Posted on 11/02/2011 7:25:34 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The College Board and News Corp. sponsored a forum on education with four GOP presidential candidates last week, and the runaway winner was Newt Gingrich. (Truth in advertising: I moderated the session along with Joel Klein, the former New York schools chancellor who now runs an educational unit for our employer, News Corp. Each candidate received 30 minutes, which was refreshing after the 30-second trivial pursuits of the debates.)
Michele Bachmann (local control), Rick Santorum (moral values) and Herman Cain (business principles) stuck mainly to their talking points, but Mr. Gingrich kept the crowd of 1,000 or so engaged and entertained with a wide-ranging tutorial on everything from the failures of "L.A. Unified" to Jeb Bush's Florida "virtual school." The session was a reminder of Mr. Gingrich's knowledge of government and rhetorical skills, which were overwhelmed by his early campaign missteps.
This is an unusual primary season, however, and the question is whether voters will now give Mr. Gingrich another look. The former House speaker's allies think so. They say Ms. Bachmann and Rick Perry can't come back, Herman Cain will fade as his national sales tax gets broader scrutiny, and neither Mr. Santorum nor Jon Huntsman has attracted much voter support. That leaves Mr. Gingrich to emerge from Iowa as the main challenger to Mitt Romney. Even if Mr. Romney wins New Hampshire, the campaign then becomes a two-man race heading into South Carolina and Florida, where Mr. Gingrich's debating talents and conservative agenda will contrast with Mr. Romney's poll-driven caution.
That scenario may be a long-shot, but no one should rule it out. After Thursday's education session, Mr. Gingrich mentioned that in a conventional year he might not get that second look.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I think that Newt is the perfect VP choice for both Cain AND Perry.
Newt might just break through if the LSM is able to do a number on Cain. Gingrich has already been through the wringer, is quick on his feet, and can hold his own in any discussion. Not unlike Bill Clinton, he is a survivor.
Newt has always been a great idea guy and a bit of a futurist. He has a place in the race, just not as frontrunner or nominee.
Just don't sit on a bench to Pelosi and try and pawn us global warming BS, then expect to be taken seriously as a "conservative" candidate.
Newt is smart, great ideals and a great debater but Newt has a great lack of judgement - his decision making leaves much to be desire, newt is best suited for a chief of staff position
I hope not.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice ...
No, he can’t.
BTW, Is the Lincoln-Douglas style debate between Cain and Gingrich still on? I hope this present harrassment story will not distract Cain from performing well in that debate...
RE: Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice ...
______________
Newt might be a jerk in his personal life... but hey, when he was Speaker, He FORCED Clinton into triangulating on many conservative issues.
Count them .. Welfare Reform, Capital Gains tax cuts, Budget surplus...
I think Cain/Gingrich would make a good ticket.
Newt is head and shoulders above the other candidates when it comes to ideas and debating. He’s not perfect but he’s the best we have.
Totally agree....
I like Newt. He is a great speaker and very intelligent. However, I question his judgment.
He’d make a good VP but I want to see someone who can serve for 8 years and then take over to continue another 8 years of good, solid Conservative leadership.
Is Newt the guy? Maybe. I also like Alan West, Marco Rubio and Sarah Palin in that position. Even our very obscure LtGov. Jennifer Carroll or NM’s Gov. Susanna Martinez perhaps.
Break through what? He is not, was not and never will be a serious candidate. Newt has books for sale.
Newt would never take the VP spot. His ego wouldn’t allow it.
Actually, Bush/Cheney successfully redefined the relationship betwen the Pres and the VP.the VP is totlaly commited to thepesident, not worrying about his own channces for the WH..indeed..has NO plans to run on his own.
Newt is certainly the most experienced and intellectually polished among the candidates, but his ability to gain support from the indies is tenuous.
His ego needs a reality check every now and then and I don’t know who can reign that in before he sticks his ego in his mouth.
“...I think that Newt is the perfect VP choice for both Cain AND Perry.....”
I like Cain and will vote for him if he is our nominee. Perry, on the other hand, is a joke.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.