Posted on 10/18/2006 10:25:32 AM PDT by rob777
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has quietly positioned himself for a comeback to head the Republican Party as early as 2008.
GOP sources said Mr. Gingrich does not plan to run for president, but intends to be available as the savior of conservatives dismayed by candidates who seek to move the party to the left in the aftermath of George W. Bush’s presidency. Over the last few months, Mr. Gingrich has become the favorite of conservatives and has outlined a new vision for the GOP that seeks for the party to return to the moral clarity of the late President Ronald Reagan.
“I believe that whatever the results of the November elections, Newt will become a major force in the GOP for 2008," a senior Republican Party strategist said.
Mr. Gingrich has already become the choice of conservatives and the Christian Right. He has won the Human Events presidential straw poll for September, topping the list for the second month in a row.
The achievement marked a major boost for Mr. Gingrich. For much of 2006, Mr. Gingrich trailed Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, in the poll, but last month Mr. Gingrich led the House member by 31 to 17 percent.
Among conservatives, Mr. Gingrich is more popular than senior allies of President Bush and members of his administration. In the Human Events poll, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dropped to sixth place with 6.68 percent. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's younger brother, reached 3.37 percent in the presidential straw poll.
GOP sources said Mr. Gingrich decided to raise his profile in 2006, with the publication of a weekly newsletter and the gathering of a brain trust. Over the last few months, he has been campaigning for Republican candidates and commenting on both domestic and foreign issues.
On several issues, Mr. Gingrich has taken positions that differ with that of the administration. While Mr. Bush has urged diplomacy to deal with a nuclear North Korea, Mr. Gingrich has been calling for regime change that echoed the Reagan era and the president's efforts with then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the late Pope John Paul II to undermine the communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
"When you look at a country such as North Korea, you see tremendous poverty," Mr. Gingrich said in a radio interview last week. "You have to believe that there are thousands of people who might want to collaborate with the West. We're remarkably bureaucratic. Rather than work with the North Korean government, we ought to be cooperating with those willing to smuggle food into the country. We have to recognize what a bad dictatorship this is."
GOP sources said Mr. Gingrich will most likely not run for president in 2008. But they said he would seek to represent the conservative wing of the party, the endorsement of which would be regarded as crucial for any GOP nominee.
"It's obvious that in 2008, the party will move away from the Bush era and will be looking for a change in direction," another GOP source said. "I think Newt will be in a position to lay out a strategy that would appeal to both conservatives and old-line Republicans."
If he runs, Hillary wins
That's why the MSM will be pushing for him, so they (as Hillary's surrogates) can knock him down in 2008 to clear her path.
Right now this country needs someone who is a brilliant thinker/strategist like Newt.
Not even close to peas.... Newt is brilliant and a true conservative. McCain is sneaky and a RINO.
Do you think that maybe he did the right thing for his party? You may not have liked it, but I believe most think that it was the right thing to do at that time.
Theres nothing inherently wrong about divorce. Luckily, Reagan didn't do it when his wife was dying of cancer.
Also....Newt is so used to being asked stupid questions by the like of Alan Colmes that he wouldn't be thrown by any of the questions. Hillary refuses one-on-one interviews and only speaks in a controlled environment... if she is asked the tough questions no way is she prepared to give a good answer without being glib.
People perceive an ego problem. In Newt's case, when he speaks, he has that self-assuredness that comes off as ego centric. I have met Newt, and he is not riding high on his horse. He is a real down to earth human being. As far as his marital problems, one who has been able to put their failures in the past and move on with their life has that quality of a leader that I respect. Those who hold a person's marital failures against them are being nothing more than common busy bodies. Let a person have some privacy.
Doesnt matter.....when was the last time the better debater won the election??? Newt had a 25% approval rating in 1998.
Newt is radioactive
Problem is GOP has no good candidate for 2008...we're looking at Prez Hillary
I disagree. I think the GOP is going to win in November 2006 and I think we will field a good candidate in '08 that can beat Hillary. It may be someone more moderate than many here like, but that could be what it takes in '08 to keep from handing the White House back to the devil.
McCain-Antoginizes the base
Romney-Mormon, I dont care but some seem to
Guliani-Too liberal
Allen-Not ready for prime time
Pence-House Member
Tancredo-Radioactive
Newt-Radioactive
so far not looking good...also if you think the Senate is tough for the GOP in 2006, wait till 2008
Two years is a long time. The mid-terms is always more difficult than the Presidential year and if we get out for a GOP Presidential candidate the GOP Senate/Congress should do better as well.
Nice list,
but you are living a bit in the past. Things change...
I like Mr. Newt, and I will vote for him if he somehow contrives to be nominated.
I'm sure you realize at this late date that Newt was effectively run out by the MSM and the Democrats. This is why he decided to quit (for the party), certaintly not by MSM. He was made a scapegoat by the Democrats (they went after him relentlessly if you remember), so he had to get out to protect the party. He did not do anything near so reprehensible as the Democrats still in power. You have just fallen for the MSM press in those years (another Republican falls for the outrages of the MSM)....
Go back and lookup those MSM references...you'll see just how tame they look now....
Clinton broke the law, Gingrich did not.
You seem to be too much of a pessimist! Snap out of it!
Hillary does not have a chance with her negatives...so now is the time to look for a good Republican candidate...running down the Republican candidates is self-defeating...
Cheers...
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