Posted on 12/01/2011 7:57:27 AM PST by Fred
NEWT GINGRICH is the latest unlikely figure to vault to the top of Republican presidential polls, and unlike those who preceded him - Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain - he’s likely to stick around. That’s partly due to necessity. With just a month until the Iowa caucuses, conservatives don’t have time to anoint a new savior. It’s also because, despite his copious shortcomings, he seems immune to what felled the others. An able debater, he won’t flop like Perry and Cain. He’s not a full-on nut like Trump. And his legislative record eclipses Bachmann’s, which barely exists.
But his late emergence as the “true conservative’’ poised to challenge Mitt Romney is rich, and its broader significance underappreciated. For two years, the driving force in national politics has been the Tea Party, whose founding myth was that ordinary citizens were rising up in defiant objection to the hidebound, self-dealing ways of Washington. Greedy politicians, this view held, had bloated the government and lined their own pockets at taxpayers’ expense, while letting the country go to rot.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
We have a real problem with too many false conservatives in high office.
The truth is that Gingrich is a conservative. He has a 90% ACU rating. He is also very sharp and hated by both the MSM, and many Republicans. He won't be perfect, he will however START to reverse the decline.
Self preservation alone requires the defeat of Obama. That is the goal. I would prefer a perfect candidate, there isn't one. Gingrich can and would win.
Most people are not smart that is why they where taken in by Obama’s false intelligence.
Thank you for your posts. I couldn’t write anything longer earlier, but wanted to come back and read them again. They gave me some hope that someone is still left out there with some fight in them.
Some days, it *seems* like almost everyone is toppling like dominoes. Of course, it was so easy to get the U.S. public to comply to be strip-searched and irradiated, without cause. So... anything else won’t take much.
Well said, and thanks to those trying to bring the sanity of reality to this thread.
Now, as to whether I *personally* believe Newt has changed his ways? No, I do not. Having met Newt in person during his 2007 "look what a good family man and Christian I am now that I'm with Callista" tour, he was extremely rude and pompous. I looked him in the eye and I did not see the face of a humble, contrited man, nor did I meet a person who was truly concerned about reaching out to the citizens and getting to know our concerns about America, but rather was there simply to make a buck and sell his books. For a guy who out giving speeches about his "Christian virtues" that year, he sure didn't show any in person. And now you're judging my judgment. Why, have you met Newt in person and would like to argue he acted differently?
Nancy Pelosi says she's a good Catholic too. Do you personally "judge" her to be otherwise or do you take her at her word? I was not aware that Catholics are obligated to believe that other Catholics are ALWAYS sincere about their values. In fact, that sounds like some kind of myth protestants would use to attack Catholics. ("You guys believe whatever the Pope tells you")
As for your indigent reaction to my belief that it is a "cynical political maneuver", don't you find it a bit odd that this proud new Catholic adherent spends all his time on the campaign trail talking to evangelical protestants about his "come to Jesus" moment. That seems a bit like political maneuvering to me. I know many people at my Catholic parish who had a spiritual reawakening and changed their lives (one is a former Methodist minister turned Catholic), but none of them hang at Evangelical events all day to discuss their confessions.
So does Lindsey Graham. Do you think freepers will support him if he runs for President?
The point is there is no perfect candidate. Newt is not perfect, but he would push center right issues and be a start to reversing the course of destruction.
I didnt mean YOU were a ronulan, but the guy who made the video :)
It only took 3% to cause our Revolution to be successful against the Brits... we are 3 percenters!
LLS
LLS
A true headline. I agree completely. Sad state of affairs. Like with Obama, Americans will come to regret Gingrich should he be elected.
Ohh, that’s right, and GREAT point! Viva 3%! :0)
Personally, I don't find it odd that Newt is spending a lot of time talking to evangelical Protestants. That segment of the electorate seems much more interested in a GOP politician's social and faith-based qualities than a Catholic audience does. And I'm quite sure your fellow parishoner converts aren't running for POTUS.
Lastly, I also had the opportunity to meet Newt and Callista personally in February, 2011 at a screening of Nine Days That Changed The World. They could not have been more gracious, humble or approachable and Newt's address could not have been a better articulation of the combination of faith and politics in America. And that was (and is) a thoroughly Catholic audience.
