Up to His Ankles

The American Spectator ^ | 9/24/2007 | The Prowler

[Doofer]

MR. OCTOBER Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is examining whether or not to enter a "testing the waters" campaign phase beginning the first week of October. According to Gingrich associates, he is mulling an announcement tour that would include appearances on one major Sunday morning show next weekend, along with several Fox News shows on Monday, as well as an appearance on Dr. James Dobson's radio show.

"It's not a coincidence that you saw Dr. Dobson attacking Fred Thompson when he did," says a former associate of Dobson's. "There's a strategy here, and it's about clearing the way for Gingrich to get in."

Shortly after Gingrich appeared on Dobson's radio show earlier this year and poured his heart our to Dobson, who forgave him for past personal indiscretions, Dobson attacked Thompson for not being -- in Dobson's view -- a Christian. That attack was interpreted by many to be Dobson's attempt to deflate what was then growing support for Thompson within the social conservative movement.

Last week, Dobson again attacked Thompson by leaking an email to the Associated Press slamming the former Tennessee Senator who currently sits second in most national polls. Across the south, he generally holds the top position. Most recently, the Mason Dixon poll in Florida had Thompson within the margin of error of top dog Rudy Giuliani.

According to other Gingrich associates, their man had held off any plans for entering the race until seeing how well Thompson's launch would proceed. "In Newt's eyes it's been mixed. Some good, some bad. But what he's been looking for are details and ideas from Thompson, many of which he's shared with him, but there's been nothing, no specifics," says another adviser. "Newt still sees an opening."

[Doofer]

"It's not a coincidence that you saw Dr. Dobson attacking Fred Thompson when he did," says a former associate of Dobson's. "There's a strategy here, and it's about clearing the way for Gingrich to get in."

Interesting if true.

[r9etb]

"It's not a coincidence that you saw Dr. Dobson attacking Fred Thompson when he did," says a former associate of Dobson's. "There's a strategy here, and it's about clearing the way for Gingrich to get in."

If there's anybody who can portray Dr. Dobson jumping a shark, it's you, Monk.

[antiunion person]

Let’s hope Newt doesn’t decide to jump in the water after testing them. We don’t need any more morons trying to be president.

[mikeybaby]

I liked Newt at one time.
I guess he’s been in DC to long.
Living in any town where Marion Berry is a considered a victim of “persecution” is bound to erode common sense over time, I suppose.

[ohiobushman]

“Shortly after Gingrich appeared on Dobson’s radio show earlier this year and poured his heart our to Dobson, who forgave him for past personal indiscretions, Dobson attacked Thompson for not being — in Dobson’s view — a Christian.” I think it’s more important that GOD forgives Newt than Dobson.

[no dems]

Dr. Dobson says he does not believe that Fred Thompson is a Christian, yet, he supports Newt Gingrich?

Hmmmmmm.....o.k. Dr. Dobson; time to retire. You lost your credibility with me when you handpicked Ted Haggart, your good buddy, to be head of the 31 million member National Association of Evangelicals. So, you're apparently not the best judge of character. Now, have a nice day and ride off into the sunset.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

We don’t need any more morons trying to be president.

The moron is you! Newt is brilliant and a accomplished politician and historian! He would be great for this country, if elected.

[Jedidah]

Exactly.

I don’t know what’s gotten into Dobson, but it’s not good.

[Maynerd]

"Newt still sees an opening."

Gingrich is absolutely delusional. I thank him for his service but his time as a politician has passed.

Although each of the current republican candidates has their flaws, Gingrich's flaws are beyond political repair.

[GLDNGUN]

Has Dobson said anything about Guliani, who is much more liberal than Thompson? I don’t recall hearing any comments from Dobson on the NYC mayor. If that’s the case, it would be highly hypocritical of Dobson to go after Thompson who just entered the race while ignoring Guliani who had been leading in the polls all along.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Ol’ Newt is definitely ramping up. I got a glossy brochure in the mail recently about some Webinars/workshops planned in late September.

For the Newt fans out there...

http://www.americansolutions.com/join_us/Forms.aspx?flexarea=Form.SignUp.2&formtype=2&ThanksArea=Form.Thankyou.1

http://www.americansolutions.com/General/?Page=f57be05e-5b03-4fb7-b238-f9a4ec278266

[pacpam]

Ever hear of the Peter Principle. Being great at one aspect of life doesn’t mean you’ll do well at another level. Newt hit his zenith as Speaker.

