tuesday, january 27%, ro south carolina, january ngngngng >> i don't mind telling you my strategy. it's very simple. it is performance if ideology. what you have today a radical who is incompetent. >> the radical being, of course, barack obama.  question, is the gingrich surge a flash in the pan, or has he elbowed out mitt romney as the g.o.p.'s nominee for president with the republican convention still almost, by the way, a year away? nine months away. i ask you. >> newt gingrich is a lobbyist who is paid to push big government policies, like freddie mac, ethanol subsidies, and drug subsidies. he also has had three different wives. and i think that this is a sort of thing that under the spotlight will cause much of his support to erode. i think he appeals because he is so good at people imagining -- republicans love the idea of him debating barack obama. he would mop the floor with obama in a debate, i think. but i think under scrutiny -- >> i'll take that bet! >> i think he will fall. >> you think he mops the floor with obama? >> oh, yes. obama wou

. >> ros but you are saying the people like governor of south carolina who is a woman, a huge tea party supporter endorsing him that ll help make that argument becausshe is strongith evangelicals and the other argument is that they may want to win so bad that if in the end they decide that the best shot to beat the president is mitt romney, they will come around. >> that's right. >> and the ultimate thing is look, he has this history. he called himself a progress. he called himself that. >> his struggle is one we've seen other republicans have, which is an order to get the republican nomination, he is not acceptable to the base of the party. but in many ways, is, you know, a stronger candidate in the general election because, you kno, some of his views aren't are more moderate. but whether that romney will be recognizable if he survives to get the nomination is, will be interesting to watch f this drags out. people are now predicting that the republican primary and caucus process may go on the way the hillry-obama one did last time. rose: do the obama people look to romney as their wors