'Florida primary campaign: Romney up, Gingrich down - as it happened' diff viewer (4/5)

This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on January 30, 2012 15:00 (UTC). It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/30/florida-primary-romney-gingrich-live

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Florida primary campaign: Romney up, Gingrich down - live	Florida primary campaign: Romney up, Gingrich down - live
2012-01-30 17:50:07 UTC	2012-01-30 18:30:07 UTC (40 minutes later)
	1.27pm: Janine Gibson notes that the NBC affiliates here are still airing the Romney ad that features their former evening news anchor, Tom Brokaw. The ad consists entirely of an extended clip from Brokow, introducing a segment reporting on the censure of Newt Gingrich for ethics violations when he was House speaker.
	NBC has called for Romney to pull the ad after Brokaw said he was "extremely uncomfortable" being dragged into the primary crossfire. On the NBC Today show this morning, presenter Matt Lauer pressed Romney on the issue: "You will give some consideration to pulling it if that's what the decision of your campaign is?"
	Romney replied:
	We'll certainly consider that very carefully. This was not something taken from hidden files. This was on the evening news, so it should hardly come as a revealing piece for people who watch it.
	(source: Huffpo)
	1.09pm: Richard Adams has made it to the Gingrich campaign stop. Let's do the TV news channel thing and get him to fill airtime by eruditely describing the atmosphere, shall we?
	Live from an aircraft hangar at a small airfield on the outskirts of Tampa, awaiting Newt Gingrich's arrival.
	It may be a soulless empty aircraft hangar but Newt's people are trying to give it a homely touch by erecting dark blue drapes across the hall to lop off about half the space. I'm sitting next to the New York Times's Jeff Zeleny so that's kind of like winning a Pulitzer prize right there.
	The crowd has just been let in, although crowd is a slight exaggeration – maybe 100 so far.
	Thanks Richard! More from him as we get it.
	12.57pm: Janine Gibson has fulfilled her promise of spending the morning watching non-news TV channels, in her quest to track the candidates' TV ad spend.
	From the media monitoring HQ, I can report that at 10.15am Newt's "Romney is a bad Liberal Governor" did make it to NBC, in a mystifying pumpkin cooking segment which was clearly recorded in October. It's 75 degrees outside. Not that we're going anywhere near the outside, readers. Not when it's time for a rerun of Wheel of Fortune.
	That ad, which appears to have been thrown together using My First Powerpoint software, airs three times during this hopefully little-watched show, meaning I am able to confirm definitively that there are two Ls, two Rs and 6 vowels in Liberal Governor. Switching back to the showbiz buzz section of Today – a program that does indeed seem to go on ALL DAY – I'm learning more about diabetes and how to treat it, but little about the Republican candidates.
	Finally at 12.27pm, Miriam Adelson's $5m airtime buy kicks in and a glossy Gingrich super PAC attack ad airs on NBC ). Describing Romney as "Obama's running mate" with upgraded, super-scary strings, the ad is paid for by Winning Our Future.
	And is swiftly followed in the same ad break by our old favourite, "Newt is no Reagan:.
	This reporter is able to confirm that the money is indeed being spent aiming at Today's women, next to a segment about How to be Fierce and Feminine and get Everything You Want. Ideally, after watching this segment I'll be able to get someone else to watch the ads.
12.41pm: Rick Santorum has pretty much abandoned the race here in Florida, recognising that he is likely to lose badly here. Santorum had been due to campaign in the state on Sunday and today, but his daughter, who has a genetic disorder, was sick at the weekend and he cancelled engagements to remain with her. Our correspondent Chris McGreal says he won't return to Florida, "choosing instead to campaign in Missouri and Minnesota on Monday, which have a primary and a caucus in early February, before moving on to Colorado and Nevada on Tuesday".	12.41pm: Rick Santorum has pretty much abandoned the race here in Florida, recognising that he is likely to lose badly here. Santorum had been due to campaign in the state on Sunday and today, but his daughter, who has a genetic disorder, was sick at the weekend and he cancelled engagements to remain with her. Our correspondent Chris McGreal says he won't return to Florida, "choosing instead to campaign in Missouri and Minnesota on Monday, which have a primary and a caucus in early February, before moving on to Colorado and Nevada on Tuesday".
