Invitation not accepted
Posted on 12/06/2011 5:18:26 AM PST by Kaslin
NEWBERRY, S.C. -- Cathy Gibbons is a one-woman focus group for Republican attitudes toward Newt Gingrich. Back in the '90s, Gibbons grew tired of Gingrich when he was speaker of the House. But this year, after watching Gingrich at Republican presidential debates, she sees him as a different man -- and the best candidate in the field.
Still, just seconds later, Gibbons adds, "There are some things that have bothered me that have come out in the last couple of days." For one, there's Gingrich's work for mortgage giant Freddie Mac. "I just didn't picture him doing that," she says. "He used the influence he had earned while he was in the political field, and somehow we've got to get away from that."
In a nutshell, that is where Gingrich stands with many Republican voters. For them, baggage from his time as speaker -- the marital affairs, fights with Bill Clinton, battles in the House -- is old news. They're OK with it, in part because they believe Gingrich has changed.
But there is a whole shelf of new baggage -- especially accusations that he served as a de facto lobbyist during his post-House years -- that could cause Gingrich significant problems. People haven't heard enough yet to know what to think.
As the new front-runner in the Republican race, Gingrich is likely to come under fierce attack. The attacks that dredge up old stuff -- for example, the Democratic ethics charges from 16 years ago -- will likely go nowhere. But the attacks that focus on Gingrich the Washington insider and his complex web of business interests -- those could hurt.
It's not clear how much, because no matter what the ads say, voters will probably continue to like what Gingrich says on the stump and in the debates. For example, at Gingrich town hall meetings, like the one here in Newberry, voters connect with his proposals to bring the federal government into the 21st century. And people nod when he asks a simple question: How come credit card companies are so good at stopping fraud and Medicaid is so bad?
"If you can move from Medicaid incompetence to American Express competence -- from the world that fails to the world that works -- you could save somewhere between $60 billion and $110 billion a year," Gingrich tells the audience. They love that kind of thing.
After the Newberry town hall, at the end of a long day traveling across South Carolina, Gingrich retires to a nearby restaurant and nurses a Guinness as he talks to a few reporters. He is asked what accounts for the voters' perception that he is a changed man.
"Twelve years out of office, (wife) Callista, two grandchildren, I'm 68," Gingrich answers. "And I have a different job. I was the leader of the conservative Republicans fighting with a liberal Democratic president. Now I seek to be the leader of the American people -- all of the American people. That's a different job."
Later, at a private dinner with supporters -- everything is off the record -- Gingrich is far warmer than he has seemed in years past, and far more relaxed. He is confident about his campaign but remembers very well when he was given up for dead just a few months ago. The supporters -- state and local party officials and boosters -- are grateful Gingrich has come to a small town that's off the beaten path. They've been trying to bring Mitt Romney here with no success.
Before Gingrich, three Republican candidates -- Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain -- enjoyed time at the front of the pack. They all fell back for basically the same reason: voter concerns that they lacked the experience or knowledge to be president. Gingrich won't have that problem.
But he can make his own problems. There are intense days of campaigning ahead, and if the old Gingrich should re-emerge -- combative, overconfident, undisciplined -- it could blow away much of the good will Gingrich has built over the last year. Republican voters like the Gingrich they've seen so far in the campaign. But they want to make sure it's really him.
If this skank gets the nomination, it will be another “hold my nose and vote” election for me.
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Newt is the absolute poster-child for RINOs. When one looks up RINO in any good dictionary, there should be a big picture of Newt.
People DON'T trust him.
Why the hell should you support him?
I agree—just points up what miserable shape in which we find this country .
I grieve for my kids and grandkids.
Trust is an interesting word to use here. I see the least trustworthy president in history currently occupying the office.
I agree. Also if Mitt gets the nod.
Perry or Bachman need to pick up some steam. Paul is a nut case. . . . .
Because he wins debates and he’s not Romney.
Absolutely! I heard some of his interview with Beck this morning. He was spinning faster than a prop on a C-130 during takeoff.
Maybe he will turn out to be a just another ‘flavor of the week’.
I’m thinking Pillsbury Dough Boy Cinnamon Bun.
Following Rocky Road Cain,
Pecan Pie Perry,
Flakey Coconut Bachmann, and
Taffy Trump.
We don’t really have a choice as of yet................I’ve got this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach........
I’ve always respected and liked Newt. The past few days his voice is making me want to puke. I hear him everywhere on tv and on radio. For some reason I’m turning away from him. There’s just some type of arrogance about him that really comes out when he’s in the limelight, and I never picked up on in the past. Then again, the timeframe when I grew to admire him was before his affairs and divorces. Remember, we as a party kicked him out of a ranking position and ostracized him from our own party in the 90’s. My how things change. In corporate America the blacklisting is permanent. Apparently not in republican politics.
Invitation not accepted
If they don’t like what they see today they can just wait until the next time he takes the track to Bizarro World.
I'm not trying to smear him or be rude to his supporters. Early in the race I actually was for Newt. I'd still vote for him. I was just sharing my opinion with you that Newt's ego seems out the roof and I don't necessarily recall that about him in the 90's. It was always there to an extent but not like this.
He called my house on Saturday. So that was sorta neato.
Gingrich appeals to the independents more than Cain did.I think when this is all over it will be Perry or Bachmann unless some miracle happens and West runs.
I don’t think it’s too much to ask and, yes, Newt Gingrich is a conservative. I won’t sit here and tell you that he has no flaws or that he hasn’t gone off the reservation a few times. But, I will also tell you that other than Ronald Reagan himself, Newt Gingrich has actually helped push through more conservative legislation than anybody else in the last 30 years. This is the man behind the Contract with America, welfare reform, and a balanced budget in D.C. He has a lifetime ACU rating of 90. This isn’t a man who governed as a centrist and is now telling us how conservative he’ll be this time around. This isn’t a man who simply said “No” to everything that came down the pike because it wasn’t “conservative enough” for him. This is a man who actually moved the ball forward for conservatives on Capitol Hill. When was the last time we got off defense and actually started moving D.C. to the right? Oh, yes, it was when Newt was the Speaker. So, people can criticize his performance as Speaker all they want, but no Republican in D.C. since Newt left has even come close to filling his shoes. Even the best people we have in D.C. right now are doing nothing more than holding the line. There’s a lot to be said for that, but we’ve got to do more than that if we’re ever going to turn the country around. "
John Hawkins, Rightwing News
Yeah, me too. This is why it is critical that the Republicans focus on retaking the Senate.
I could come up with some even less favorable flavor names....
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