Far be it for me to offer unsolicited advice to Sarah Palin . She 's built a very successful career out of going rogue and certainly does n't need any tips from me . And , as an occasional pundit , a political influencer and a private citizen , she 's free to throw her weight behind anyone she wants . But I just have to say it : Newt Gingrich ? Really ? Now , I 'm not in the camp of conservative elites who think she 's seen her best days and should politely retire to obscurity . If anything , the premiere of `` Game Change '' on HBO on Saturday is proof that she 's still relevant ; she 's got considerable influence over a certain wing of the party . And so with great power comes great responsibility . Is Newton Leroy Gingrich the most responsible pick ? Of all the remaining candidates , in fact , the one that makes the least sense is Newt . Mitt Romney I could see , if she wanted to bring the party together . Rick Santorum I could see for his social conservatism , strong Christian faith and similar family stories . I could even see Ron Paul for his `` throw the bums out '' and `` end the Fed '' rogue-isms . But Newt ? When rumors first started swirling that Palin might back the former House speaker and self-appointed `` cheerful '' candidate , Gingrich was surging then . She said she 'd vote for him in South Carolina if she could . She wanted to keep the primary alive , she said . And , playing to Newt 's strength at the time , she urged `` more debates '' and `` more vetting of candidates . '' But now , with Newt 's ham-fisted campaign out of mojo , and no debates on the horizon , it would seem like a good time to jump off that train and get behind Romney or Santorum . Instead , she doubled down Tuesday , telling Fox Business Network that she voted for Gingrich in the Alaska caucuses , where he finished dead last . And why ? `` I have appreciated what he has stood for , '' she said . `` He has been the underdog in many of these primary races and these caucuses . '' Again , Palin 's free to like any candidate she wants , and those would be valid arguments , if they were true . What Newt has stood for , both during his political career and during this campaign , sits in total contradiction to what Palin has stood for since becoming a public figure . She 's for small government ; he 's shown a disturbing penchant for big government solutions . She champions Washington outsiders and rails against the establishment ; he 's the epitome of establishment , and has been firmly encamped inside the Beltway for decades . The very people who appreciate Palin should be the same people who despise Gingrich . And he 's hardly been an `` underdog . '' With the backing of billionaire financier Sheldon Adelson and the benefit of serious name recognition , he 's enjoyed the money , media attention and opportunity that other GOP candidates did n't . If Newt 's been an underdog , I 'm sure Jon Huntsman and Michele Bachmann would have been happy to switch places . The truth is , Newt is n't the `` little guy '' in any sense of the word . And if that were truly Palin 's criteria , there are actual little guys , such as Buddy Roemer and Gary Johnson to champion . Or even better , she does n't have to support any of them . Maybe Palin 's got a master plan in which she makes a late run at the presidency and puts Newt on her ticket . Still , it seems like an incongruous pick and waste of her considerable influence among far-right conservatives . But I 'm sure she knows what she 's doing .
S.E . Cupp says she 's not one to question Sarah Palin 's instincts , but Newt Gingrich ? She says popular Palin could be using her sway to support a more viable GOP candidate . She says many of Gingrich 's attributes run counter to what Palin has said she stands for . Cupp : If Palin has a plan that makes squandering support on Gingrich logical , it 's not obvious .