Posted on 06/03/2007 8:59:50 AM PDT by don-o
WASHINGTON - Newt Gingrich described the Bush administration as dysfunctional and its unpopularity as hazardous to those in the Republican Party.
"The government is not functioning. It's not getting the job done," said the former House speaker, who is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination. "Republicans need to confront this reality."
Gingrich said in a broadcast interview he believes Bush "means very, very well" but falls short when it comes to putting his goals in place and running the government.
"All you have to do is look at the examples I've given you today where the government simply fails," said Gingrich, citing the administration's handling of the war in Iraq, its immigration policies and response to Hurricane Katrina.
"We have to have very relentless, dramatic change in American government," he said.
Gingrich added, "The key question is: Is somebody prepared to stand up and say that the American people deserve fundamental change in Washington?"
Gingrich said two Republicans in the 2008 field, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, and one prospective GOP contender, Fred Thompson, are capable of "offering a very bold, dramatic vision" that could appeal to the party's conservative voters. "These are solid people," said Gingrich.
He was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday."
Of course it was. So one must ask oneself, why is "Mr. Newt" throwing that into the mix?
Obviously, "reaching out" to those whose perpetual pose has the hand out, as in gimme gimme gimme.
>>Katrina was a city/state-level failure, Newt, where the Feds then had to play catch up, and clean up.<<
There was plenty of blame to go around. It was a big enough screw up to have an incompetent mayor, a crooked governor and still have room for the Feds to have been slow.
In Venezuela, N. Korea, Iran, and Cuber it do.
Newt always seems to have clean vision about what needs to be done and how to do it. He has a grasp of the larger vision and how all the parts go together to achieve it. He articulates his opinion well with cold logic to substantiate it. He is surgical in his mind.
I would like to see him get together with Fred Thompson to flesh out Fred’s policy stances with some nuts and bolts implementation plans. Fred seems to have the knack for frank and populist style communication, but falters a bit on substance. The two could create a highly effective clear agenda that could draw voters. Fred would be the strong hand at the helm who knows where the ship of state needs to go and why.
Reagan said that in the days when there was such a thing as a conservative Republican. Back then, there were even conservative Democrats.
Newt may have a big picture mentality, but if you believe DeLay, no ability to stick with a project to it’s end. That kind of person has no business leading a nation.
His management of the War in Iraq and now the Immigration issue have been the main source of my contention with him. I remember someone making this statement "truth is seldom pleasant." Despite the Newster's past or current character flaws, he has spoken the truth. President Bush and many in the Republican ranks have been stricken by a political cancer that needs to be cut out. It's called compromise and appease!
Here is a clue - the reason you listen to another human being is because you want to hear what he has to say, because he may actually know more about a given subject than you do.
God I hate what standardless egalitarian impertinence has done to this country...
Actually, a Thompson would probably hurt Mitt the most.
Sir, you're clearly a FReeper who gets it. Newt is doing the Republican Party and the conservative movement an invaluable service by, as you put it,"cleaning up the trash" and clearing the stage up". I would go one step further, he's got a kick over the table and change the whole game or the Republican Party will sleepwalk into the biggest catastrophe since Barry Goldwater and will not emerge from the political wilderness for at least a generation.
With all his faults, Newt is the only man who can change the game-that is not to say that he can be nominated or that he will be nominated but we need a bombthrower.
Then they try to lecture him on political effectiveness.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Here is reality. Most folks will not listen to a "know-it-all" no matter how smart he may actually be.
Newt should either get in the race, or STFU. I think if Newt wants to be President, fine, run, but stop trying to an attention hog.
Newt’s behavior almost costs the GOP the House in 1998.
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Newt’s behavoir gained the GOP the House in 1994. You have to be a clintonista
Newt was the main player in the “Contract with America” which made the BIG republician wins. It didn’t take long for them to turn on him. They ate their own, and went downhill from there on.
Much as I love Newt’s talk, his track record is kinda like Bush’s; good out of the gate, but he breaks down close to the finish line.
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Newt was the republican who gave the republicans a majority in congress with his contract with america. it was the policies that his congress enacted that enabled clinton to get a surplus. clinton took the credit but it was newt who delivered the goods.
Newt may have a big picture mentality, but if you believe DeLay, no ability to stick with a project to it’s end. That kind of person has no business leading a nation.
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this is flat wrong. newt created the contract with america. then he ran on it. the contract brought in a republican congress. the republican congress enacted the legislation that newt promised. and then he left.
when the clinton’s run on their record of budget surpluses. they’re talking about legislation that newt’s congress created.
I think he is emminently listenable to. You confuse expertise with pretense. That’s your problem, but not a characteristic of most folks.
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