If the demographics showed that Iowa was 65% evangelical protestants and 4% Catholic, I wouldn't find it odd at all, either. You go where the votes are. But according to the studies of Iowa's population, it's about EQUAL numbers of evangelical protestants about Catholics in Iowa -- 25% each. Yet we have about 10 threads on FR about Newt kissing up to evangelical voters about his faith and zero threads about him making a pitch to Catholic voters. The only conclusion I can draw from this campaign "strategy" is that Newt feels he's entitled to the Catholic vote by default simply because he calls himself a Catholic now. I haven't seen stories about Rick Santorum spending all his time kissing up to evangelicals and ignoring members of his own church. And the reverse is true... Rick Perry talks about his "Christian" faith alot and a non-denominational prayer breakfast in Texas. I'd find it very strange if spent all his time focusing on discussing his "Christian faith" with Catholics and ignored every protestant event .
>> And I'm quite sure your fellow parishoner converts aren't running for POTUS. <<
Which was my point to begin with. Is he going around talking about his "come to Jesus" story with evangelical protestants because he is geninuely moved and wants to share his experience with others, or because he's a politician and wants to get votes and sell books? My guess is it's the latter.
>> They could not have been more gracious, humble or approachable <<
Evidently you and I met a different Newt. The one I met was in Ames, Iowa at a grassroots event where had his "American Solutions" tent set up to meet and greet GOP faithful. Every Republican politician in Iowa that day was more than happy to shake voter's hands and talk to them for free, EXCEPT Newt. In order to even get in line to meet him, you had sign up for his "American Solutions" email. I waited in line for 20 mins. to meet Newt, and when I got to the front of the line I told him it was great to finally meet the man responsible for the Republican revolution. He ignored my comments and focused on people who wanted to buy my books, then turned back to me and said "Sure pal, that's nice. Can you do me a favor? Look in the camera so we can take the photo together. Thanks", then turned back to his handlers. (again, keep in mind this was an outdoor grassroots "meet and greet" GOP event to meet the citizens, not a $500 a plate private fundraiser). Everyone in line was treated rudely by Newt and his staff. Two weeks later, I got a thumbnail copy of the photo of me & Newt together emailed to me, and was informed by "American Solutions" that I could purchase a full size version for the low, low, special price of only $25. This was immediately followed by his "American Solutions" people bombarding with me phone calls begging me for money over the next five months after I repeatedly told them that based on Newt's behavior at the fairgrounds, I would never vote for him for dog catcher or send him a cent. But after telling them this directly, they continued to call me even after I sent Newt's organization a cease and deist letter after 4 months. They only finally quit a month later when I threatened to record the phone conversation.
I know I'm not the only one who experienced this side of Newt because another freeper told me that Newt treated him similarly after a speech and booking signing in Ohio. Another freeper tells me he remembers Newt in the early 80s (back he was a baptist) playing up hiw "Christian family values" and "good relationship with Jesus Christ" back then.
So I can't tell you what's really in Newt's heart, but going by the Newt Gingrich I encountered, I wouldn't trust him if he told me the sun will come up tomorrow. Newt was talking about Presidential run back in 2008, too. Before the Iowa event, I was on the fence about whether I'd ever vote for him. After seeing how Newt treated his "fans" that day, he can forget about ever getting my vote in the primary.
The way it is going I will more than likely not be voting for Romney or Gingrich or Ron Paul if they win. I would reluctantly vote for Perry kicking and screaming and cursing. But I think the only two left after the entire group of candidates was narrowed is Bachmann and Santorum. There are a thousand reason why we are where we are now. in a way the tea party is a joke. I say that because they couldn’t help Bachmann or Cain. But mostly Bachmann. Now Cain is out. I am serious I will be voting for someone but not Gingrich, who I am not sold on, or Romney, who I detest. I could vote for Laurie Roth or the constitution party nomniee if I have to because at some point I’llw ant the GOP to just crash and burn when Romney or Gingrich have no chance to win the general.
How about bringing Lt. Col/congressman West up through the candidates?
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