Posted on 07/16/2016 10:44:19 AM PDT by Jim W N
Long before former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich found himself in the final running for Donald Trump’s VP pick, he spoke about the presumptive nominee in a rather interesting way. And by “interesting,” I mean “not entirely positive,” as the recently suspended Fox News contributor‘s private remarks this past February reveal. What’s more, according to what Gingrich told the Republican State Leadership Committee during their meeting in Washington, D.C., it seems he was praising and insulting the New York real-estate mogul. So much for that running-mate gig, Newt.
Per Pro Publica, it all started when Gingrich broached whether Trump’s successful campaigning would ever translate to governing. At the time, the press was all over studies dissecting the businessman’s penchant for speaking at a sixth-grade level. Hence why, when the topic of Trump’s ability (or lack thereof) to dialogue with the public came up, Gingrich wasn’t sure if it’d translate to actual politics:
“How we make the transition from, you know, language for fourth-graders to real policy, I don’t know.” Yes, Gingrich equated Trump’s speeches to the “language of fourth graders” — a full two grades lower than the science cited by the Washington Post and other outlets. Yet his description of the popular Republican candidate’s words wasn’t meant as a full-blown insult, per se. Turns out Gingrich was actually lauding Trump for his simple word choices, and even gave some off-the-cuff analysis to support its use:
“This is not a guy who’s shallow or simple, but he is a guy who knows an immense amount about marketing, which is why he talks at a fourth-grade level. He talks at the lowest level of any candidate in either party, not because he’s stupid. He does it because he knows if you talk at a fourth-grade level everybody can understand you.” Combined with his recent comments about race relations in the United States and past criticism of Trump’s questionable attacks against a federal judge, maybe “fourth-grade level-gate” will help Gingrich’s VP chances. Then again, considering the increasingly strong likelihood that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has the job, it probably doesn’t matter anymore.
As I said, I like the Gingrich we see the post that follows this one, Gingrich's interview on Hannity where he signaled a clear unequivocal declaration that we are in a war against Islamic Supremacy. This is Newt at his best. http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2016/07/14/gingrich-deport-every-muslim-who-believes-in-sharia-trump-jr-speaks-out-on/
Scott Adams has said the same thing. Trump does it because it works. It is effective.
I lecture “learned” historians. And I was taught to teach at a fifth grade level.
It is a sign of understanding your subject very well to speak in simple terms.
I used to know somebody who reviewed military instruction manuals. His job was to make sure the reading level...I think they liked to keep it no higher than 7th grade. It just makes sense that if you want to communicate a message clearly.
I used to know somebody who reviewed military instruction manuals. His job was to make sure the reading level...I think they liked to keep it no higher than 7th grade. It just makes sense that if you want to communicate a message clearly.
Newt, like many highly intelligent people, can be blisteringly honest without even trying to wound.
I’ve known people like that. They don’t ALWAYS mean it in a malicious way. They just don’t filter their thoughts through the heavy filter of diplomacy the way most of us think we have to do. Sometimes, they DO mean to strike like a cobra.
Quick and with great precision.
I think you pegged it with Newt.
However, he is brighter and better educated than Trump. Trump’s language skills are not the greatest and certainly not the worst. Most newspapers are written at the 4th grade level.
Yes, but in speaking of doing such, a politician (in this case, Newt) especially should balance such description and such behavior with a clear explanation that the speaker (in this case, a politician) is NOT superior in any way to the hearers (the American People). Ruling elitism is a very big problem in D.C.
One of the smartest men I’ve ever met spoke in very simple, plain terms. He was a civil trial attorney and he could distill a complicated business dispute to its essence and explain it to a jury in few simple sentences. He was very effective and won most of his cases.
“Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.” - Winston Churchill
I admire Gingrich. I like Trump. I don’t see any contradiction.
They both say what they think and let the chips fall. Gingrich does it a bit more gracefully but he is just as frank as Trump. He would make a great advisor to Trump because he’s brilliant, he has a world of political experience, and because he isn’t afraid to tell Trump something he doesn’t want to hear. Trump respects people like that, I believe.
Newt’s a former college professor. An egghead. They get paid to use big words.Republicans think DC is a debating society...sound logic and clear rhetoric will carry the day. Paul Ryan is exhibit A. He makes an argument and stands around waiting for someone to declare him the winner.
When I went into the army, a standing joke was the field manuals were written on a 4th grade level and had a lot of pictures— like comic books. Guys trained on those comic books kicked the crap out an awful lot of bad guys.
Trump knows what he’s doing. The little fairies in DC will fall in line if he has the numbers. And the people behind the numbers aren’t Rhodes scholars. Can’t be. The Pareto Principle has not been repealed, regardless of how much the academic and political left hates it.
Trump to DC GOP (and Newt)— sit down boys, school’s in session.
My technical boss (chemical research) always, always, returned for rewrite my proposals to management if they exceeded a fifth grade level of prose.
Simplifying a message is far better than boring the hell out of your audience with wonky gibberish that nobody understands. That’s one of Hillary’s liabilities. She doesn’t communicate or relate well with “the lower classes”.
Trump is also a master at repetition. Some may call it needlessly redundant but that’s exactly what you need to do to drive home a point. He never misses an opportunity to embed his points in your mind.
He’s a master showman and intuitively understands how to get people’s attention. He will demolish Hillary if she is even willing to debate him.
Boy, the media was ready for a Gingrich pick.
But why are they attacking him now when he’s not VP?
Agreed, but in his quick and precise wit and wisdom, Newt should be very aware that one of the GREATEST problems in the “establishment” (generally institutions) and specifically in the D.C. government, is ruling elitism. Newt in his communicative skills should balance remarks like this by making it VERY clear that
1) ruling elitism IS a BIG problem in D.C.,
2) the American People ARE generally smarter than the average corrupt politician in D.C. and
3) putting something in simple terms is more of a sign of the speaker’s grasp on the subject and that he speaker (like Trump) does NOT put himself above anyone else.
“ProPublica was the brainchild of billionaires and major Democratic donors Herbert and Marion Sandler, the former chief executives of the Golden West Financial Corporation, who have committed $10 million a year to the project.[9]”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProPublica
Yes, another nice, objective and truly credible piece by the Sandlers’ scribes. Remember how the Sandlers managed to get the SNL skit mocking them and their ripping off of millions upon millions of $$$$ prior to the real estate collapse in 2008?
It depends on what day one hears Newtus Agustus.
It can change like the wind.
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