How Newt Can Rebound From Florida

Newton Leroy Gingrich got drubbed pretty soundly in Florida, and it'll be nearly a month before the next major primaries. What's an ex-speaker to do? Politico weighs in:

• Have a big idea: Newt's message was all over the place in Florida. "When he wasn’t calling Romney anti-immigrant, he was talking about the moon. When he wasn’t talking about the moon, he was talking about kosher food," says one strategist. Gingrich probably knows he needs to focus; he's promised to release something like his 1994 "Contract With America" soon.

• Throw a conservative media circus: The conservative media loves Newt, but he hasn't fully embraced it. Politico thinks he should assemble "a traveling roadshow of flamboyant camera hogs," like Herman Cain, Michael Reagan, and maybe even Sarah Palin.
• Demand more debates: Gingrich's candidacy has hinged on debates, and there won't be one for 20 days. He should demand Romney face him Lincoln-Douglas style—and attack him relentlessly if he doesn't oblige.
• Get personal: Gingrich has done well when he's dived into identity politics. "He's a superb spokesman for aggrieved, lower-income whites." It will make for an ugly campaign—but one Gingrich might win.

(More Newt Gingrich stories.)