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Posted on 11/17/2011 6:43:59 PM PST by SeekAndFind
When Richard M. Nixon ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1968, he faced a daunting problem: A lot of voters just didn't like him. Nixon had made his name in politics as an angry, partisan hatchet man, famous for lashing out against Democrats and the news media. To win the presidency, he needed to find a way to soften that too-harsh image.
In the months before the 1968 primaries, Nixon's campaign staged gauzy television segments that showed the candidate gently answering questions from ordinary citizens, not pesky reporters. In a nation that was divided by domestic crises and the war in Vietnam, Nixon stressed positive themes and "the lift of a driving dream." Reporters wrote about a "New Nixon" and voters who were rallying to his cause.
Now, almost half a century later, another not-always-lovable conservative is trying to stage a similar comeback: Newt Gingrich. This week's polls show Gingrich, whose candidacy was once given up for dead, in a virtual tie with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Part of the reason, as Gingrich himself says, is simple process of elimination: Conservative voters have tried out a succession of other candidates — Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain — and found each wanting.
But there's another reason for Gingrich's rise: He doesn't sound as angry as he once did. We appear to be witnessing "New Newt."
Old Newt — Angry Newt, the one who entered the presidential campaign last spring — talked in apocalyptic terms about threats to American culture. Old Newt wrote about "a secular-socialist machine" led by the Democratic Party that "represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did."
"If we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America," he warned,
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Newt is the final anti-Romney firewall. Keep it in mind.
Yes, Newt will soar. I really think he is going to go higher in the polls as people hear him speak and in the debates.
There was an interesting call from a woman listener on Rush today. She said she hasn’t decided who to vote for yet, and compared it to dating a bunch of guys to try to find the right one. Newt is the old boyfriend who she had written off after the Pelosi/global warming thing and other stuff. Then he shows up at your front door with flowers and a new sports car and talks you into going for a ride. You find yourself remembering what you liked the first time, how he made you laugh and the good times you had (like the Contract With America, balanced budget, welfare reform), and start to think maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. She was kind of funny, but also made a good case.
“Will ‘New Newt’ prevail? (Will he make a comeback like Nixon in 1968?)”
Sure and that turned out just great, didn’t it?
What drives these men? Men like Newt and Romney who would do or say ANYTHING to become president? Is it a love of country or love of themselves? Quest for power? How do you trust them? I can’t.
I find it interesting how often the Newt haters here are posting articles from liberal rags. Hmmmm
But u can trust Obama huh? Newt really bothers you lefties doesn’t he?
Give’em hell Newt.
In Newt’s case, I think he believes he has the best ideas to solve the country’s problems. I really think he decided to run to get his ideas out there and shape the debate, and if he somehow wins so much the better. And lord knows, he loves to talk.
It is interesting Confab. The Newt haters appear to hate every candidate but Cain. They are in a frenzy with Newt soaring in the polls, with Rush defending him on his show and with Palin saying he won the debate...sigh.
More media trying to pick the candidate from the "other" side.
I find it interesting how often the Newt haters here are posting articles from liberal rags. Hmmmm
Maybe Newt can give a ‘Checkers’ type speech to the American public on the ‘box’.....’coast to coast’ of course, (older FReepers will get those meanings!!), I still see CainTrain and Newt as the ticket. Just say no to mitt!!!
What is your malfunction? romney is a conservative now???
Have they made global warming and cap and trade conservative positions now...?
Jerk.
“Contract With America, balanced budget, welfare reform”
How soon (some of us) forget .... of course, Newt didn’t have THAT much to do with it all.....hmmmphhh.
Distrust is much different from hate...but you know that.
It’s true that Nixon changed his image enough to get elected. But the rest is history.
:O
We're in serious times, and voters look to serious people in such times. Cain was the favorite a couple weeks ago, but I don't think it was the scandals that knocked him down; it was the knot in his supporters' stomachs whenever he was asked a serious question--the thought "Oh, please God, don't let him screw up!" The closer we get to voting, the more comfortable voters feel with Newt. He's a semi-conservative who is sometimes off the wagon, but no one has any fear that he's going to bomb in a debate with Obama.
I'm not wild about Newt given his too-frequent dalliances with leftist ideas, but given the other viable options of Cain and Romney, Newt looks good by comparison.
It’s sort of a GOP Insider vs Tea Party thing w/many of us Cain supporters ,..at least that’s my feeling. Newt is kind of the penultimate “insider” to me; but, I don’t hate him ...I just don’t trust him based upon past behavior. That said, I would still vote for him if he is the candidate
Yes...and remember, he’s not a dictator; presidents have the final say. He’ll have to intelligently deal with congress.
Best man for the job.
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