It’s the last weekend before the Florida primary. How did Newsmax ramp up its Newt-fluffing?
Newsmax pounced on Herman Cain’s endorsement of Gingrich, delivering not only an article on the event itself — proclaiming it “a welcome boost for Gingrich, who has found himself having to defend himself against a vicious onslaught of attacks from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney” — but also scoring an interview with Cain. Neither article nor the interview video made any mention of Cain’s puzzling “endorsement” a week earlier of “we the people.”
Newsmax also touted Sarah Palin’s repeated endorsement of Gingrich and her portrayal of Gingrich being “crucif[ied]” by the “party machines” and the media.
But Newsmax’s Newt-fluffing wouldn’t be complete with some Romney-bashing. A Jan. 28 article complains that Mitt Romney has “strongly identified himself as a consistent conservative and Republican voter,” but “a review of the facts” shows that “Romney as often gone to considerable lengths to distance himself from Republicans and conservatives.”
Newsmax even trotted out serial health care misinformer Betsy McCaughey to say there’s no difference between Romneycare and Obamacare.
Newsmax also promoted an Insider Advantage poll it claimed was showing that Gingrich is “surging” — from eight points behind Romney to six points behind. This poll, however, runs counter to most polls showing Romney widening his lead over Gingrich to double digits.