....she turned me into a newt!
Seriously...as much as I like the guy, he is damaged goods.
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."
Never had a woman before, but Hillary is going to be the dem's choice.
Most average Conservatives were less concerned with the fact that Clinton had an affair or two (or three, or four, or five) then he had an affair with one of his employees, and then lied about it.
Newt's screwed up personal life does concern me some, but it's not on the same level as Clinton.
That said, Newt's ego is way out of control and he wouldn't ever be able to win nationally. There is no way I'd support him should he run for President and I think he's nuts to think his endorsement would mean all that much.
JON KYL FOR ONE.
"he has ruined himself with his runaway zipper."
Runaway zipper? Where's you come up with that one? Married twice?
Anyway it was his ego and stubborness that got him in trouble as Speaker, not his personal marital problems.
Agreed, Newt has to much baggage and should stay behind the scenes, but his ego won't allow him to stay behind the scenes.
President Newt
Somehow, I don't think so. Although, his crazy ol' mom would provide endless entertainment, a la Lillian Carter.
Have fun.
Too many divorces. The US has never had a President who was married three times - wasn't the same said about Reagan, no American President had been divorced?
GOOD!!! There is a definate "Leadership Gap" in the national GOP which Newt should be able to fill quite handily. Too bad he has been so quiet for so long.
I am all for that. As President, I really don't think so. A lot of people still see him as a callous SOB. I think he's a brilliant guy and that would be the right role for him. If he could get the steam roller going on pork and immigration that would be wonderful. It's sounds like there are some common sense rumblings out of the White House on the waras of late.
"Gingrich... I wouldn't put it past either one of them to play Perot in '08"
Newt may have flaws, but betraying the Republican Party isn't one of them. I think he'd jump off a bridge first.
....she turned me into a newt!
Seriously...as much as I like the guy, he is damaged goods.
Newt may intend to be a king maker for conservatives, but he never will be.
However if he wants to be like Tancredo, who's sole intenion is to force boder security as an issue in the primaries, that's fine with me. If Newt makes the conversation about conservatism so that the '08 potentials can't avoid it...that's good.
I agree with you though. Santorum's my choice. The rest are pretenders, weak, or flat out openly Lib.
I didn't complain about Clinton's marital affairs.. my problem was with the lying under oath.
"his ego won't allow him to stay behind the scenes."
Personally I think Newt is a brilliant scholar, historian, and politican, and I'd love to see him with his own TV show.
America could use a lot more instruction from Newt.
Yeah but....I know the baggage but he's the only one out there fighting the battles every day. Remember we had a President that raped someone. So "pecidillos" dont seem to matter much to the masses. We might have to accept his moral scar tissue as the left does.
Yeah, look at what happened the last time we ran a candidate who had been divorced.
Do a little reading. Here's a hint: google Callista Bisek
I genuinely believe he'd mount a third party candidacy if he doesn't get his way.
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