Trailing in a number of new polls in key primary and caucus states, Mitt Romney sent out two surrogates to attack new frontrunner Newt Gingrich, basically making the argument that Gingrich is too controversial to be the Republican nominee for President.
"If Mitt Romney is the nominee, we have a proven leader who understands the economy with a record of turning around the troubled organizations he has led," said former U.S. Senator Jim Talent of Missouri.
In a conference call with reporters, Talent and former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu argued that if Romney is the GOP nominee, then the focus in the election will be the "failed policies" of the Obama Administration.
"If the nominee is Newt Gingrich, then the election is going to be about the Republican nominee, which is exactly what Democrats want," Talent told reporters.
The involvement of Sununu on the call was an interesting choice, because there is most certainly bad blood from years past between Sununu and Gingrich, which dates back to the first George Bush administration.
Back in 1990, there were budget negotiations which resulted in a tax increase that broke Bush's famous "Read my lips, no new taxes" pledge - and Gingrich was one Republican who broke ranks to oppose it.
Sununu argues that Gingrich originally agreed to support the plan and then changed his mind the next day; Gingrich and his backers have long denied that, saying once they saw the fine print, the decision was an easy one.
All of this also is part of the long simmering anger with Gingrich inside the Republican establishment, as Republicans like Sununu saw Gingrich as a bomb-throwing back-bencher who could not be counted on in GOP circles.
At the time, the GOP Establishment was still smarting over Gingirch's ascension into the House Republican leadership, as House Republican Whip. They still saw him as a loose cannon, a position that Sununu and Talent reinforced today.
Romney's campaign played off of that today by highlighting Gingrich's attacks earlier this year on budget plans from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), which Gingrich derided as "right-wing social engineering."
“Conservatives want our next president to be an ally in the fight to reform government and cut spending," said Gail Gitcho, Romney Communications Director.
Today's attacks are a clear sign that the Romney campaign now sees Gingrich as a threat.
