Understanding the Unexpected (and Unfunded) Rise of Newt Gingrich

Reaganite Republican ^ | November 14, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

Yeah, he's got more baggage than 

Lady Gaga on a 3-month European tour... 

many conservatives are starting to say 'so what?'

Newt Gingrich articulates conservative positions like no other Republican candidate...  everybody knows this (genuine) constitutional scholar would rip Obama a new one in any debate. 

With 'Newt 2012' funds scarce-to-nonexistent, his recent and unlikely comeback in the polls was driven almost exclusively by magnificent TV debate performances as the deep-pockets boys hit choppy waters.

And Gingrich doesn't take a one speck of crap from underhanded old-guard media still attempting to prop-up the teetering Obama regime, either. This, along with his strongly-professed Christian/Catholic faith- play well with the conservative GOP base (of which I am a proud part).

Today -after dismissing him as a top-tier candidate initially- a lot of Republicans are coming to the dawning realization that given the current choices, Newt most closely approximates what they've been looking for. This healing process between voter and votee has been aided somewhat by Gingrich's frank admission of errors re. the Scozzafava debacle and in posing with Nancy Pelosi for a climate-change ad- "the dumbest single thing I've done in years". 

Pollsters now find him surging, and right into second in South Carolina. Suddenly, we have a new three-horse race- one poll out Friday even put Gingrich in second place nationally, right smack-dab behind Romney.

Personally, it's been defense and foreign policy issues that leave me wanting for a GOP 2012 candidate to this point: only Bachmann, Palin, and (yes) Trump ever said the kind of things I need to hear re. Iran, Israel, Russia, etc- yet obviously none of them contenders at this point. But Gingrich sounds great (foreign policy) in the video below, and if his administration could find some room for -say, John Bolton somewhere in there- that would be the kind of thing that could perk my interest quick.

Perhaps noble Cain supporters expected peace-though-strength Republicans to be won over to the man -who I like and respect- in CBS's ill-managed attempt at a foreign policy debate last Wednesday. I'd been looking forward to this one of course, yet in the case of Herman Cain he seemed lost and out-of-his-element, an oft-repeated default response being he would 'consult with his experts', etc.  

Since I can't fathom the thought of initiating a federal VAT sales tax (as 9-9-9 proposes), I don't think Herman Cain is going to work out for me- not unless it comes down to him, Romney, and/or Perry of course. 

But for now there are other people in the 2012 race, including of course Newt Gingrich. Make no mistake, he's got plenty of challenges waiting for him along any path to the GOP nomination, and I'm not just talking about the affairs/apparent moral lapses, (we're all sinners). 

The Gingrich campaign is basically broke for one -although cash is starting to come in lately- as it faces well-financed Romney and Perry smear machines that have yet to train their guns. Think there's nothing left to dig up on Newt? Consider that he's been out of political office for over a decade -while Perry and Romey have been under far closer scrutiny in recent years-  and it's something to think about.

But I've long said that I want a fighter to really bring it to Obama in 2012... one thing for sure, you get that with Gingrich- a smart one, too. And his forthcoming confession of RINO sins is at minimum a refreshing change from the obfuscation  spin, and fake UltraBrite smile you get from Mittens when you ask him about his unsettling past involvement with statism and statists.

If I had to vote tomorrow -and Bachmann still had no prayer, as it now appears- I think I would have to pull for Newt... and I'm not the only one.

[YouTube]

Video/more at Reaganite Republican

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Newt.org   WSJ   RCP   NYT-538    Maggie's Notebook   MaristPoll    Federal Election Commission

[MNJohnnie]

Which Newt is going to show up to “fight”?

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/gingrich-health-care-insurance/2011/05/15/id/396426

Gingrich Backs Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Requiring Health Insurance (May 2011)

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/gingrich-obamacare-and-individual-mandate_607924.html

Nov 2011

In response to a follow-up question from Charles Krauthammer about whether he opposed the mandate as a matter of policy or constitutionality, Gingrich replied, “I believe that it is unconstitutional for the Congress to require you to buy something…because then the Congress could require you to do anything.”

[petercooper]

Great policy wonk, yes. Good leadership and decision making abilities, marginal at best.

[EternalVigilance]

It’s a sad spectacle watching the death throes of such a grand old party.

[knarf]

Hmmm ... It IS interesting that someone with no money and an apparently obvious distaste for politics as usual and the whoreing lamestream media is getting such face time.

I remember the earlier 'debates' didn't have a lot of Newt, but the few times he spoke, he commanded attention.

Personally, I want Newt to denounce a few things .. pelosi's couch and a few others.

