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Newt and None of the Above Talk of CPAC
Human Events ^ | March 4 2007 | John Gizzi

Posted on 03/04/2007 9:05:30 AM PST by Reagan Man

Although there will no doubt be a winner in their straw poll of Republican presidential favorites for ’08, many participants at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington March 1-3 voiced to me dissatisfaction with the current field -- all of whom except John McCain addressed the conclave of 6,000-plus conservatives at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

“I haven’t given it much thought,” Jennifer Graf, who managed the winning anti-affirmative action initiative in Michigan last November, told me when I asked her favorite for the GOP in ’08. Similarly, Diane Schachterle, who works in the office of affirmative action foe Ward Connerly in Sacramento, California, replied: “I mostly don’t like any of them.”

Nevada’s Chuck Muth, who heads the conservative group Citizen Outreach, echoed these views and told me: “I’m keeping my powder dry for now.” Birmingham (Ala.) attorney and longtime Alabama family issues leader Eric Johnston said he will “see what comes out of CPAC. A lot of candidates claim to be a conservative but I’m not sure they are.”

When pressed to name a favorite, Johnston did mention the name of Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback. But, others who expressed neutrality and ambivalence about the ’08 contest came up with another name when I pressed the question to them: Newt Gingrich.”

Carolyn Meadows, former Republican National Committeewoman of Georgia and now a board member of the National Rifle Association, told me her choice at this time for ’08 was “None of the above, but that would change to Newt when and if he gets in. Another Georgian and the newly-elected chairman of the Georgia College Republicans, Esther Clark, said : “I hope Newt runs. Maybe by October, if the other major candidates keep beating each other up, he’ll decide to run. We really need a guy with ideas.” For now, Clark added, “I like McCain.”

This budding “Run, Newt, Run” sentiment extended to non-Georgians as well. When I pressed Nevada’s Muth, for example, he said “Newt is someone I really could get excited about.” Paul Caprio, a pro-family leader of Illinois whose Family PAC rates members of the state legislature, predicted: “If Newt doesn’t get into it, then [California Rep.] Duncan Hunter will emerge as a leading conservative.”

Gingrich, whose address to CPAC drew a rousing reception, has said he will make a decision on whether to run for President by September. One political consultant who has been in recent touch with the former speaker predicted he would make an announcement on whether or not to run on September 27, the 13th anniversary of the Contract With America which Republicans rode to capture of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 08election; cato; clubforgrowth; duncanhunter; grovernorquist; immigration; newt; newtgingricg; newtgingrich; openborders; rmthread; stephenmoore
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To: Carry_Okie
The people who believe in a 9-11 conspiracy will be all over it.

I suppose you are right about that. I haven't looked at the conspiracy stuff. The known reality of what we face is sufficient for me!

81 posted on 03/05/2007 9:27:04 AM PST by AuntB (Every person who enters the U.S. illegally--from anywhere--increases the likelihood of another 9/11)
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To: stm

Actually, I think Newt's skeletons have been out of the closet for a long time (mostly marriage-related etc.), so he's likely immune on these - people who will vote for him already know them, so less likely have them come out as a surprise at the end of the campaign, the way the Democrats like them.

They're few and also quite marginal, as skeletons go.


82 posted on 03/05/2007 9:10:32 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: Reagan Man
Newt maybe too much of a wonk to get the nomination, however.

You may be right, and that's a sad commentary on the electorate. Ah well, when we vote for whoever tells us what we want to hear rather than someone with real solutions, we get what we deserve, every time.
83 posted on 03/05/2007 9:13:57 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country. Gingrich/Bolton '08)
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To: drypowder
In all seriousness, the "NONE OF THE ABOVE" ought to be a legitimate choice in the voting booth for the purpose of encouraging the political organizations to put forth candidates whom the people would be seriously in FAVOR of electing instead of the current mode where most of us are left with having to vote against the one we dislike the most.

I like the idea, but only if it's a majority election, and not a plurality election like the one we have now. A candidate has to the get a full majority of the vote, None of the Aboves counted in the total. If None of the Above wins even a plurality, however, a new election is held and all candidates in the previous election are barred from standing.
84 posted on 03/05/2007 9:22:59 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country. Gingrich/Bolton '08)
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To: Froufrou
I don't see McCain as a viable candidate either. I threw his bogus questionnaire in the trash. Same for the one I got from the GOP.

I always throw those away. They're not about asking what you think. They're about telling you what to think. That, and asking you to pony up for the privilege. I volunteer for the GOP, but that's just insulting.
85 posted on 03/05/2007 9:34:19 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country. Gingrich/Bolton '08)
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To: The Pack Knight

Yep, absolutely. I have the same reaction to those Amex solicitations. "You have achieved..."

I'm like, "who are you to be judging me???" [throws letter in trash]


86 posted on 03/06/2007 5:57:09 AM PST by Froufrou
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