As for pretending "our possible nominee is something that he isn't", I would say that YOU are the one doing that. You call him a moderate, and say his plan was an amnesty proposal. I'm sorry, but I think you are dead wrong on both. You don't trust him. I do. When he was in a position to gain power he proposed the Contract with America and then kept his word on bringing it to vote in Congress. I've seen him SAY some dumb things, but I've never seen him DO anything I hated when he had the power to affect something. Only things I've hated that he's done is saying those dumb things, and they didn't matter much because he wasn't in a position to act on them. He sometimes speaks rashly, but I've never seen him act that way.
I tried (once again) pretending in 2008, and look what it got us.
It got us one vote closer to McCain beating Obama than we would have been if you had stayed home. Listen, I'm all for arguing this out during the primary. I'm just concerned that we're about to get someone like McCain, Romney, who really is a moderate, because people like you label any conservative who isn't perfect a moderate. I hope we can all come to agreement. I prefer Newt, but I'd settle for Cain, Bachmann or Santorum if all you perfectionists could agree on one of them.
I actually agree with most of your reply, especially regarding Gingrich's actions versus dumb things he says. In thinking about it, your point does have validity.
I'm particularly sensitive when it comes to the illegal immigration issue, as I honestly believe many of our economic troubles can be tied to that growing population. Yet, many politicians seem to be oblivious to the problem, instead (as I posted earlier) more concerned with a voting block. I suspect that a majority of our fellow citizens feel similarly.
If my feelings make me a perfectionist, then so be it. It's an issue I feel quite passionately about.
Gingrich might be as good as we're going to get this time. But, the way our political system works, what people say is held against them (exception Obama to most Democrats). If Gingrich were to be the nominee, he's going to have to be more careful with what he says.
I've been thinking for the past couple of months that Gingrich controls his own destiny. He's polished enough to respond to attacks. The question is can he himself avoid attacking the beliefs (and mine) of a Conservative base he would need? I just don't know.