His daughter has put to rest the dieing wife divorce story, so ... maybe Newt IS viable.

I'm glad we still have a year.

[brownsfan]

"It’s a sad spectacle watching the death throes of such a grand old party nation".

There, fixed it for you. CBS finally gets the stones to do a real journalism piece, scratching the surface as to why people spend millions to get a job that pays $174k annually, and there is barely any reaction. Insider trading that's legal. I wonder how Martha Stewart felt watching that?

A super committee that isn't. They won't make the deadline, now they're talking about changing the rules again.

Not a single candidate for president I'd trust. Certainly Obama is the least qualified, and least trustworthy, but the others are all significantly flawed.

A news media that refuses to cover things fairly, and an electorate concerned only with ipads, smart phones, and shopping.

Reality isn't pretty.

[EternalVigilance]

Point well taken.

[EternalVigilance]

Not a single candidate for president I'd trust.

Agree.

[moonhawk]

He DID denounce Pelosi’s couch, AND a few other things.

Check it out, and I’m hoping you’ll find that his very, very, strong points outweigh his admittedly large volume of baggage.

He’s not my “perfect” candidate, but none of them are, especially the viable ones.

[MNJohnnie]

If you want fundmental change in the US political system you got 2 choices. Cain or Paul. The election of either would be a 9.9 political earthquake.

[CynicalBear]

I think Newt could well be just the right guy to help bring the GOP party back to what it is supposed to be. Of course he’s not perfect but he would have the gravitas to begin a process that could be followed up on and he would sure be an example of taking a stand against not only the media but the stupid far left as well. He may just be the right one to put some shame into GOP party to start to stand for something. He certainly is the only one to explain things that even the media seems to have a hard time arguing with.

[brownsfan]

“Personally, I want Newt to denounce a few things .. “

He’s admitted mistakes as far as the Pelosi couch thing. The thing I find most troubling about Gingrich is once they passed the contract with America, they fell back into business as usual, (that is to say corrupt big government), almost the next day.

[xzins]

Yep, me too.

Gingrich can and will bring it. Cain has troubles with pro-life and 999 additional source of fed revenue. Perry has problems saying what he wants to say or knowing what he wants to say. Bachmann is a one-trick pony (did you know she was the first to want to repeal obamacare?). Santorum, I like because of his solid pro-life record and his deep thinking ability, but he strikes others as a whiner so he’s getting no traction. Paul can’t seem to hear a foreign policy debate without going suicide bomber all over himself.

Gingrich has his known foibles, his forays into political positions that must be explained, but on the other hand, he is the LAST person in the US to have actually balanced the US budget. Other than that he fits my definition of conservative: pro-life, pro-God, pro-gun, pro-natural marriage and family, pro-American exceptionalism, pro-military, pro-strong America foreign policy, and pro-fiscal sanity.

He stands for all those things, and he just blows everybody else away in debates. Gingrich is to all comers as Cheney was to Edwards in their famous sit-down debate in 2004.

[moonhawk]

We got a fundamental change with BO. How’s that workin’ out for ya?

[knarf]

Excellent point;

"Check it out, and I’m hoping you’ll find that his very, very, strong points outweigh his admittedly large volume of baggage"

[dfwgator]

On top of that, Newt’s a quitter, he decided that selling books was more important than serving his constituents, even though he was overwhelmingly reelected to his House seat in 1998.

[JimInMO]

Ah, a series of adult thoughts and comments. Not intentionally inflamatory, not hostile, just honest statements of some facts and some opinions.

Better look out. You are likely to be flamed. There is always (actually, more than) one who is dependable to fill that role and he is sure to pop up shortly. Uh oh, I see he is already at it!

Anyway, it will be interesting to read the comments as they weigh in on the relative merit of yours. We’ll enjoy the cerebral ones, and pass over the others.

[bray]

Love Newt in the debates and most issues, but his Global Warming stand kills it. He claims skeptics are wrong about GW and would not be for Cap & Trade, but what would he be for?

Pray for America

[ken5050]

FYI..National review has a poll on their home page today..who do you prefer..Cain or Gingrich?..Newt gets 75% of the vote..

[moonhawk]

Thank you.

Another thought:

How many of us realize Newt has had a religeous conversion (to the Catholic Church), in 2009 I think? Many FReepers seem to think that Jesus died for their sins, but not for Newt’s, or that their own repentance was more sincere than Newt’s. I am not one of those.

I have had to repent of some very painful stuff in my own life, and I must assume that Newt’s conversion and repentance are as genuine as my own.

I think Newt may be capable of sparking a great American political revival.