Politics: Romney Fights Back

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Politics Romney Fights Back Mitt pounds Newt in the final debate before the Florida primary. Will it be enough? By John Dickerson Posted Friday, Jan 27, 2012, at 05:31 AM ET Mitt Romney may not drink, but he was loaded when he entered last night's debate in Jacksonville, Fla. He went after Newt Gingrich immediately and relentlessly. He scolded him, rendered him momentarily mute, and took answers about other topics and turned them into attacks on Gingrich on key issues like excessive government spending. Romney didn't just have good answers, he looked like a man in command of himself. His new debate coach Brett O'Donnell should double his fees. There are now five days until the Florida primary, and state polls show that Romney and Gingrich are neck and neck. Newt Gingrich is up 9 points over Romney in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Romney's strong performance will give him a little spring in his step and make his supporters feel like they're backing a winner again. Florida has 10 television markets, and if the editors and producers are good to Romney, he'll get about 12 hours of free coverage of the debate. Romney was not flawless, but he showed aptitude over a wide range of subjects, learned new material, and adapted to the challenges he faces. For a candidate that has been called robotic he was nimble. Romney started right away. If a candidate can deliver a strong moment that will run throughout the next day on cable and on local news, he wins the night. You just have to be good once, and preferably early in the evening. Romney had to ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Dickerson: Romney Pounds Gingrich in the Final Debate Before the Florida Primary Ferris Bueller Is Coming Back? Uh-Oh. The Grey: Everything You Could Possibly Want From a Movie About Liam Neeson Fighting Wolves	Advertisement
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