Posted on 12/19/2011 2:48:21 PM PST by Jim Robinson
Why, you may ask, is the meteoric rise of Newt Gingrich giving so many in the Republican establishment a bit of holiday-season indigestion?
Look no further than party leaders' worries about the shaky Gingrich relationship with a category of Americans who may matter more than any other in the 2012 election: independent voters.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
>> Because they want Obama to win. It’s that simple. >.
Not that simple. Oh, what you say is true about some, but not all. I’ve met and talked with some that would fit this “beltway elite” mold and some are absolutely convinced that what Americans want is for “everybody to work together” and in the “spirit of bipartisanship” and so on - and they really do believe that the independents and moderates will run back to Obama if the GOP dare run a bold candidate or run with a bold message.
Yes, some want the status quo - and that is EASY to understand - but some really are just dupes - and those are the ones who vex me.
My tagline says what I think of the GOP establishment.
The truth is, the GOP establishment wanted no part of Ronald Reagan.
George H.W. Bush was the insiders’ pick.
Reagan was the insurgent candidate in 1980.
Everyday is a new day Newt? Who can change positions as easily as a high dollar hooker Newt? The best paid historian in the history of the world Newt? I am not a DC insider Newt? Lol, Go (away) Newt Go.
Yeah, the elite GOP are idiots. They still sit around blaming Palin for McCain losing to Obama.
When are they going to realize people don’t consider a Charlie Brown lying on his back every single time Lucy pulls the football as presidential?
They used the same arguements against Goldwater and Reagan. Can’t get elected. They turn off independants.
And then 1980. Oops, they were wrong but just can’t “get over it.”
And what do we get if we take their advice? Cowards and Dem-lite folks like Dole, McCain, McConnell, Boehner and Romney. Just suits caring more about “process” than results. They are no better than left wing liberals and marxists.
And why is it that so-called independants and moderates will run away from strong conservative principles but jump on the bandwagon of the biggest red meat throwing, hate spewing, name calling, lying pieces of human scum called Democrats?
I have this:
Undaunted by the odds against him, he ran for Congress in 1974 against Jack Flynt, an eleven-term incumbent. Gingrich went door-to-door with a new brand of progressive conservatism, emphasizing environmental issues and the need to end corruption in government. Gingrich charged that the Democrats had been in power so long that it had led them to become arrogant and unresponsive to the needs of their constituents. Although Gingrich lost the 1974 race against Flynt and another one in 1976, he gained strength with each campaign and began to be recognized as a formidable opponent.
Okay, "need to end corruption in government" and party "in power so long that it had led them to be arrogant and unresponsive to the needs of their constituents." Fine. But "progressive conservatism" and "environmental issues"? Not so much.
The tax revolt that fueled the Tea Party wasn't around in 1974 and that wasn't part of Newt's program back then. Newt changed his focus later on to be more anti-big-government, but in 1974 that time there was still a lot of Rockefeller Republican in him.
BTW, I wouldn't play up this "Newt was the original Tea Party" line if I were you. If it's all Newt's own idea or creation, he can turn his back on it when he feels like it. Better he should admit it wasn't all his own idea, that it's something outside of himself that he ought to listen to and take into account, rather than something he created or inspired and can discard when it doesn't suit his purposes.
That is true of some in the republican party but by no means a majority. The majority is just now beginning to assert themselves and the types you mention aren't liking that at all!
Why would Independents be any less enthusiastic about restoring America?
Tony Blankley, a Washington Times contributor, was Newt’s press secretary during his House years. Recently, Tony said in an interview that one big reason Newt is despised by the Republican Establishment is because, when he was speaker, he appointed people to leadership positions that Newt felt were the best candidates to help accomplish his goals - going over the heads of the Establishment Republicans who felt that it was “their turn”. Newt also ignored the old-timers’ advice to “go it slow” and went full throttle. Did he get things done? Yes. Did he ruffle lots and lots of feathers in the process? Yes.
They will do so again in 2012.
The RINOs are lying, again.
Thanks Jim Robinson.
independents are a pathetic group of malcontents that have no idea of what or who they are for.. I am amazed at polls that change 10-15% by the day. Don't these nitwits ever form a strong opinion about anything...I have discussions periodically with people who describe themselves as independents....they ALWAYS lose...and admit it!!
He is, for the most part, not looked kindly upon by Republican members of the House. And that includes GOP members of all political stripes. Very few have endorsed his candidacy. In short, his candidacy has little appeal to them.
It’d be easy to dismiss these nay-sayers as the “Beltway types” or to use the old and tired “They’re RINO’s”. But it goes further than that. They saw Gingrich’s leadership abilities back then. They know.
And none of them are as capable as Newt. He didn't go along so they don't like him. All the more reason to support Newt.
If we could quit worrying about the independents and run a strong economically and socially conservative candidate on a strong socially and economically conservative platform we ul;d get the independent vote. If we modify and moderate in order to get the independents we will lose the independents.
You conveniently forget (as many Gingrich supporters do) is that Newt was an architect of the K Street strategy.
You also state that Gingrich allied himself with Ronald Reagan. Really? No sh*t?
So did most other Republicans at the time. Newt was just more louder than others in his support.
Do not put words in my mouth. In no way, shape or form did I say that those who followed Gingrich were better. They weren’t. Denny Hastert was a waste.
Having said that, Gingrich showed he did not have leadership skills. He lost seats while he was Speaker. Fundraising was crap when he was Speaker.
We don’t tolerate that kind of track record in business. Why should we tolerate it in politics?
Instead of worrying about scaring away independents, the establishment needs to worry about alienating the conservative base of the Republican party in the general. Look where McCain got us. He brought Palin in to help, but even she wasn’t enough because McCain himself was in the way. Gingrich will energize the base in a way that would attract indies, just as the left was energized by Obama in 2008.
“You conveniently forget (as many Gingrich supporters do) is that Newt was an architect of the K Street strategy.”
LOL! I haven’t forgotten anything, and remember the political conventions of 1960 - they were televised.
Special interest lobbying goes back a long, long way in our history, as it does in that of England. Gringrich didn’t invent lobbyists or K Street.
However, since you seem to know so much about it, why not enlighten everyone about Gringrich’s K Street strategy?
The myth is that Indies are between rats and GOP Lefties. I say BS, as many Indies I know can simply see what the GOP has become, and in states where party affiliation has no impact on the ballot you can request to vote on, being an Independent is a polite way of telling the establishment to FO....
Well I am concerned that many are losing the moral high ground when supporting Gingrich. I would rather lose an election and feel good about myself than to win an election and feel horrible about who I pulled the lever for. So ya, I am concerned that I will be forced to make a decision to vote for a serial adulterer (of course what is funny is Mayor Giuliani came out the other day to lend words of support to Gingrich, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black) or voting for what little I can control down the ballot here in southern california.
I hope I am not the only one “concerned”
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