Very quietly, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is meddling in the GOP primary field.  A couple of weeks ago, there was a press release that indicated Rick Tyler, long time communications director for Gingrich, was taking a leave of absence from his day job, and helping out the communications effort for Mike Huckabee.

Mark Levin over on The Corner writes today that Newt and Dick Morris are both helping the Arkansas populist former governor, Newt behind the scenes, Morris publicly.  The question is why is Newt doing this?

When the Tyler move became public, the theory developed that Newt still envisions himself running for the presidency, but didn't think this cycle was the right time to run because of the aura of invincibility of Hillary Clinton.  Newt would then benefit by helping out the perceived weakest of the GOP candidates, ensuring that come January '09, the Republicans would begin their four year wandering through the desert.  This would set up Newt as the White Knight in 2012, riding to the rescue after President Hillary screwed things up in her first term. 

But after Iowa last night, another theory is beginning to develop.  Hillary's aura of invincibility is no longer there.  Barack Obama is now the frontrunner, and although very charismatic, he's an empty suit, especially when it comes to foreign policy.  Newt may now be thinking that there's a window of opportunity this cycle.  All that needs to take place is for Huckabee to take a couple of the early states, Rudy take a couple of the big states, McCain maybe taking a state here or there, and Romney to take a couple, and you have yourself a brokered convention.  If the Republicans can't decide on a clear frontrunner by the convention, could we potentially see the White Knight riding in a little earlier than expected into Minneapolis/St. Paul this September?