Posted on 11/10/2006 6:59:08 AM PST by Pokey78
After having watched the majority he engineered in 1994 crumble in this week's elections, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich laid into President Bush and congressional Republicans in an Atlanta appearance Thursday.
Taking questions after a medical forum, the former GOP congressman from Cobb County said four c's an absence of competence in Republican performance, an absence of candor, corruption and the bad advice of consultants led to Tuesday's defeat.
But Gingrich saved his strongest words for President Bush's performance at the Wednesday press conference announcing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. Bush told reporters that he had planned to replace Rumsfeld since before the election, despite praising the unpopular defense secretary a week ago and saying he would remain for the duration of his presidency.
"If the president had decided to replace Secretary Rumsfeld he should have told us two weeks ago," Gingrich said. "I think that we would today control the Senate and probably have 10 to15 more House seats. And I found it very disturbing yesterday in the press conference, the explanation that the President gave.
"We need candor, we need directness," said Gingrich, a potential 2008 presidential candidate."We need to understand the threats we faced with are so frightening and so real, the danger that we'll lose two to three American cities so great, that we cannot play games with each other, cannot manipulate each other, we have to have an open and honest dialogue, and I found yesterday's staments at the press conference frankly very disturbing."
He condemned Bush's admission that in making last week's statement about Rumsfeld, he had known he was being misleading.
"It's inappropriate to cleverly come out the day after an election to do something we were told before the election would not be done," Gingrich said. "I think the timing was exactly backwards and I hope the President will rethink how he engages the American people and how he communicates with candor."
He contrasted the euphoria of 1994, when his Contract with America agenda helped ended decades of Democratic rule in the House, with the bitterness of Tuesday night's Democratic sweep.
"I remember what it felt like the night we were at the Cobb Galleria and for the first time in 40 years we won control of the House and (there was) the Contract with America and people were very exicted about welfare reform and cutting taxes and balancing the budget and all those things, and I have to say 12 years later that I'm very disappointed, but if you look at what I've said all year, I'm not surprised."
As for whatRepublicans should do now, he said, "I believe the House and Senate Republicans and the White House need to take a deep breath and think very seriously about this election result, because I think we're at a very important turning point this is either a temporary interruption of what has been a gradually consolidating center-right majority, or this is a breakdown of that center-right majority leading to a significant effort to establish a center-left government majority."
Jane [the "sister" of the title] was younger and still lived with our parents in nearby Tewksbury. In the summer, she would sometimes accompany the Kerrys to Naushon Island, the private, seven-mile-long summer retreat of the Forbes family, and help with the children.. . . Jane told a Kerry story I hadnt heard before. . . . Jane described how she was spending a week on Naushon. Unaware that she was on a nearby porch and within earshot, Kerry was telling Julia that he didnt want Jane to eat dinner with the family that evening. When Julia asked why, Kerry explained that some dinner guests he had invited didnt approve of the help eating with the family. . . .
So what happened? I asked, trying to be serious. Jane went on to explain that Julia had put her foot down and told her husband she refused to explain that Kerry wanted her to eat in another room. With that, our would-be president backed off and Jane ate with the family as she usually did. I could picture her sitting at the dinner table, looking at Kerry and doing the slow burn as only Jane can.
Interesting! Just last week Dick Armey was on Laura Ingraham blaming Christians and their stance on abortions for the problems in Washington. He said the GOP needs to move center be and be moe like the dems.
My question is, why did the dems move right and win?
Newt is a moron. The conservatives threw away their chance for conservative government.
Why don't you run Newt? You could probably get 100,000 votes.
No, but thanks for posting that. It was some store where Kerry was going droning on and on and his first wife had to tell him to STFU.
"It's inappropriate to cleverly come out the day after an election to do something we were told before the election would not be done," Gingrich said. "I think the timing was exactly backwards and I hope the President will rethink how he engages the American people and how he communicates with candor."
I've lost a lot of respect for Newt over the years, but he's right on this one.
It was a bad move, W. Through everything, the one thing we count on is your integrity. That you say what you mean and you mean what you say. This doubletalk undermines that.
It smells of CYA. He fired Rummy because of the political fallout but doesn't want to admit that he fired Rummy because of the political fallout. He'd rather say that he mislead us two weeks ago. I don't get it.
Newt is as much to blame as anyone. When he appeared on liberal shows like Great Van Susterin's show, he continually attacked republicans.
While I believe that Newt has an important role to pin Conservative politics, he will NEVER be elected to office again.
He is indeed the Gingrich that stole Christmas.
LLS
"when THEY were forced to resign for unethical behavior."
Wow...I rarely ever post anymore but all this bashing of people who are only pointing out the obviously absolute truth of the pubbies mistakes is really getting hard to take. I seem to recall there being around 72 charges leveled against Newt...and him being aqquitted of EVERY SINGLE ONE of them. wow...the republicans were being democrats. Nothing more...nothing less. Lets not kill the messenger. Paloma_55, I'm not just singling you out. I just need to vent after reading so many comments like yours. I just think it's time we put the blame where it lies. With the republicans for squandering all WE'VE given them because that's exactly what they did. I did my part at the polls btw, but I'll be damned if I'll put anyone down for being fed up enough to stay home. As much as I hate it, the republicans got what they deserve.
Oh, please!
Given the way that our GOP members actually in power, have absolutey trashed our President on everything from Judges to Bolton, you may reserve that comment for them.
Newt is now simply another public speaker/pundit, ala Coulter and Malkin, and they have critized El Jorge from time to time.
IMO, Bush deserves the comment. - and more than that after he collaborates with the dems on immigration amnesty.
The Gang of Fourteen led by McCain and Graham put the kibosh on that! If the Republicans had stood up to the Dems and changed the senate rules to break the impasse, I think things would be different today.
I think they probably feel like they are looking into a mirror.
This site may need to be renamed DU-lite.
Newt looks like a choir boy compared to Rudy.
One of the reasons the GOP lost is because of Bush's stance on illegals. Those country clubbers who supported him on this issue are now in damage control to reflect the anger somewhere else.
"Newt appears to have forgotten the 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican."
After a major defeat, a it is wise to take stock of things that have been successful and also look at what's failed. That's all he's doing.
Look at those hating and they were never people that supported Bush in the first place... third party losers all.
LLS
Rant off. Flame away. I'm going to Wal Mart to get some shooting targets. May need the practice before the next 2 years is up.
Dude, Newt would get that many votes in my county. - I'm not kidding.
"Newt appears to have forgotten the 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican."
THAT IS A REAGAN CONSERVATIVE PROCLAMATION THAT MANY On FR WILL IGNORE.
LLS
I'm not a Bushbot, by my reckoning, but it isn't easy being POTUS and according to Laura, George W. isn't perfect.
And when I think of how fouled up it could be if I were POTUS---!
Or Newt Gingrich!
Well, it makes me want to cut a little slack for W. Not his fault there are so many stupid people voting.
He beat Gore and Kerry, he nominated Alito and Roberts, he freed Iraq and Afghanistan of heinous tyrants.
You who think you can do better, cast the stones at him.
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