This is not usually the kind of entry I write, but as a follow-up to my last post, it feels apropos.

Watch this, if you’re up for it (it’s long but has points of interest):

 

What’s interesting about this video, other than the content (which Romney would probably dismiss) is that it wasn’t created by a Democratic member or Super PAC, but by the conservative Super Pac “Winning Our Future” which just so happens to be in the bag for Newt Gingrich.

By now, thanks to Stephen Colbert, we’re all pretty aware of how these Super PACs work, and we also understand that, like in the case of Winning Our Future, they can be run by people very close to the candidate they are supporting.  So, sure, Newt Gingrich has some wiggle room on this one and can claim to have nothing to do with the making of this video, but everyone knows his non-coordinating fingerprints are all over it.

In light of what I wrote in my previous entry, though (that Romney will ultimately get the nomination), it’ll be interesting to see what happens to this video.  Gingrich may never officially endorse Romney (his pride might not let him), but as a Republican who wants to unseat Obama, he’s going to have to at least be on his side.  Which will make his connection to this video incredibly awkward.

Because, even if this video is proven to be filled with exaggerations, it’s still a damning piece of political propaganda.  The Obama campaign would be smart to make sure this video keeps circulating in the wake of Romney’s almost-certain nomination.  If the election comes down to winning over working class voters, this will not play well for Romney.  Like Newt, though, the administration will want to be careful to obscure any direct connection to the spread of this video.

This is what is so interesting about our political process.  Candidates spend months bashing each other in hope of getting their party’s nominations, and then when someone finally prevails, the losing candidates have to turn around and play nice as part of the party establishment.  Talk about flip flopping.

Does this video hurt Romney’s chance of getting the nomination?  Well, sure, it could.  But I doubt it’ll make too much of an impact at this stage (at 30 minutes, the only people who are going to watch it all the way through are those who are already anti-Romney).  But, when it comes down to the real election, this video, chopped up and spread across the internet, could not only hurt Romney’s campaign but also Republicans in general who are already seen as catering to Corporate interest.

Now it’s time to just wait and see how this all plays out (in the company of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert).