GOP CRAZY BASE VOTERS THINK THE REST OF US ARE AS CRAZY AS THEY ARE

Yes, South Carolina Republican voters gave Newt Gingrich a decisive victory, but please note a particular reason they gave for picking Newt:

Of those who think beating Mr. Obama is the most important candidate quality, Mr. Gingrich wins nearly half of the votes, the most of any of the Republican candidates.

And voters in South Carolina were more likely than voters in New Hampshire to say that beating Mr. Obama was the most important quality in a Republican candidate.

Dave Weigel elaborates:

Forty-five percent of voters ranked "can defeat Obama" as the supremo quality they want in a nominee. Gingrich won them over Romney, 51-37. Why? Tony Shipley, a Tennessee state representative who runs Newt's campaign there, explained it to me. "He will LACERATE Obama in a debate. He will absolutely ANNIHILATE him."

So what these people are saying is that they think independents and even some Democrats will respond favorably in the fall if Newt Gingrich treats Barack Obama the way he treated Juan Williams and John King. They think going medieval on a guy a lot of people think is likable even though they don't agree with him personally is a winning strategy.

I have no desire to disabuse them of this notion. I hope they sustain it all the way to the convention, and beyond.