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

__________________________________________________

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

[EternalVigilance]

I’d have a “solution” if so many “conservatives” weren’t again wasting their substance chasing every false flag under the sun.

[CynicalBear]

Of course you.

[EternalVigilance]

“The special election for the 23rd Congressional District is an important test leading up to the mid-term 2010 elections,” Gingrich said in a statement to supporters. “Our best chance to put responsible and principled leaders in Washington starts here, with Dede Scozzafava.”

-- Newt Gingrich, Oct. 2009

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

I appreciate your very level headed and logical approach. I tend to do have the same realistic outlook which stirs up those who fuel their support from a completely emotional/feelings driven platform.

That aside, reality is always difficult for some here who tend to deny the inevitable. Neither of us can help that faction, nor should we try to.

[annieokie]

Well stated.

[annieokie]

hahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha and ROFL.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Great analysis!

You illustrated almost exactly how this thing is apparently going. Some mistakenly call it “Vetting” when in reality, it is more like “Eviscerating” if the truth was ever ever acknowledged.

[CynicalBear]

Until you can come up with an alternate solution I’ll not take you seriously. OWS has the same problems. No solutions.

[Little Ray]

The reason we like Newt is that he’s the smartest guy in the room - ANY room.
(Except maybe a room full of physicists or rocket scientists. Which are actually pretty scary places...)

Problem is, he’s not trustworthy. Being trustworthy is better than being smart.

[Crawdad]

His attacks on journalists during the debates have really helped him. I can’t understand how the other candidates have missed this and why they don’t do the same thing. I would watch the debates if I knew they would.

[EternalVigilance]

solutions?

Gingrich's "solutions" amount to everything solid diluted down to nothing.

I hate that silly, trite word. It doesn't really mean anything.

[Mari2525]

You seem to forget that even as Speaker, Newt only had one vote in Congress. If a bill went down to defeat, you have to blame a combination of Democrats and Republicans.

These are just some items that passed:

Eliminating the “marriage penalty”
Cutting Capital Gains taxes
Balancing the Federal Budget
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
The first GOP majorities in Congress in generations
Welfare Reform
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
The Taking Back Our Streets Act
The American Dream Restoration Act
The National Security Restoration Act
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (Tort Reform)
Family Reinforcement Act
The House impeached Bill Clinton

Newt cut taxes and balanced the budget. He instituted tort reform as well as getting Clinton to sign Welfare Reform. Newt led the Republican Revolution and under his leadership the Republicans took Congress for the first time in 40 years. Newt was not a failure as Speaker as many seem to imply.

Additionally, Newt helped write DOMA. Newt says he will reinstate DADT, Cain says he will not. Newt says he will abolish the 9th Circuit Court of Clowns and has found historical precedent to do so.

[CynicalBear]

>> It doesn't really mean anything.<<

Obviously not to you. If you don’t have the guts to state who you support.

[JimInMO]

Know what else? It occurs to me that with the “stick it in your ear!” mind-set of some posters, what would happen if a Presidential candidate were elected and operated the same way? With disregard and disdain for those with whom he/she disagrees, seeking neither the education nor the persuasion of others?

You know—operated over them, around them, under them, but not with them. Refusing to be President of all the nation, with a large number simply feeling ignored and unheard. How would the ignored feel? In what way would a positive national agenda ever get agreed upon, much less implemented?

Oh, wait . . . we have that already in Washington, and it doesn’t seem to please anyone (them or us). Of course, I forgot: “Get over it—WE won”.

[EternalVigilance]

If I saw a candidate that lives up to the first, most important, principles of this republic, I’d tell you. But I don’t. Live with it.

[CynicalBear]

Then you remain irrelevant to the process as far as I can tell.

[Mari2525]

So, Republican Newt Gingrich supported the Republican candidate for office. Did he tell her to drop out of the race and throw her support to the Democrats? I place the blame for this loss with Dede and the RNC, not Newt.

[EternalVigilance]

Then you remain irrelevant to the process as far as I can tell.

If the man on the binoculars spots the iceberg, tells the crew and the passengers, and they choose to ignore him, continuing on their destructive course, I guess you could say he is "irrelevant to the process," you betcha.

[EternalVigilance]

I place the blame for this loss with Dede and the RNC, not Newt.?

Of course you do.

[knarf]

Good reminder list ... thanx