Foolish indeed.
But I would not necessarily join you in an assumption that the foolishness was generated by a cynical and calculated triangulation to advance his chances. I think Newt simply thought he had a better plan.
He has been working on this health care matter as he points out with Heritage for over 20 years. He has formed a think tank to come up with a health care plan. I don't think he thought about disparaging Ryan's plan, I think he was simply expecting the world to acknowledge the value of the Gingrich plan.
So I see the thoughtlessness as coming out of arrogance but not calculation. I'm not sure it matters because I believe his campaign is wrecked, although he could conceivably come back, Richard Nixon style.
His chances of survival are remote but if we get no Gov. Perry or Paul Ryan he just might survive.
His chances of survival are remote but if we get no Gov. Perry or Paul Ryan he just might survive. Not if he runs into the Palin buzzsaw.
Remember that he has (according to ANY reasonable definition, either morally or politically) any number of skeletons in her closet.
According to the rabid left, Sarah Palin is both the skeleton AND the closet; and the members of the left are all (to borrow the fine picture painted by Dave Barry) like a bunch of toasters out in the wild, rattling their alarms in horror to signal the rest of the herd!
...but to the right, and most normal people?
"She's one of US, she gets it."
It's VERY odd, btw, but NOBODY has tried the race card on Sarah in any way, shape, or form; as that is usually the first thing tried by the left when they are in trouble, I am genuinely at a loss to account for why.
And I predict that they will try to paint Sarah as an out-of-touch elitist poseur along with being a racist, when they are in extremis; however, given that the meme for years is that she is "trailer trash, Caribou barbie" I don't think it will fly.
(Everyone in their heart knows she dropped out of the governorship to avoid bankruptcy; everyone knows she wrote Going Rogue either to tell her side of the story, or after a fashion as a cry for help; everyone knows if they had left her alone, the book wouldn't have had any sales.)
Under ordinary circumstances, I'd advance Newt for a high cabinet post; but given his Tiffany revelations and his sitting on the couch with Nancy -- and in particular, his disingenuous explanation which contradicts the literal text of the advertisement -- he looks like one more can't-let-go-of-power, give-me-my-share-of-the-pig-trough DC insider.
Sorry to say it, but screw him. HARD.
And as I said, there are dozens of FReepers far more intelligent than him; not to mention other conservative power centers. :-)
Cheers!