World Historical Figure Newt Gingrich Gets His Battles Mixed Up

Newt is upset: he didn't get on the Virginia primary ballot:

Newt Gingrich’s campaign is looking to buck up supporters after their embarrassing failure to get on the ballot in Virginia, likening their inability to secure enough signatures to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

“Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941,” campaign director Michael Krull said in a message posted to Facebook. “We have experienced an unexpected set-back, but we will re-group and re-focus with increased determination, commitment and positive action. Throughout the next months there will be ups and downs; there will be successes and failures; there will be easy victories and difficult days - but in the end we will stand victorious.”

I disagree about the proper historical analogy. Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack: the Virginia ballot qualification wasn't. It should have been on Newt's radar for months IF HE HAD A FREAKIN' CAMPAIGN BASED ON MORE THAN RUPERT MURDOCH'S NOD! They make the qualification hard, Newt, in order to weed out the frivolous candidates.

No, the proper historical analogy to Newt's problem is the Battle of Thermopylae, where the valiant 300 Spartans pinned down Xerxes for days, but ultimately faced annihilation (the final reference in this video to Callista is very touching):

[Also, thanks to Mickey Bitsko for correcting my reference to Thermopylae from Marathon.]