Surprise: actual voters don't care about media gossip

Byron York of The Washington Examiner attended Newt's Tea Party townhall in Charleston Tuesday.

York asked some of the audience who were not necessarily supporting Newt for President if they were concerned about what the media incessantly reports about:

"It doesn't bother me at all," says Cheryl, a woman from nearby Goose Creek.

"If Newt has the money to spend at Tiffany's, let him spend it at Tiffany's," says Joy, who lives in Mount Pleasant but is originally from Westchester, N.Y.

"Not at all," says Ray from Charleston.

York quotes Newt: The only place where the media assault has mattered is fundraising," he says in an interview after the town hall. "The depth and intensity of the media assault slowed us down for probably a month, and I think it will take us probably until October to recover."

York believes that the debt ceiling debate provides a great chance for Newt to gain traction. (I share that belief after seeing the positive comments online about Newt getting out in front of the issue while the other candidates have largely ignored it.)

More from the story:

When Obama says he can't guarantee that Social Security checks will go out if there is no deal, Gingrich urges House Republicans "to pass a $100 billion cut with a $100 billion debt-ceiling increase, which takes care of all the Social Security checks in August. Say to the president, 'OK, we've taken care of everybody who needs to get a check in August. Are you going to tell Senate Democrats to block it? Are you going to veto it?'" In North Charleston, it's what the audience wants to hear.

...

there are also reasons people here take him seriously. They remember him as the man who engineered the historic Republican victories of 1994, and in him they see a House leader going toe-to-toe with a Democratic president. That's what they want to see again, and it's enough to keep Gingrich going."