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Gingrich, Role as House Leader Intact, Offers Clinton an Olive Branch
New York Times, The (NY) - Thursday, November 7, 1996
Author: FRANCIS X. CLINES

Having survived the Democrats’ nationwide assault on his leadership, Speaker Newt Gingrich gratefully responded today with a noticeably noncombative call to find “common ground” with President Clinton in the Administration’s second term.

“We ought to work with him and give him a chance to lead in the direction he campaigned on,” said Mr. Gingrich, whose tone at 3 o’clock this morning, as he finally confirmed that the Republicans had retained control of the House and that his hand would therefore remain on the gavel, was considerably gentler than it was two years ago, when he began honing a reputation as a political revolutionary keen for jousting with Mr. Clinton .

“And if he sticks to the things he campaigned on, we should be able to find some common ground,” the Speaker declared, borrowing from the President to invoke the phrase “common ground” repeatedly at a news conference here in his Atlanta-area district, as if that phrase were already his own fresh, more careful mantra for the new Republican Congress.

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UNEASE OVER GINGRICH LINGERS IN HOUSE GOP UNITED FRONT: YOUNG CONSERVATIVES STILL FEEL BETRAYED BY CONCESSIONS.
San Jose Mercury News (CA) - Saturday, July 26, 1997

Author: DAVID HESS, Mercury News Washington Bureau

House Republicans would have people believe the turmoil is over — that they’re united, focused on legislation and rallying behind House Speaker Newt Gingrich following the abortive coup attempt against him.

But beneath the public declarations of harmony, there remains a lingering sense of unease over Gingrich ‘s leadership style and the party’s purpose.

Rep. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C., a ringleader in the putsch attempt, is still telling colleagues that Gingrich ‘’must lead or get out of the way.’’ He and his conservative soul mates have convinced themselves that they can impose their legislative agenda if they just hang tough against President Clinton and ignore the transitory hits they might take in the polls.

Skepticism remains

Another conservative, Rep. Tom Coburn , R-Okla., said he will hold his fire for awhile but remains skeptical about whether Gingrich is up to taking on the president. ‘’I’m taking a wait-and-see position,’’ he said, expressing concern about what he sees as Gingrich ‘s propensity to deal away too many cards to Clinton in negotiations over taxes, spending and other issues.

He and other like-minded members feel betrayed by what they consider backsliding by the speaker on conservative principles. Mostly they are sophomores who came to Congress in 1995 as acolytes of the then-fiery Gingrich , who boasted of leading a revolution against big government.

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The speaker’s retreat this spring on a flood relief bill to help California and other states also was seen as a needless surrender of principle to Clinton, and it continues to gall the back-bench conservatives who anguish over Gingrich ‘s leadership style. Republicans had wanted to add riders to the flood relief bill to give them more leverage in budget negotiations with Clinton.

‘’The diffusion of federal power, the downsizing of the federal government, the devolution of federal programs to the local level — that’s what Republicans should be about,’’ said one Southern conservative dissident, who asked not to be identified for fear of appearing out-of-step with the upbeat mood of the moment. ‘’I’m not sure that Newt is still on board. I’m not surewhere he’s leading us.’’

Even Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who confessed he had plotted with dissidents to bump Gingrich but has since made his peace with the speaker, conceded that the ‘’problems that created this ( coup attempt) are still there.’’

But, in Gingrich ‘s defense, DeLay said the junior members must learn ‘’they can’t just get up and rant and rave on an issue’’ and expect to prevail. ‘’They’ve got to learn to work with others to get things done.’’

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