Page 43 - Electability Argument News Today

>> some breaking news now. longtime penn state football coach joe paterno has died at the age of 85. for more on the story, we want to turn to our national correspondent susan candiotti and cnn contributor sarah ganum. both of them have covered the penn state scandal for us for months. joining us from state college in pennsylvania, let me start with you first, susan. just for the reaction on campus. >> reporter: its been a devastating day. a tragic day here on the penn state campus bec...

then, 2012 and the influence of the tea party with one of its kingmakers. south carolinas senator jim demint. the view through a different prism with a number three democrat in the house. congressman james clyburn. im candy crowley, and this is "state of the union." its got a name. newtmentum. two strong debate performances this week resurrected the political fortunes of former house speaker newt gingrich. he leaves south carolina with his first win of the primary season. numbers t...

There is a broader electability argument and the most important thing is, gingrichs own words, and he said it is good to be back home and this was to him like new hampshire to romney, his neighborhood. >> and briefly, joe, again, the exit polls seem to indicate romneys two big problems are, hes a moderate and a mormon, at least by the view of south carolina voters? what does he do about either of those. >> it will be tough though the electorate is more moderate as you go on from here. south caro...

Newt gingrich never won in swing states and santorum one four ow out of five of the states. >> in in building, women who havent heard rick santorum on social issues, on abortion, on the right to life, are raging, they can hardly stand still at the microphone. >> the point is, you go into the fall with the the republicans already having lost new york and california, those are the off the map. so what hes saying, santorum electability argument is, its the midwest swing states, i can win there, aim...

Is there a scenario in which he does not become the nominee? weve seen polls giving romney a big lead there. does this change things big picture wise? >> well, i dont think so. and i havent talked to any republican who thinks thats the case. in south carolina or beyond. but at the same time, romneys got to close the deal here. and hes got to do it where hes touching all the legs of the stool of the republican primary voter. and i think thats very important. look, what were seeing this week is hi...

im jessica yellin. tonight were live in italy as the certainly for survivors aboard a capsized cruise ship becomes more urgent and dangerous. well also take you inside the ultimate and deadly serious video game. see how captains are taught to handle ships the size of skyscrapers and avoid disasters like the one off the coast of italy. also this hour, were releasing new numbers from our brand new poll. what voters think about the economy might be good news for the obama campaign. we beg...

fear of the assad regime. a rear window inside a brutal crackdown. i want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. im blitz and youre in "the situation room." a tightening race heading in to south carolinas republican primary one week from today. a new american research group poll of likely primary voters in that state puts mitt romney on top but, but in a statistical tie with newt gingrich who is just ahead of ron paul. the texas congressman has surged in so...

Debates for the most part. hes very good when everything is going his way. i think this is the first time weve seen him really knocked off of his feet. and he didnt respond very well. i dont, theres not substance here. but it is a window into his ability to go head to head with barack obama. in the summer and the fall. >> and for a candidate who given the fact that a lot of the conservative base doesnt like him or trust him, he has turned largely to the electability argument, im the one who can ...

Democrats are going to do this to him, and theyll be all over him with it. the problem for these republicans is this, and as they try to make this electability argument, they may make their own party hate them just a little bit, and for newt gingrich and rick perry especially who are going hard after romney on the bain capital/creative destruction companies that didnt go the right way and where people lost jobs, its a fine line to walk because while its a popular argument that may appeal to vote...

To iran, spends a lot of time on that, but then spends a lot of time on talking about mixing the economic and values message. you know, not dissimilar to what are bill clinton did in 1992 or what pat buchanan did in 1996. you know, when you take values and merge it with the economy -- and if you do it effectively, thats how you can win in places that have a heavier blue collar population. whether its western pennsylvania or parts of new hampshire. and he emphasizes that a lot. and lately he has ...