Posted on 03/03/2011 11:04:50 AM PST by 6ft2inhighheelshoes
Contrary to some inside-the-beltway sentiment, Newt Gingrich should be taken seriously not only as a GOP candidate for president but as someone who could actually win the White House in 2012. While no one potential Republican candidate has a lock on the GOP nomination, many party members are beginning to seriously consider Newt Gingrich this week as he announces his presidential exploratory committee and are contemplating whether he can defeat Barack Obama.
In any presidential primary, party members traditionally look for someone not only who can carry the party mantle but who can potentially win. Many feel that Gingrich’s time has passed and can’t win because of certain perceived weaknesses. Yet these people have either forgotten his previous accomplishments or have clearly underestimated the man himself.
Newt Gingrich is by far one of the most important and brilliant pubic officials America has ever produced. He had a 20-year career in the US House of Representatives rising through the Republican ranks to become one of the most powerful Speakers of the House in US history. He is credited for the 1994 Republican Revolution taking over both houses of congress – the first time in 40 years, writing the Contracts with America, balancing the federal budget, passing monumental welfare reform, and was able to unify the fractious post-Reagan conservative movement to usher in a new generation of conservative leaders and activists.
For a Republican to win the GOP presidential nomination they typically must appeal and win over the three primary groups of the conservative movement – fiscal, social, and national security conservatives. On a policy level, there is no doubt Gingrich has much appeal to all three and could potentially unify them, even if loosely held together.
While some might have forgotten, Newt has a strong fiscal record leading the battle to balance the federal budget and reform welfare in the mid-90s – probably the two greatest achievements of the 1994 Republican Revolution. Out of all the potential candidates, other than Sarah Palin, Newt has been a prolific Tea Party supporter and could appeal to those voters, contrary to some other candidates who’ve shied away from publicly being linked to them. This would most certainly give him a leg up over the competition as these voters were the engine behind the GOP wins last year
When it comes to national security, Newt has more credibility than most of his counterparts. He has been a vociferous leader in the War on Terror, presently teaches at the National Defense University, serves on the Terrorism Task Force on the Council on Foreign Relations, and has published extensively on American foreign policy and military affairs.
No doubt that Gingrich’s greatest obstacle will be to win over the social conservatives. He will have to explain his personal foibles and perceived fumbling of the Republican Revolution in the late-90s, detailed in the Esquire hit-piece that ran last August. Yet throughout his public career he has supported conservative positions on social issues, has vociferously spoken about the need for “Rediscovering God in America,” and recently converted to Catholicism. While these actions on his part may not fully satiate this crowd, his congressional voting record, published works, and public statements of personal remorse may help convince enough social conservatives, however imperfect, Gingrich is on their side.
Since his departure from congress twelve years ago, Gingrich has reinvented himself as a modern conservative sage of sorts. Newt would no doubt have a personal arsenal of grassroots activists, think tanks, and donors cultivated over the years at his disposal, jokingly dubbed “Newt Inc.” The indefatigable Gingrich has also travelled across the country over the years giving hundreds of speeches displaying his dizzying intellect and endless idea-factory of public policy prescriptions. Inspiring and exciting thousands of conservative activists Newt can legitimately claim a national following – something many of the other candidates cannot.
At a minimum, most believe he would raise the level of debate in the GOP primary race, if not run circles around Barack Obama in a head-to-head contest. While the country tried its hand with a fresh face in 2008, the country may be inclined to support an elder statesman this time around.
What might really separate Gingrich though from the other GOP hopefuls is that out of all the candidates he’s the one who best articulates the conservative message in a time of American drift. When America is in need of clarity of purpose and confident and experienced leadership, Newt has spent the better part of a decade thoughtfully prescribing solutions for America’s ills and has articulately argued for an American renewal of its “First Principles” – a sentiment whose time has come after recent years.
As a history professor, Newt is well aware of American history, including his own. In 1962, no one thought Richard Nixon would ever win public office again. In 1976, many thought Reagan was done with. In 2000, no one thought Al Gore would amount to much after the 2000 presidential election. Is it possible that Gingrich has analyzed his own history, learned the lessons from the 1990s, and can have his own political comeback in 2012? Perhaps the wiser more disciplined Gingrich of today can do what he once miraculously did – unite a fractious conservative movement and fulfill a new contract with America.
