Why Newt Gingrich is 'the most disliked politician in America'

The struggling GOP presidential candidate's approval ratings continue to dive. What do voters have against Newt? Newt Gingrich's horrible approval rating just keeps getting worse. A new CNN/Opinion Research poll finds that 63 percent of all Americans view Gingrich unfavorably, while only 25 percent see him positively. "Those are some seriously atrocious numbers," says Steven L. Taylor at Outside the Beltway, and they seem to "vindicate anyone who argued that Gingrich would implode" eventually. How could a candidate who once led in GOP polls have fallen so low? Here, four theories:

1. Newt's ethics problems still haunt him
"It was obvious to everyone who remembered the history of the 1990s that Gingrich would be a disaster as a presidential candidate," says John Hinderaker at Power Line. After Newt's brief stint as "man of the hour," his numbers have simply returned to where they were in 1997, when Gingrich was facing ethics troubles and a GOP backlash over his contentious tenure as speaker of the House. Voters haven't soured on Newt — they've just finally remembered what they thought of him in the first place. 

SEE MORE: Will money trouble sink Newt Gingrich's campaign?

2. Even his fellow Republicans hate him
Newt didn't get to be "the most disliked politician in America" by alienating Democrats and independents, says Aaron Blake at The Washington Post. Even among Republicans, his numbers are bleak. This trifecta is a "rare combination." Even at their "most divisive," George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, and Nancy Pelosi have had more friends. By establishing himself as an object of bipartisan derision, Gingrich has set himself apart.

3. Voters are fed up with his persistence
"Gingrich has been 'the zombie candidate' since Florida, where his decisive defeat abruptly halted whatever momentum he picked up in South Carolina," says Tina Korbe at Hot Air. Establishment Republicans want Newt to quit so he avoids damaging the ultimate nominee. And conservatives want him out so they can rally behind the surging Rick Santorum. But Gingrich's "appetite for the presidency" is too strong. Clearly, voters don't like that he insists on counterproductively fighting to the bitter end. 

SEE MORE: Moon colonies! Death rays! A brief history of Newt Gingrich's 'crazy' ideas

4. Romney's attack ads have taken a toll
Gingrich's biggest problem, says Kenneth T. Walsh at U.S. News & World Report, is that he was pummeled by attack ads from Team Romney. Along with the negative news coverage the ads stirred up, the attacks focused attention on Gingrich's troubles during his years in Congress, "his admitted adulteries, his changed positions on some issues, and his seeming arrogance." That did not endear Newt to voters.

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Is America right to still hate Michael Vick?

According to an annual Forbes list of the country's most hated athletes, Americans still aren't ready to forgive the QB for his dogfighting scandal

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is the country's most loathed sports star, at least according to Forbes' annual list of America's most disliked athletes. (Sixty percent of those surveyed dislike Vick.) Also on this year's list are Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Alex Rodriguez, former Mr. Kardashian Kris Humphries, Detroit Lions lineman Ndamukong Suh, and NASCAR's temperamental racer Kurt Busch. The electrifying Vick has already served time in federal prison over his role in an illegal underground dogfighting ring, and after returning to the NFL in 2010, Vick was honored as the league's comeback player of the year. Is it time for America to forgive him?

Real football fans have already forgiven Vick: Vick's past crime "still resonates with many Americans," says Jonathan Tamari at Philly.com. And "casual fans overwhelmingly still don't like him." But if you look closer, 60 percent of "hardcore" NFL fans actually like the Eagles QB. "Big football fans care more about his play than" his criminal past. And on the field, Vick is a star.
"Vick, TO among most disliked athletes"

But Vick's problems go beyond dogfighting: Vick made a "big splash" with his return in 2010, but he "underperformed in 2011," says Doug Farrar at Yahoo. Don't forget: Vick is getting older, and he's spent quite a bit of time on the injury list. Vick's mobile, fleet-footed style — which once made him one of the league's most exhilarating players — is finally "catching up to him," and has left him quite banged up. Is it any wonder Americans aren't enamored with him?
"Most disliked athlete? America still hasn't forgiven Michael Vick"

Vick isn't even the most interesting part of this list: The real shocker is Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, says Will Brinson at CBS Sports. "Suh's lack of popularity is a total 180-degree turn, as he was on the list of most popular athletes just four months ago." (Of course, that was before he stomped on an opposing player during a nationally televised game on Thanksgiving Day.) "Fortunately for Suh, an incident-free 2012 will go a long way towards cleaning up his image... Vick, who served actual prison time, as well as Tiger, who suffered through a public infidelity scandal... have a much higher hill to climb if they want to regain their popularity."
"Suh, Vick, Plax highlight most-disliked athletes"

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