Posted on 12/02/2011 11:09:41 AM PST by freespirited
More conventional wisdom that needs dispelling this primary season: The adulterous and thrice-married Newt Gingrich will be unable to attract evangelical voters in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.
While it's true that the former House speaker ultimately may fail to achieve the redemption he's seeking from Iowa evangelicals, it's also a fact that he has been quietly building bridges to that important segment of the caucus-going electorate for more than a year. And, he not only built the bridges, he paid for them. That could turn out to be Gingrich's greatest secret weapon against his rivals in the Republican caucus in January.
Gingrich's financial ties to Freddie Mac and the mortgage market, the ethanol industry and big health care have gotten lots of well-deserved scrutiny lately, but less well-analyzed is a nonprofit he started called Renewing American Leadership (ReAL), which was devoted to issues the religious right cares about. The organization was financed by donations solicited by Gingrich and run by a trusted operative, Rick Tyler, who later went to work for his presidential campaign. ReAL poured $150,000 into the successful campaign by Iowa social conservatives in 2010 to oust three Iowa Supreme Court judges, who were targeted after the high court struck down a state ban on same-sex marriage.
The recall effort was led by Bob Vander Plaats, a businessman and former gubernatorial candidate, and it relied heavily on contributions from out-of-state conservative organizations like Gingrich's.
Now, Gingrich's relationship with Vander Plaats is paying dividends. Vander Plaats currently heads a group called Family Leader, whose imminent endorsement of a Republican candidate is expected to carry great weight with evangelical voters -- roughly 60 percent of participants in the caucus. Not surprisingly, Vander Plaats has had flattering things to say about Gingrich lately . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
“The adulterous and thrice-married Newt Gingrich...”
Seemss like a well balanced piece...
Evangelicals are a lot more pragmatic than many people think. Even if they were to suspect that Newt hasn’t fundamentally changed his ways, they are still able to discern the difference between him and four more years of Hussein.
It is amazing what one can get when you drag a dollar bill through an evangelical tent!!! oh yeah!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWKTOCP45zY
I don’t listen to Sean H very much anymore cause Michael Berry is on at the same time in Houston.
However, I did switch over during commercial the other day and heard Sean say some interesting things about the Speaker.
He said that he had a very personal and very in depth conversation with him this summer before he made his official announcement.
Sean said he challenged him on is past of infidelity and harshness with his political allies and enemies.
Sean said that Newt said he had had a real and powerful experience with the holy spirit and had rededicated his life to Jesus.
Sean said that Newt would not be talking about it at all during the campaign and would let his actions be his only witness.
So far I have to say that I have seen a change in his actions. Take, for instance, his defense of other candidates when they come under attack and his refusal to go negative on other candidate’s character. Notice I did not say their policies or proposals.
I know I’ll get flamed here but I have to be honest, I have seen him behave differently.
“It is amazing what one can get when you drag a dollar bill through an evangelical tent!!! oh yeah!!!”
I don’t know what that means, but I’ glad you are excited about helping to kill off another contender for beating Obama. When we have none left, you will be very happy, I’m sure.
Four more years of Zero will be great.
But his chance of winning is as small as Clinton's integrity!
And Paul has had his hands on more female genitalia than Cain has Face Book friends!
“Who says Newt was ever a contender to win next fall?”
I did. Just now. What, your crystal ball says something different? OK. But he’s in contention. If we take him out, we have one less contender.
It’s pretty simple math.
I've acutely noticed that the newly "Catholic" Gingrich is far cozier discussing his redemption story with Iowa Evangelicals than with his "fellow" Catholics. There's about 10 threads on FR about Newt buttering up evangelicals for their votes but ZERO threads about him going after Catholic voters, even though there are just as many Catholics as evangelicals in Iowa But his groupies here will cry fowl if you question whether Newt's "spiritual awakening" is just a ploy to get votes. If you question it and you're not Catholic, then you hate Catholics. If you question it and you are Catholic, then you're a bad Catholic and should be excommunicated.
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