Christopher N. Malagisi is the Lead Administrator of the Draft Newt Gingrich for President (2012) Facebook fan page (http://tinyurl.com/draftnewt), is President of the Young Conservatives Coalition, a National Review Institute Washington Fellow, and an Adjunct Professor at American University teaching conservative movement history.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/opinion-zone/2011/03/dont-underestimate-newt-gingrich#ixzz1FZ3TyTGp
Gingrich is the DREAM candidate for the left for that exact reason. If Gingrich is the nominee the electorate will be played like a well tuned fiddle by the laimstream media over Gingrich's baggage. How quickly people forget how he was run out of town last time....
Well that is his opinion. Mine is that I will NEVER vote for someone who has been married three times! Take that to the bank because I am serious.
Maybe they can hold their debates on a loveseat.
Newtus Agustus is soooooooooooo out of touch with what’s going on today. He has nothing to add to the debate that is revelant.
My bet is that he will announce by May 1 (The deadline Fox has imposed or his contract is TERMINATED) that he will not be running. Me thinks he like being Hannity’s good buddy and the speaking fees and the book sales and the paid TV appearances.
Bingo! If he'll lie and cheat on his wife, the one person (or in this case three people) that you stood before God and everybody and swore you would honor until one of you dies, you will lie to and cheat on me in a heartbeat. Character matters because we're not always there to keep an eye on them behind closed doors.....
Real unbiased source you have here. He needs to spend more time outside of Washington DC to see how grassroots conservatives feel about Beltway insiders such as himself and Newt.
LOL! Good catch!
Serving divorce papers on your wife when she is hospitalized for breast cancer is far beyond a mere "personal foible."
I have a high opinion of Newt's intellect but his personal life has made him unelectable IMO.
Repudiate your climate change position and then we can talk Newt. Not promising I can still believe you though.
I’d vote for him, big time.
I hadn’t seen the video, just the picture. Stick a fork in Newtie, he’s way over done.
Something creepy about a guy who hasn’t aged a day in 17 years:
http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1994/1101941107_400.jpg
My thoughts:
Newt Gingrich: The one person who would give Obama fits in any debate! He is the single candidate who Obama absolutely fears!
Chris Christie: Sharp, tough and nasty. Would be very good. Not a good #2
Bob McDonnell: May be a sleeper. Very good and can not run again for Gov.
Mitch Daniels: Good man, a proven record, may be #2
Michele Bachmann: May be a good #2 or better as future Speaker.
Jim DeMint: Good man but he does not have the debating skills needed.
John Thune: He is not interested in #1 but may be good #2.
Mike Pence: Good man.
Paul Ryan: We need him where he is. Good #2.
Sarah Palin: Don't think so. Love her and most of all TRUST her but....
Tim Pawlenty: Not really. A little Rino-ish.
Mike Huckabee: NO but I like him as a person.
Jon Huntsman: NO, has worked for Obama in China.
Marco Rubio: Not yet and soft on illegal immigration
Bobby Jindal: No
Scott Brown: No
Mitt Romney: ABSOLUTE NOT, NEVER!!
The media won't overlook Newt's baggage, when it comes to being president. Once he announces, Saturday Night Live will go on a crusade to mock him every week. Kids who never heard of him will learn about him from SNL and Bill Mahr.
LOL, lets give them a bit of a break, the MSM pitched in to help. :)
Draft Newt Gingrich for President (2012) Facebook fan page.
The only “Drafting Call” for Newtus Agustus will be coming from the democrats Dede and Nancy Pelosi.
Agree. Newt is heads and shoulders above most of the field with his encyclopedic knowledge and razor-sharp intellect grounded in conservative philosophy.
Newt has issues, he has screwed up personally, I get that.
However, his divorce record would not keep him being hired to run a Fortune 500 company because he is a proven performer.
Plus I feel Gingrich will willingly speak to these issues when confronted.
Regarding this virulent anti-Ginrich block, ( by the way, a group that the libs LOVE, since it is eviscerating one of their most threatening foes)...
I am always amazed that some conservatives find it impossible to think strategically-—I do not see Sarah Palin having a snow ball’s chance in hell of winning—although I admire her immensely-—but there is a diehard segment that will only consider her.
That naive blind and rigid thinking is what put Bill Clinton into office with just 43% of the vote because the same stubborn mentality backed the unelectable Perot, they were so wrapped in a personal fantasy that he would win.
We need—as never before—to use our most effective weapons against the liberal onslaught—being self-defeating purists will kill our chances.
I will not be surprised if the candidate is someone who has not seen the spotlight yet, a complete dark horse.
Be sure to drop us a postcard when you reach Shangri-la...
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