12.31pm: Our correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg has been meeting homeowners facing foreclosure in Florida, and taking their concerns to the candidates campaiging here. She and our videographer Laurence Topham made this film.	12.31pm: Our correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg has been meeting homeowners facing foreclosure in Florida, and taking their concerns to the candidates campaiging here. She and our videographer Laurence Topham made this film.
This is Matt Wells taking over from Richard Adams, who has gone to a Newt Gingrich campaign stop here in Tampa. We'll hear from him soon. Meanwhile Adam Gabbatt is on his way to a Mitt Romney event in nearby Dunedin, which is due to start at 2.15pm.	This is Matt Wells taking over from Richard Adams, who has gone to a Newt Gingrich campaign stop here in Tampa. We'll hear from him soon. Meanwhile Adam Gabbatt is on his way to a Mitt Romney event in nearby Dunedin, which is due to start at 2.15pm.

11.41pm: And don't miss this "leaked" Gingrich campaign memo preparing the post-Florida defeat groundwork.	11.41pm: And don't miss this "leaked" Gingrich campaign memo preparing the post-Florida defeat groundwork.
11.26am: Mitt Romney hasn't just flip-flopped his political positions over the years, he's also flip-flopped his financial holdings as well, we learn from this excellent Boston Globe piece about Romney's lawyer, the fabulously named R Bradford Malt, "a lanky 57-year-old with a penchant for pulling office pranks," according to the Globe:	11.26am: Mitt Romney hasn't just flip-flopped his political positions over the years, he's also flip-flopped his financial holdings as well, we learn from this excellent Boston Globe piece about Romney's lawyer, the fabulously named R Bradford Malt, "a lanky 57-year-old with a penchant for pulling office pranks," according to the Globe:
In 2007, as Romney prepared his first run for president, Malt sold stock in dozens of potentially controversial companies, including casino operators, tobacco growers, and firms with ties to Iran. Last year, after Romney pushed for tougher trade sanctions against China, Malt dumped a number of Chinese holdings. He recently shed a money market mutual fund that had invested in government-backed mortgage companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are blamed for exacerbating the housing bust.	In 2007, as Romney prepared his first run for president, Malt sold stock in dozens of potentially controversial companies, including casino operators, tobacco growers, and firms with ties to Iran. Last year, after Romney pushed for tougher trade sanctions against China, Malt dumped a number of Chinese holdings. He recently shed a money market mutual fund that had invested in government-backed mortgage companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are blamed for exacerbating the housing bust.
In early 2010, as Romney advanced toward a second presidential campaign, Malt decided to close the $3 million UBS account he set up in Switzerland seven years earlier, realizing it could become a political issue. In 2009, the US government sued UBS to obtain the names of thousands of Americans who secretly held billions of dollars in Swiss accounts.	In early 2010, as Romney advanced toward a second presidential campaign, Malt decided to close the $3 million UBS account he set up in Switzerland seven years earlier, realizing it could become a political issue. In 2009, the US government sued UBS to obtain the names of thousands of Americans who secretly held billions of dollars in Swiss accounts.
Oh dear: Iran, China, Swiss bank accounts, Fannie and Freddie. Those attacks ads practically write themselves.	Oh dear: Iran, China, Swiss bank accounts, Fannie and Freddie. Those attacks ads practically write themselves.
11.08am: There's much talk on the campaign trail today on the New York Times's Jeff Zeleney's big piece on the silence of Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and a conservative touchstone.	11.08am: There's much talk on the campaign trail today on the New York Times's Jeff Zeleney's big piece on the silence of Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and a conservative touchstone.
Unlike a lot of heavyweight Republicans, Jeb Bush has signally failed to publicly endorse Mitt Romney in the face of Newt Gingrich's campaign:	Unlike a lot of heavyweight Republicans, Jeb Bush has signally failed to publicly endorse Mitt Romney in the face of Newt Gingrich's campaign:
It has not been for a lack of effort by Mr Romney, who has made phone calls, traded e-mails and met privately to try to win over Mr Bush. The campaign was poised to make him a national co-chairman, a role Mr Bush would have shared with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, but several Republicans familiar with the offer say it was declined.	It has not been for a lack of effort by Mr Romney, who has made phone calls, traded e-mails and met privately to try to win over Mr Bush. The campaign was poised to make him a national co-chairman, a role Mr Bush would have shared with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, but several Republicans familiar with the offer say it was declined.
