The Washington Examiner on January 20, 2012 ran a “Beltway Confidential” article called America Hates Newt Gingrich. The article lists several surveys showing negative reactions to Gingrich vs. BIG BRObama and vs. Romney.
Well, I do not care for him either! 
However, I immediately began thinking of certain successful presidents who were not very likable, and of course Richard Nixon came to mind. Here was a successful politician who lacked what is termed “charisma,” who lacked John F. Kennedy’s Irish charm and movie-star visage, and who personally seemed very difficult to appreciate.
After his loss to Kennedy, and then his loss in California for governor, Nixon seemed ever angrier, petulant, and simply washed up. As we know, however, he won two national elections for the presidency, and was later ruined by his (apparently real) traits of being suspicious, vindictive, and arrogant.
So how did Nixon overcome his negative image?
First keep in mind that he was Eisenhower’s Vice-President, and Eisenhower was not seen as very charismatic at all: an historiometric analysis by Professor Ronald DeLuga showed Eisenhower ranking third last in charisma (above Carter and Ford).
Given that his presidency is often portrayed as deficient in purpose, rather inert, and not particularly inspiring, Eisenhower’s emergence in the bottom third of the rankings is not unanticipated. Eisenhower’s steady, but languid demeanor may augment his low charismatic ranking.
http://www.leader-values.com/Content/detail.asp?ContentDetailID=52
Nixon had also established himself as capable of handling the Russians, especially through the famous Kitchen Debate with Khrushchev. So what remained to be done?
In the 1966 Congressional elections Nixon campaigned rather relentlessly for Republican candidates, re-establishing his national reputation: his speaking skills were not bad, since he often came across as no-nonsense and highly competent.
To soften his image as humorless, he appeared on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (saying “Sock it to me!” in a self-satirizing way, as if he were Rich Little imitating Nixon).
His campaign (via Roger Ailes, of FOX Network fame) also attacked his “cold” image (their polling showed voters considered Hubert Humphrey a “warm personality”): they had him appear at “town halls” with a picked audience, and bought 10 hours of television time to broadcast Nixon speaking with “average Americans.” But sparks had to fly now and then to show Nixon’s real nature, and to avoid making everything seem phony. One example occurred at a show in Philadelphia, where an Afro-American radio host, no friend of Nixon by any means, was included on the panel to ask him combative questions. Nixon handled the situation well, sticking to his guns, and was cheered by the Republican crowd.
Thus Nixon created any charisma he lacked naturally by the way his managers (Ailes is given much credit in a book by Kerwin Swint called Dark Genius): Nixon was highly motivated, understood his problem, and listened to people who knew more than he did about solving his problem.
And won the presidency twice, despite the seething hatred of the MSM!
So Newt has charisma problems with the press and – according to MSM polls – is “hated by America.”
Let’s assume these polls are correct: following Nixon’s example, what should Gingrich do? My ideas are as follows:
First, Gingrich needs to stay positive about his agenda, an agenda extolling more freedom for Americans – and more money – by insisting on some sort of immediate reduction in the size and tax appetite of the federal government, along with a plan to avoid national bankruptcy by having the government do less meddling in the lives of its citizens. Nixon’s town halls are now cliches: a new variation is needed, e.g. where Gingrich is sitting down with students, women, and other groups known to be less than impressed with him, and they should be genuinely hostile.
If Gingrich can play the teacher handling a disruptive class, persuading them with his humor and ideas, he will see his “likability” numbers rise. The hostile audience will be disliked, and Gingrich – if he can be trained to stay cool and self-deprecating, and not to talk too much – will succeed like Nixon.
Second, the Mathematics of MAObama should be easy for Gingrich to explain: a poster with the national debt identified with the written number 16,000,000,000,000 on it would get the point across very simply! In fact, using that number on billboards, running across the screen in TV ads, at movie theater previews, etc. could be a symbol of the campaign. Gingrich the Historian can point out how many centuries it took for the national debt to hit 9 Trillion, and how many years it took for BIG BRObama to double it almost.
