Free Republic

I wouldn’t expect a Kalifornian to believe any of that religious mumbo jumbo and Newt hopefully won’t bail out your morally and economically bankrupt state that you call paradise.

I grew up working the fairs and walking precincts with my parents. I have met so many great conservatives growing up and have had the honor of working for some wonderful elected conservative leaders. I was one of the first Tea Party organizers in the spring of 2009 and have been on the front lines, going toe to toe with the SEIU, La Raza, local Teamster thugs, Occupy protesters, you name it, in a very hostile part of the country.

Regarding your assumption that I support bailouts, you could not be more incorrect. What would make you come to that conclusion? Because of where I live? I am a native Californian, as were my parents, and most of their parents. California has only been liberal for a generation. Historically the Golden State has been made up of rugged individualists who believed in self-reliance. My family and friends worked the phones day and night trying to stop the bailouts, money that went everywhere, not just California. If you remember, the congress defeated the bailout on the initial vote in the fall of 2008 in no small part because of the pressure the citizens put on their representatives. For some reason, even people who are normally counted on to be against these things, came out of the back room meeting and told us it had to be done. Of the current candidates, I think only Ron Paul actually voted against every bail out where as the other three candidates said they believed the first bailout was probably the right thing to do. Like Ron Paul, I remain firmly against bailouts. I don't mind failure. Failure is how you get an opportunity to do things right.

I am a life long conservative activist and you have completely misjudged and mischaractarized me. Think of this as an opportunity to ask yourself some tough questions. What is this former "character issue" and how has Newt demonstrated that he has indeed changed? Some one who has a demonstrated history of erratic and unethical behavior needs to convince us to trust him with protecting America and putting the country ahead of his ego.

And only six years ago, Romney implemented RomneyCare in Massachusetts, which is indicative of a character flaw far more menacing to the Republic and to our liberties than failure to keep it zipped.

Newt was for a personal mandate on a federal level where as Romney only advocated this solution at a state level. Newt has flip-flopped and been consistently liberal as much, if not more than Mitt and but Mitt managed to "keep it zipped". And yet you continue to defend Newt's depraved behavior. The hypocrisy and ignorance demonstrated on this thread will be the death of this great nation.

Comparing a 13yr personal incident to a real-time Bill Clinton on the job sexual encounter, the sexual harassment suit against Clinton...all somehow being the same? You’re right, Neil is an ass

And during the impeachment 13 years ago Newt was having sex with a much younger staffer, which is sexual harassment according to the law. Maybe it is not a big deal to you when one of the most powerful men in the world is using his influence to get laid, but to many people it is a sign of a deeper character issue.

I realize how much you all detest Romney but it has made you blind to the facts. Newt has a character problem that will not only damage the country it will hurt the conservative movement for years to come.

no drugs, no dogs, no dijiridoos

You have just given me an idea for my next T-Shirt :)

Lots of hippies, I gotta warn you there, but it’s deep in the heart of Texas, lots of hard-eyed cowboys there too.

I fake folks out all the time.Cool Conservatives are such a rare breed we are often mistaken for hippies. The Crab-@** get-off-my-lawn GOPers are often the standard bearer for the party and give Freedom Lovers a bad name.

Debating skills do not a president make.

So true. I love the 'smart' Newt. Nobody thinks on their feet better than Smart Newt. Unfortunately Nasty Newt, the Evil Twin of Smart Newt will often appear without warning. The press is chomping at the bit to have Newt as their primary target. Newt can be brilliant but he can also be a HUGE ass and he moves freely and unexpectedly between the two personas. Finally I need to caution folks about debates and voting; the only ones watching debates are folks like us on both sides of the aisle who already have our minds made up. We then take the sound-bites and use them as examples of why folks should vote for our guy. Most people get their news from these sound-bites played endlessly on The Daily Show and The View.

Interesting strategy...sit out the initial primaries while the other candidates destroy each, then ride up on a white horse and save the day because "America needs me."