[SuziQ]

"It's not a coincidence that you saw Dr. Dobson attacking Fred Thompson when he did," says a former associate of Dobson's. "There's a strategy here, and it's about clearing the way for Gingrich to get in."

Say what? Dobson doesn't think Fred is Christian enough, because he doesn't go to Church regularly, which I assume he thinks is not moral, but Newt is 'moral' enough? Come on, pull the other leg, James.

[SuziQ]

It doesn’t matter how brilliant Newt is, he will be so continually savaged by the media, he would never be able to get his message out to the voters. He may have some place in an Administration, but not as President.

[ozzymandus]

No, Newt is an egotistical blowhard, and anybody who supports him is a moron. Are you really so dumb you think Newt is smart?

[Myrddin]

Up to your ankles is a matter of perspective. If you went in head first, that is pretty significant.

[Nonstatist]

Gingrich is the only Republican guaranteed to lose to Hitlery. If you think Gulianis personal life makes you sick, you ought to get a load of this blowhard. On top of that , he singlehandedly ensured Clinton’s second term thru his ineptitude. Not the guy for me.

[Reagan Man]

When Dobson first said he wouldn’t support Fred, I figured he was just making a mistake. This is much more than a mere error. It shows poor judgment by Dobson. If Dobson thinks Newt is a better Christian than Fred, I’d say Dobson has lost his moral credibility. Nothing against Newt. I like Newt a lot, but Dobson is definitely making this a purely political issue and one that doesn’t pass the smell test.

[Nonstatist]

Dobson wants to be a PLAYA. Unfortunately, theres no Gary Bauer or Pat Robertson running, so he’s Mr irrelevant.

[John Leland 1789]

What? Is the writer trying to imply that Dr. Dobson has made himself a priest of some kind with the authority to forgive someone’s “indiscretions” (sins). This is a gross mischaracterization of what Dr. Dobson believes and practices. Mr. Dobson is not a clergyman of a liturgical religion that has an earthly priesthood. I believe I am very safe to state that Dr. Dobson believes that no man on earth can forgive another man’s sins, but that forgiveness is a provision of the Cross of Christ and the Blood of Christ, and is available to any sinner directly by faith in Christ.

[Jeff Chandler]

Newt is intelligent. He would make a good history professor. But not president.

[Ronin]

As much as I appreciate Newt’s intellectual credentials, the fact remains he is damaged goods and has virtually no chance of getting the nomination or being elected.

Simply put, when you don the mantle of conservative leadership, when you embrace the ethics and morality that conservatives expect in their leaders, you have to walk the walk as much as you talk the talk.

Liberals, and I include Rudy in that category, don’t. Newt didn’t and as a result he lost the support of the conservative base.

There is still a role for Newt. His advise and counsel are obviously needed. But that role doesn’t include the Presidency.

[c-b 1]

Ol’ Newt is definitely ramping up. I got a glossy brochure in the mail recently about some Webinars/workshops planned in late September.

I got a phone call and an e-mail about the workshop. I suspected I got the call because I am First Vice Chair of my County Republican Central Committee, You've just confirmed it. I haven't asked my fellow officers if they got the same call, I suspect they did. I don't see Newt getting any traction around here, he's damaged goods.

[JMack]

Does a moral man walk into a hospital, where his wife lays ravaged by cancer, to get her to sign his divorce papers, so he can marry the latest Bimbo, who he would later divorce after getting busted banging a staffer behind her back?

Newt, God help you if you deliver the nomination to Guiliani, because of your delusions of grandeur.

[JMack]

Newt wasn’t even going to impeach Clinton. In retrospect, he was probably being blackmailed over his staffer honey on the side.

If it wasn’t for Tom Delay single handeldy pushing the issue, Clinton wouldn’t have even gotten a censure.

Just say no to blackmailable candidate.

[JMack]

The bottom line is laying divorce papers on your wife as she lays dying of cancer is something you’d expect from a Kennedy. Not a Republican Presidential candidate.

