Posted on 05/15/2011 7:11:01 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Says Andrew Stiles of NRO, “Newt Gingrich’s appearance on ‘Meet the Press’ today could leave some wondering which party’s nomination he is running for.” DrewM at Ace’s site thinks it’s yet another illustration of Newt’s loose-cannon lack of message discipline, but I can’t believe that; he surely must have considered how this will play in the primaries, especially after the pounding Romney just took on the right for his health-care speech. What’s his strategy? Maybe he’s decided his shot at the nomination is so long that his only chance is by Mediscaring seniors, who famously turn out in high numbers at the polls, into backing him. Paul Ryan’s budget has played remarkably well with the 65+ crowd thus far, but an AP poll taken late last year, before he introduced his plan, found even Republican seniors opposed privatizing Medicare to the tune of 71 percent. If professional Smart Guy Newt Gingrich is now warning them that Ryan’s gone too far, their jitters about reform may make them inclined to believe him. It’s desperate, but since he’s not going to win with support from the GOP’s right, why not pander to its left? I just hope he’s prepared for the relentless beating he’ll rightly take in conservative media for kneecapping Ryan at a moment when deficit hawks are frantic to move national opinion on entitlement reform via a unified party message. He’s handed the left a campaign commercial here and they’re already using it.
As for his point about mandates, Gregory’s question was presumably inspired by this recent HuffPo piece. Here was Newt’s chance to climb down from his previous Romney-ish rhetoric about our individual duty to buy coverage. But … nope. He’s still all for it — not for a mandate specifically, mind you, but for variations on it, like having to post a bond. What his strategy in the primaries is in taking that position, I have no idea. If anything, it gives Romney a bit of cover by now being able to claim (a) that the mandate isn’t as fringe as conservatives would like to believe and (b) that Mitt’s the more responsible of the two since at least he doesn’t want anything like this at the federal level. Any theories on what Gingrich was thinking here? I’m mystified.
Update: Via NRO, a pointed rejoinder from Ryan’s spokesman:
“The solutions offered by Chairman Ryan and advanced by House Republicans make no changes to Medicare for those in and near retirement, while offering a strengthened, personalized program that future generations can count on when they retire,” Sweeney says. “Far from claims of radicalism, the gradual, common-sense Medicare reforms ensure that no senior will be forced to reorganize their lives because of government’s mistakes. The most ‘radical’ course of action on Medicare is continue to cling to the unsustainable status quo.”
“Serious leaders,” he adds, without naming names, “owe seniors specific solutions to avert Medicare’s looming collapse.”
Ted Kennedy lives!
You said it!!! And to think a few ‘FReepers’, (new sign-ups especially), pull for this immoral, ‘global warming’ pal of pelosi snake. What a damn crock.
newt is no differ than Milt- RINOS
Talking Points Memo has one of the links going to an article in re Gingrich: “Newt Gingrich Blasts GOP Budget As ‘Right-Wing Social Engineering’”
Date is 15 May.
Talk about having no skin in the game, At All. Gingrich has been a career politician for one too many gray hairs. Well, a lot too many.......
Look for the new ad with Newt sitting next to Obama on a couch.
We've had experiences with the Leftwingtard MSM ~ Gregory is part of that.
What we know is that ANY response by ANY Republican to a member of the Leftwingtard MSM in an unscripted situation is going to be scoured for drek.
So, to counteract that problem WE, as distinct from "newbies", have already made a pledge that WE WILL NOT BE SUCKED IN BY THESE PUKES.
That means that even if someone we don't really care to have as President foolishly agrees to an interview with one of these Leftwingtards, whatever he or she says WILL NOT BE HELD AGAINST THEM, or even considered a legitimate expression of core beliefs.
So, Gregory asked a question, Gingrich urped up a response, no one here likes the response.
Take a note to remind Gingrich to not talk to Gregory again and step out smartly into the glory of the coming Conservative Victory!
Don't worry, he will. This man is very confused, I am sad to say...at one time I really enjoyed his voice of conservative reason...back in the 90's....that was then, and this is now.
Newt is gone as far as I am concerned. But I do respect what he did in the mid 90's...he stopped the Clintons cold in their tracks.
He is, unfortunately, not up to the task at hand. Not a wartime Consigliere, certainly not a leader.
They'll make sure Newt has at least $12mil cash on hand when he pulls out of the race.
This is an effort to marginalize Palin and/or any Tea Party candidate as a radical, fringe element that would destroy the country.
Let there be no doubt. This GOP primary season will be a war between the Beltway GOP and the Populist Grassroots.
And, this crew is dumb enough to think they can bamboozle us again!
Perhaps the shortest Presidential campaign in history.
Laura Ingraham nailed him to wall on this issue. He actually got a bit testy trying to defend his stand.
Go away Newt..PLEASE!
That fact is separate and apart from whatever Gingrich's merits are at the moment.
If the MSM is involved, or the log cabin types, or the Libertarians, and a Republican is talking, it don't mean nothin'.
What counts is how bills are written, decisions made, and whether or not Democrat criminals (and they got a lot of 'em) are being sent to prison for longer and longer terms.
We don’t need another “Me Too” RINO.
I live at the intersection of I95/495/395/Franconia/OldKeeneMill/and the Spfld Bpss ~ if there were a "Beltway GOP" I'd be aware of it.
Not eh tu Newt but FU Newt. Get lost.
Life, liberty and the pursuit and destruction of totalitarians.
That's right, and he was mauled so badly for it that he still hasn't recovered. When did he resign, 1998? He's spent the intervening time trying desperately to prove that he's not a meanie. When Hillary Clinton was the poster child of socialized medicine, he had nothing but hearts and flowers for her. I think he can safely be classified as a "Schwarzenegger Republican". What an embarrassment. How does the Republican party keep doing this?
Shocked not am I.
I agree. His people keep calling me and I don’t pick up, of course. Next time, the caller is going to get an earful.
GET OFF THE PHONE, YOU BIG DOPE! and yes, GO AWAY!!!
“Let’s also not forgot, this guy is very squishy on border security. He’s definitely in the Amnesty/Comprehensive camp.
Laura Ingraham nailed him to wall on this issue. He actually got a bit testy trying to defend his stand.”
And don’t forget his outstanding judgment in stubbornly supporting RINO Scoouzafabba in NY 23 special election up to the point where she dropped from the race and endorsed the Democrat over the Conservative. To this day, I’ve not heard Newt admit a mistake on that. This guy is toast.
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