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

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

[JimInMO]

Funny! And thanks.

[ontap]

Everyone has the choice to repent and become a better person....even Newt Gingrich!!!

[brownsfan]

“That is just factually not true!!!”

Really? So, they did what they said they would do? Run down the list and tell me how many of these actually happened in any substantial way.

“On the first day of their majority in the House, the Republicans promised to pass eight major reforms:

1. require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply to Congress;
2. select a major, independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud or abuse;
3. cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third;
4. limit the terms of all committee chairs;
5. ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
6. require committee meetings to be open to the public;
7. require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase;
8. guarantee an honest accounting of the Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.
“

[Prospero]

I'm glad we still have a year.

Not quite. The contrived, perhaps even unconstitutional presidential primary "basketball tournament" schedule could have the nomination (and if it ends up like '96, for example, the election itself) more or less over by late March to late April.

[TomGuy]

Newt gets 75% of the vote

That is about all McCain would get in 2008 primaries, too. Seldom did he get more than 75% of the vote, even after he had the nomination locked up.

Result: He got about the same in the General and lost the EV by a 2-1 margin.

For all his glory in the debates, Newt is still Newt when the misty eyes clear. He is eratic and inconsistent; you never know which side he is going to take. GW Bush became that way in his 2nd term, too. And Newt is the quintessential beltway insider. He has resided there since he left the House. He IS neck-deep establishment and that makes him part of the existing problem in Washington.

The MSM would have a field day, going through Newt's trainload of baggage, piece by piece, day after day, for the General Election against their torch bearer.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Notice how when anyone voices a valid fact or points out something out about Cain that contradicts the propaganda we are being fed here, that they are all “childish” attacks and “lies”?

But all through the Palin months, the same tone was leveled at those who did not favor her. And 4%’er Cain was not even mentioned or given any recognition by this same group of people. And it is the same people who viciously protected Palin are now doing nearly the same for Cain.

Is it by some miracle, Palin quits and overnight, Cain is the savior of America and will revolutionize Washington? Even though, like Palin he has no clue how to go about that. Don't you find that somewhat strange? I do.

[knarf]

F’got about that ... thanx

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

You just set the stage for Romney. The moderates and independents will surely go for Romney.

Between Paul, Gingrich, Cain, etc, we all know they will stay in the primaries all through the 3rd or 4th primary, similar to 2008. And the split among the base will favor Romney. This is becoming so predictable.

[JimInMO]

Yup! And the fact is that we can have an adult (there I go again, using that word) conversation, honestly analyzing the facts, discussing different understandings and takes on them, and work toward POSITIVE outcomes.

Instead of attempting to be so right (slashing and tearing away at the Republican candidates) that only a single, bloodied, and wobbly one eventually remains—all primed and ready for the Democrat meat grinder.

[EternalVigilance]

Newt Gingrich is the personification of the unprincipled Republican establishment. If you all want to play pretend that this isn’t so, there is nothing I can do about that.

[jdsteel]

Mostly a good article. However, the 9 9 9 plan’s federal sales tax is not a VAT tax; quite the opposite. It could be credibly argued that the current federal taxation of businesses and goods (which would be eliminated) are far more similar to a VAT than 9 9 9 is. That said, 9 9 9 is a proposition, and one that is unlikely to be passed as is.

[TomGuy]

Don't you find that somewhat strange?

I don't. I would bet that a large number of that same group were the same ones tauting the Thompson bandwagon-to-nowhere in 2008.

After SuperTuesday, the field will probably be close to determined. Romney in the lead, and a hucka-tool to fend off any serious challenge from the 'extreme' right. Almost a repeat of the 2008 strategy.

[My state primary isn't until late May, so I expect the nomination to be decided long before then, making the state primary almost irrelevant. It will be interesting to see which candidates might still be standing by then.]

[CynicalBear]

I challenged you to put forth your candidate. Do you have a preferred or are you just spitting in the wind? If you have no alternative shouldn’t we just disregard what you put forth as nothing of substance?

[ontap]

And if you want to play pretend that you are going to make a difference belonging to the American party that’s your choice. Newt is a human being like we all are with his share of mistakes. Unprincipled would mean he is intentionally seeking to deceive which is up to all to decide but non of us can say with certainty.

[EternalVigilance]

You can do whatever you want. It’s a free country. For now.

[EternalVigilance]

Baloney. I’ve watched Gingrich closely for decades, from the inside and from the outside. I know the score. You people are desperate and delusional.

[EternalVigilance]

New tagline ...

[TBBT]

You were the one who thought it was such clever politics to run around posting childish personal attacks at Cain on every thread. Don’t start pouting now that people are punching back at your candidate of choice. Now now now... Don't feel slighted... I've been critical of all the candidates at one time or another - here at FR and elsewhere. The Mittens, Perry Folks, Bachamaniacs, Santorumites, Paulites, Huntsman who?, could all take issue with me. I will continue to be critical when it's warranted - and that included being critical of Newt. As far as being childish with Cain. My concerns about Cain have been anything but childish...

[CynicalBear]

That’s what I thought. No alternative solutions just rhetoric.

[xzins]

The truth about the Tiffany report is that the Gingrichs have a 500,000 line of credit...not that they are in debt for 500 grand.

I have a line of credit with my credit card company. That doesn’t mean I use it.

It’s amazing what an opposition campaign can do to stir up trouble and make innocent things seem criminal.

For example: I hear Cain has heterosexualist tendencies.