If he gets in, look for the media to fawn over him, as he is the only guy with negatives to rival Hillary’s. Libs would love to be going against him, instead of Thompson.

Be just our luck for this jackass to split the Conservative vote with Thompson in the primary, and give us Guiliani.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Only God can forgive sins. Does Dr. Dobson truly think that he is the Creator? If so, he is either evil or delusional.

[chuckles]

Count me as one of those morons. I won't be voting for Guliani, Romney or McCain. It's a long ways off, but I can tell you now, if one of those is the nominee, Hitlery is the new Prez. None of those will get the Evangelical vote. If the race is as tight as it's been with Bush, Repubs lose. A few thousand votes here and there will make the difference and Christians will stay home. You can call names all you want, but they won't show up for someone they don't believe in. They could get behind Newt. If it were Newt against Hillary, would you stay home?

Guliani has pics of himself in drag in gay day parades,( besides a couple of marriages himself), Romney is considered a flip flopper from a cult by most Evangelicals, and McPain has already crapped on Falwell and Robertson before.

Evangelicals will scatter across Hunter, Tancredo, Huckabee, and yes, even Keyes. If their guy doesn't win, they will most likely stay home or pick the Taxpayer party or some such. The top 3 are OUT!! Fred MIGHT have a chance, I don't know yet. He's got to start inspiring soon though. Newt could debate any of these fools under the table though, divorced or not.

Does Hillary standing by Bill make her a good Christian and get the Christian vote?......I didn't think so. If you don't like Newt, then fine, but there are plenty of us morons out there that would vote for him in a second. If he wins, then you have to decide if you will stay home, vote for Hillary or pull the lever for Newt.

[Doofer]

Be just our luck for this jackass to split the Conservative vote with Thompson in the primary, and give us Guiliani.

There was a pair polls by one tracking firm a couple of weeks ago that I saw. One with Gingrich included, one without. The one without showed Thompson the preferred choice in the Republican primary of that state, with something around a 11% lead.

Now this same group was polled again with Gingrich included in the mix and Thompson's lead shrunk to something like 2%, while Rudy, Romney and the others in these polls showing their numbers pretty much unchanged.

In other words a Gingrich entry at least initially is going to hurt Thompson the most from what I can gather.

[iowamark]

The last presidential candidate Dobson pushed was Gary Bauer. That shows how much influence Dobson has.

[iowamark]

But what he's been looking for are details and ideas from Thompson, many of which he's shared with him, but there's been nothing, no specifics," says another adviser.

There are very good reasons why Fred is holding off on too many specifics at this early stage.

[aruanan]

Neuter Newt.

[american_ranger]

I agree whole-heartedly with your comments about the big loser, Newt.

Newt took his 1994 Republican revolution and single-handedly drove it into the ground.

Newt handed the bitch, hiterly, his FBI file with the info about him banging his assistant. Nothing like giving the she-bitch the info to blackmail yourself with.

I used to love listening to Newt’s speeches about morals, honor, and the American way. Then I found out that he ended each speech with a quickie with his slutty assistant.

What a loser! No vote or monetary support from me.

[TNPatriot]

Newt has misspent any and all political capital he ever had.

The way he has been begging people to beg him to run is really pathetic to watch. He should stand down from his massive EGO and stick to teaching...

Also, Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real, BTW...

[caver]

“The way he has been begging people to beg him to run is really pathetic to watch. He should stand down from his massive EGO and stick to teaching...”

That bears repeating!

[Retired COB]

Dr. Dobson says he does not believe that Fred Thompson is a Christian, yet, he supports Newt Gingrich?

The last time I voted for a "Good Christian" for president we got Jimmy Carter (Everyone's allowed to make at least one mistake, and mine was a doosie.).

I think Newt's the smartest possibility out there, and he understands the weird world of DC. I think he'd make a great president.

[Politicalmom]

Y’all just don’t get it. Ol’ Newtie KISSED THE RING.

That means he’s O——Kay!

:p

[ozzymandus]

I’ll vote for the GOP nominee no matter who it is, simply to make my vote count against the left.

Are you saying the evangelicals won’t vote Romney because he’s a Mormon, or Rudy or McCain because they’re not Christian enough, but they’ll vote for a serial adulterer? That sounds a little odd.

