About a month ago, when Newt’s numbers were shooting the moon, I wrote that as much as the numbers suggested otherwise there was simply no way the GOP establishment would let Newt Gingrich take the nomination. Just too stupid an idea, too suicidal for the party and everything connected to it.

That was no great insight. And I’m chagrined to say I briefly wavered in my certainty that Newt simply couldn’t happen — the numbers were just so strong!But I’m thinking back on it now because at the time a lot of TPM Readers wrote in to say, what Republican establishment? Who is this Republican establishment and how’d they make out against Sharron Angle and Christine O’Donnell in 2010? Just what levers does this ‘establishment’ have access to? What exactly would this establishment smackdown look like? Read More