Just when you thought Newt Gingrich was out of the 2012 presidential race for the second, or is it the third time, billionaire casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson, 78, is contemplating seeing his man get yet another shot of adrenaline, the green kind.
Earlier this year, Adelson handed Gingrich’s super PAC $5 million, then his Israeli-born wife Miriam gave another $5 million, then Newt lost Iowa and New Hampshire. But then he won South Carolina. And was abysmal in Florida. And Vegas, the Adelsons’ home turf, despite the special post-Shabbes vote. Then Rick Santorum stole Conservative hearts in a succession of states and Newt was quickly demoted yet again.
But now, not only is Adelson planning to deposit yet another $10 million into Gingrich’s account, so he could play in the March 6 Super Tuesday primaries, but great moneybags Sheldon just intimated to Forbes that he is contemplating giving his man a fat $100 million.
Say you had $25 billion, and the house and the car were already paid for, would you give Newt this much money? Better yet, how much do you have to love a guy to pump this kind of cash into his arteries?
Marc Tracy at The Tablet says the $100 million pledge is “an attention-grabbing statement, but a largely meaningless one,” at least for Newt. He argues that more than wishing to see Newt get the nomination, Adelson wants to see President Obama going back to a life of community organizing. So Sheldon won’t pay for negative ads against fellow Republicans, so Newt will lose again.
Then, who knows – would Mitt or Rick be interested in talking to a Jewish senior citizens with more money than Greece? You bet your mousaka they would.