From the Special Report All-Star Panel Friday, December 9, 2011

On Mitt Romney’s recent attacks on Newt Gingrich:

They have ads now on the internet which are attacking Newt directly. It’s an interesting ad because it uses Paul Ryan — the quote he made when Newt called the Ryan [Medicare] plan right-wing social engineering. They use a quote that Ryan said at the time, “With friends like that, who needs the left?” …
Actually the ad also had a bunch of commentators, including me, as it happens, saying unsympathetic things about Newt. I’m not sure that is a good strategy, because the part of the electorate that Romney is appealing — needs to appeal — to is a part of the electorate that considers me (and the other [journalistic] colleagues who are on that ad) complete elitist, inside-the-beltway, cocktail sipping sellouts. That is what they say on a good day.
But I think what you want is people that the right trusts. Ryan — and I think some of [Romney’s] other surrogates- might have an effect.
But this [attacking one’s opponent] is dangerous because there is a history of [Iowa caucus goers] turning on the candidates who start with the negativity.