[Sherman Logan]

I think there’s little disagreement that Newt is the most effective communicator and has the best ideas.

Unfortunately, sometimes what he communicates is that he is a nutjob. He also has the worst ideas, with possible exception of some of Mr. Paul’s.

[mazda77]

But it requires listening to Newt for more than 30 seconds if you honestly want to understand him.

[sodpoodle]

It would appear that Newt is the only politician on the planet who is not allowed to have made friends, made enemies, been unfaithful, raised two wonderful daughters, changed churches, spoken up, stayed silent, listened, looked, studied, criticized, praised, asked questions, given answers, caused confusion, solved problems, started debates, ended stalemate, shut down the government, reduced taxes, reduced spending, won election, resigned from office, written books, read books, recommended books, learned stuff, taught stuff, raised funds, spent his own money, admired others, disapproved of others, been funny, been serious, been argumentative, been conciliatory and God forbid - been human.

[wolficatZ]

“he is a nutjob.”

Sorry fella, I’m not impressed.

Nice try.

[nathanbedford]

During World War II the chief of the Imperial Gen. staff observed that Churchill had about 10 ideas a day and nine were foolish and one was brilliant. His job, as he saw it, was to keep Churchill from pursuing the nine bad ideas.

I don't know what nine bad ideas Newt has. Perhaps you're referring to his session on the couch with Nancy Pelosi. He himself admits the photo shoot was stupid but one can say only with the advantage of hindsight that belief of scientific claims of global warming was stupid. In fact, the science remains disputed to this day. Gingrich opposed left-wing remedies for global warming. The idea of global warming is a question of scientific fact, not political opinion. The reaction to global warming, if one accepts the science which supports it, is to provide conservative solutions.

Nor is it crazy to suggest the next conflict might well be fought and won, or lost, in space and it makes a great deal of sense to divert a portion of a massive defense budget from wasteful boondoggles to the real theater.

As to Gingrich's speech concerning space, it is easy to dismiss the speech in sweeping generalities but the particulars of the speech make sense. Gingrich was not advocating federal programs on large-scale but a federal private partnership stimulated, not with massive government subsidies, but with limited prize money. This idea is not particularly attractive to me, but it is not crazy.

Were you referring to something else?