I just think Mitch Daniels is a little too far down the list of second or third tier candidates for this to work.

DO NOT CIRCULATE WITH THE REST OF THE SPEECH DRAFT—THIS IS UNDER PERSONAL CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNOR.”

This sealed the deal that the news would be immediately leaked :)

The same people that refused to vote for mccain will refuse to vote for newt, if not more so.

We call those people "Independents" and none of that group will be voting for King Baby Newt.

Are you going to kick everybody out of the Republican party who has behaved in a dishonorable manner?

I am not interested in anyone being kicked out of the Republican Party. I just won't vote for a serial cheater to be the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth. I think how we conduct ourselves in our private lives is relevant to how we behave as professionals.

Kathy Lubbers, 48, a business consultant from Miami was stumping with her father—and his third wife, Callista—at a sports bar near the Iowa State University campus.

It certainly has been in Ms. Lubbers best interest to forgive her father.

Yeah I Believe that Romney’s people are behind this

It seems to me Newt is behind this; he has a pattern of breaking his marital vows. That may not matter to you. I have a problem with people who can repeatedly swear to God they will be honorable but behave in a dishonorable manner. If Newt wants to be a philanderer he is in the wrong party.

Everything Kinky does, he does big.

Even that is an understatement! The man is a true American Original. He is a very brilliant and fascinating man. I am currently in pre-production for Becoming Kinky, a play by Ted Swindley about the life and times of Kinky Friedman. The man is a modern day Will Rogers. Kinky says all politicians should serve two terms; one in office and one in prison :)

PS-I hope to attend the Kerrville Folk Festival one of these years. It is definitely one of the most respected songwriter gatherings in the country. I bet it was wonderful to be there working the festival.

Cuz Im’a HOMO ERECTUS

I have had the pleasure of singing along with that song on more than one occasion. Kinky is currently getting ready to embark on his "Southern Discomfort Tour" throughout the South. Definitely a great opportunity to see a living American Original, and Kinky is much more conservative than you might imagine.

This is one of the most conservative districts on the Central Coast of California. While that is not saying much, I am confident Tony Strickland will win the seat. He has done an excellent job as State Senator.

Funny, I have yet to meet one progressive who thinks Newt is anything close to a progressive.

Try asking Alvin Toffler. I love that Newt is so open minded and willing to experiment. I just think his lack of discipline makes him a loose cannon on deck. Winning debates is different than winning national elections. I remember the 1990s and Newt is extremely polarizing. People who are not interested in doing the research will be horrified by the things Newt has said and done, both professionally and personally. That said, I will gladly vote for anyone,including Newt, selected by the GOP to run against President Obama, who IMHO is on a mission to destroy America.

He kept a lot of us honest in our thinking. Or at least we had to try harder to be honest with ourselves.

So true. There is a moral obligation to listen the contrary argument and Hitchens demonstrated such a willingness to challenge his own biases. I usually disagreed with him but I always loved listening to his arguments.

I voted for Romney too in the 2008 primary, but that does not mean I have to vote for him on Super Tuesday and I won't

You are a Flip-Flopper!

In the words of the great Kinky Friedman: “Occupy the kitchen and liberate the sink!”

And,of course,we’ll hold our noses and vote for Romney because the alternative is unthinkable.

I've had to do that every election since I voted for Reagan. I did not vote for GWB in either primary; I voted for Alan Keyes. I voted for Buchanan in the previous two primaries. There are no perfect candidates, including the great President Reagan. I voted for Reagan in the primary and I love him but he fell short in some areas also. IMHO Mitt Romney was the best of the field in 2008 and again in 2012. He is not perfect but he certainly understands the Free Market and loves America. Although Romney is not perfect I will not have to hold my nose to vote for him. Remember Ann Coulter's "Get Drunk and Vote for McCain" movement? For those folks who do hate Mitt, now might be the time for a beer run ;)