There's some tantalising details in here, such as this:	There's some tantalising details in here, such as this:
Mr Bush has made clear in television interviews and in conversations with friends that he is troubled by the sharpening tenor of the race, particularly on immigration. He voiced his concern directly to Mr Romney, two people close to him said, urging him to moderate his oratory and views to avoid a collapse of support among Hispanic voters in the general election.	Mr Bush has made clear in television interviews and in conversations with friends that he is troubled by the sharpening tenor of the race, particularly on immigration. He voiced his concern directly to Mr Romney, two people close to him said, urging him to moderate his oratory and views to avoid a collapse of support among Hispanic voters in the general election.
10.51am: Now here's a bargain: a 2005 Chrysler 300C open for bidding on eBay for a mere $1m. That's one million dollars. Now, they say the US auto industry has recovered its mojo but that's ridiculous.	10.51am: Now here's a bargain: a 2005 Chrysler 300C open for bidding on eBay for a mere $1m. That's one million dollars. Now, they say the US auto industry has recovered its mojo but that's ridiculous.
And the $1m reason is included in the seller's comments:	And the $1m reason is included in the seller's comments:
2005 Chrysler 300C - leased by President Barack Obama. We have the original Illinois title showing this vehicle was actually used by Barack. 19,000 miles driven when this vehicle was Obama's - I'm sure many of them were highway miles back & forth from Chicago to Springfield since Barack was an Illinois State Senator during 2004.	2005 Chrysler 300C - leased by President Barack Obama. We have the original Illinois title showing this vehicle was actually used by Barack. 19,000 miles driven when this vehicle was Obama's - I'm sure many of them were highway miles back & forth from Chicago to Springfield since Barack was an Illinois State Senator during 2004.
The eBay listing now has a photo of the car's title showing the vehicle was listed in Obama's name on 13 July, 2004 when the vehicle had just two miles on it.	The eBay listing now has a photo of the car's title showing the vehicle was listed in Obama's name on 13 July, 2004 when the vehicle had just two miles on it.
10.27am: The Guardian's Janine Gibson has allocated herself the task of watching Florida TV channels on a continuous loop in order to assess the weight of the carpet-bombing unleashed by the Romney and Gingrich campaigns.	10.27am: The Guardian's Janine Gibson has allocated herself the task of watching Florida TV channels on a continuous loop in order to assess the weight of the carpet-bombing unleashed by the Romney and Gingrich campaigns.
She will be updating throughout the day: here is her first installment.	She will be updating throughout the day: here is her first installment.
Yesterday I drove from Orlando to Tampa to a soundtrack of local stations playing soft rock and terrifying radio ads. To the strains of scary strings, every 15 minutes a sinister-voice-over would declare Newt Gingrich to be a Washington stooge paid "over $1.6m" as "a historian. Really?" An official ad, it ends with the pay off: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message".	Yesterday I drove from Orlando to Tampa to a soundtrack of local stations playing soft rock and terrifying radio ads. To the strains of scary strings, every 15 minutes a sinister-voice-over would declare Newt Gingrich to be a Washington stooge paid "over $1.6m" as "a historian. Really?" An official ad, it ends with the pay off: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message".
Seeking balance, I'm spending the morning in front of the TV here in Tampa, monitoring the well-known massive Florida media buy. The campaigns have, they boast, become more sophisticated in their ad buying - moving out of the obvious and pursuing the Republican voter in programs ranging from CSI to the Weather Channel and rejecting Shows Watched By Democrats, such as Two and A Half Men. Let's test this out.	Seeking balance, I'm spending the morning in front of the TV here in Tampa, monitoring the well-known massive Florida media buy. The campaigns have, they boast, become more sophisticated in their ad buying - moving out of the obvious and pursuing the Republican voter in programs ranging from CSI to the Weather Channel and rejecting Shows Watched By Democrats, such as Two and A Half Men. Let's test this out.