OOPS -- THERE GOES THAT RATIONALIZATION

Newt Gingrich yesterday on ABC:

Asked about his "collapse" in the polls on ABC News' "This Week," Gingrich said, "I think that they haven't quite collapsed. And the fact is, when you combine the Santorum vote and the Gingrich vote, we clearly are -- the conservative combined would clearly beat Romney."

Is that "clearly" true? Not according to Suffolk University it isn't:

The new Suffolk University poll of the Florida primary: Romney 47%, Gingrich 27%, Santorum 12%, Paul 9%.

(For the math-challenged, that's Romney 47%, Gingrich + Santorum 39%.)

Oh, and not according to Nate Silver's new forecast:

Our new Florida forecast: Romney 44.7 (97% chance of win), Newt 29.4, Santorum 13.2, Paul 11.1

(That's Romney 44.7%, Gingrich + Santorum 42.6%.)

I really wanted Newt to go all the way, and I'm sure he'll be entertaining if he refuses to quit, but it looks as if he's about to be crushed.