[chuckles]

Yup, that's pretty much what will happen. I'm just telling you that Newt could do it, but the others won't make it. Huckaby could win it, but do you see him in the top 3? You have the Christians and the tax conservatives. The winner will have to appeal to both. The people here on FR dis Robertson, Falwell, and Dobson, but don't realize that in some states, a few thousand votes here and there will make or break us. If the tax conservatives think they will do this without the Evangelicals, it will be a long 8 years with Hillary. The Christians already know they need the tax cutters and agree with them for the most part. There may be a few that think stealing my money to give to poor people is somehow Godly, but they probably already vote Dem. Huckaby is a Baptist preacher and they probably wouldn't vote for him. This is the "what would Jesus drive" crowd.

All I'm saying is Guliani is the spawn of Satan to most Christians, Romney is in a cult and just "saw the light" last year or so, and McCain has already dissed the Evangelicals last time. Ergo, the winner has to come from some other group. They will all vote when the time comes, but it will most likely get split 9 ways to Sunday. If the Party gives us Guliani, Romney, or McPain, we lose. Fred might get it done, but looks weak right now. All my fav's are in the bottom tier. I could be happy with Tancredo, Hunter, or Huckaby. I'm witholding judgment on Fred for awhile. I could be happy with Keyes even. But Newt is the smartest and most qualified in my view. The MSM wants us to be happy with the other 3, and you can see we aren't. They want Rooty shoved down our throat. His gay crap and anti gun stuff is enough for me to vote for Hillary( and that's saying something) I'm already looking for fuzzy worms to eat cause I'd rather do that than vote for her.

Just picture Hunter, Tancredo, or someone else getting the nod. The Dems would crucify any of them. We are going to need Newt, in my view. He's not perfect, but I think he could build a consensus to get it done. I don't agree with everything any of them say, but he is the most able to do the job in troubled times, in my opinion. Even if Hunter was elected, he would come in cold turkey with a novice staff and flounder around for months. We may be at war the first day he swears in.

[ozzymandus]

Guliani is the “spawn of Satan to most Christians”???

Come on. He’s a RINO, and I don’t like him, and won’t vote for him in the primary, but he’s not the “spawn of Satan”, and I really doubt if more than a handful of people think so, any more than more than a handful think Romney is a “cult member”. As you say, all your faves are bottom tier, and won’t be around in the end. The realistic choices are Fred (my choice so far) and Rudy. We have to have a candidate who can win a mojority, not just the votes of a few thousand evangelicals. I’m not knocking you for supporting any candidate you want ( as long as it’s not crazy Ron), but our nominee needs to appeal to a broad spectrum. Bush hasn’t done all the things he should have, but would you rather have had 8 years of Algore??

[chuckles]

All I’m saying is a Christian won’t take kindly to a president in drag at the gay day parade, or someone that thinks babies are better put in a blender to suck out the stem cells. I’ll add someone that thinks the second amendment is fine as long as you are a national guardsman. Christians,( and I’m sure you can do a search here at FR to see the discussion), won’t take Mit Romney as a bonafiede born again Christian. There may be a few that are fooled by his rhetoric, but most Evangelicals have read their Bibles enough to know the difference. Also, it’s not a plus that he just figured out babies are human beings and homo’s are perverts in the last couple of years. Massachusetts politics won’t sell in the heartland.

My point is WE NEED A CANDIDATE, AND PRONTO!!

If you just remember back a couple of years, we won by just a few thousand votes in a couple of key states. The top 3 we have now...WON'T GET IT DONE.....PERIOD! You are saying we don't need a few thousand Evangelicals, and I'm saying we can't win without them. I guess we will see who's right. I am an Evangelical, and I know these people. They will NOT vote in great numbers just to defeat Hillary. They have to believe they are voting for the right person or they won't show up. This is the same rhetoric the Repubs have hung their hat on time and time again and it loses races over and over. Like it or not, Repubs have NO chance without the religious right showing up to vote. There are too many commies and drug addicts to overcome. We are outnumbered by the student anarchists, flag burner, America haters. Remember the only way we won a few of the previous races was when the Green Party or some independent socialist split the Dems. And the Dems still say ALGORE did win because he won the vote total instead of the electorial college. Damn, the constitution always gets in the way of what they want!