Newt is serious and thoughtful on policy issues, and also simultaneously realistic and willing to innovate. Better yet he is very good at articulating his ideas.
Once the campaign gets serious this will present a very attractive impression, to a broad spectrum of voters, as against a Dhimocrat who is either void of ideas, or unwilling to articulate what they really think.
As to the other stuff -- the inevitable smears that will come -- Newt's advocates need just laugh and reference Clinton's morality in comparison.
I could be wrong. I'm not an experienced politico. But I'm happy with the prospect of a Gingrich candidacy, even in a MUST win year.
I like Newt, too. Unfortunately, he was the object of a very thorough political character assassination at the hands of the liberal newsmedia back in the nineties, and on top of that, he himself handed them the mud to sling regarding his personal life. I just don't see it happening as a result. If he gets the nomination, I would vote for him, but it strikes me as being highly improbable.