Third, his team would need to address the background of personal hypocrisy with an auto-da-fé moment: if Gingrich has found religion late in life, along with a wife 20 years younger, he needs to sell his metanoia quietly yet firmly, the way Nixon handled the openly hostile questions from the Philadelphia radio talk-show host.
Fourth, like Nixon, appearing on assorted shows – and not just Jay Leno or FOX News Sunday – to soften his image would not be a bad idea.
Certainly if Gingrich becomes the nominee, he will need to face the likability issue: other ideas besides the ones above will be necessary. Is he flawed? Oh yes! But how flawed was Nixon?
In this case, nothing is impossible. America can be persuaded to embrace Conservative ideas to save the country – and I mean save the country – from its own selfishness, short-sightedness, and bad judgment (i.e. electing spendthrift, nanny-state politicians of both parties), even with Gingrich at the top of the ticket.
Moe Lane
PG DeFreese
Victoria Coates
Daniel Horowitz
Dan Spencer
How does Gingrich do that when GIngrich himself has
earlgrey (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 8:18PM EST (link)acted selfishly against conservaitive interests?
His reacent attack on Paul Ryan Budget plan? “RIght wing social engineering”
THis guy is going to teach the rest of America to not be selfish and embrace conservatism. What brand of conservatism will that be?
I do not hold out hope for Americal. Mitt and Gingrich are both disappoitnmetns and I dont’ see Santorum making it through.
Reforming Gingrich Is Our Task!
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 8:24PM EST (link)As I wrote, he has flaws, and they need to be addressed, and they are not just surface flaws.
WE will need to force as much of a Conservative agenda onto our nominee – and our Senators and Congressmen – as we can. History has shown that too many Republicans go leftward, as soon as they enter D.C.
Pessimism can be self-fulfilling, and I have my Dostoyevskyan moments too.
But we have a chance this year to stop and – maybe – reverse our obvious decline into mediocrity. It is too early to assume defeat.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
You cant reform a guy in his late 60s
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 12:13AM EST (link)You get what you get. The good, the bad, the ugly.
In my diary, I propose the ways to ‘fix’ Romney campaign-wise. It’s hardly easy to get Romney to get more ‘unscripted’ and down-to-earth and mix it up, so he actually articulates a message that counts … now that wont be easy, but it’s easier than trying to fix a ‘likeability’ factor, when the sources of that dislike are events baked into the cake (his past private life) and MSM bias that will feed on it in ways outside Newt’s – or our – control.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
Can Newt Be Reformed?
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 7:55AM EST (link)I would like to believe that people can change, even in their 60′s, for the better, that epiphanies spiritual and political can occur at any time in life and make a difference.
However….
The Wall Street Journal has a pessimistic article today (January 24, 2012) by Brett Stephens called “The GOP Deserves To Lose”
Thesis: are Gingrich and Romney the best we can do?
He sees no remaking possible for either candidate, and therefore a loss in November’s election.
An excerpt on Gingrich and South Carolina:
“As for the current GOP field, it’s like confronting a terminal diagnosis. There may be an apparent range of treatments: conventional (Romney), experimental (Gingrich), homeopathic (Paul) or prayerful (Santorum). But none will avail you in the end. Just try to exit laughing.
That’s my theory for why South Carolina gave Newt Gingrich his big primary win on Saturday: Voters instinctively prefer the idea of an entertaining Newt-Obama contest—the aspiring Caesar versus the failed Redeemer—over a dreary Mitt-Obama one. The problem is that voters also know that Gaius Gingrich is liable to deliver his prime-time speeches in purple toga while holding tight to darling Messalina’s—sorry, Callista’s—bejeweled fingers. A primary ballot for Mr. Gingrich is a vote for an entertaining election, not a Republican in the White House.”
He also casts stones at the (seemingly) better choices for candidates who did not show up for whatever reason:
“Finally, there are the men not in the field: Mitch Daniels, Paul Ryan, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Haley Barbour. This was the GOP A-Team, the guys who should have showed up to the first debate but didn’t because running for president is hard and the spouses were reluctant. Nothing commends them for it. If this election is as important as they all say it is, they had a duty to step up. Abraham Lincoln did not shy from the contest of 1860 because of Mary Todd. If Mr. Obama wins in November—or, rather, when he does—the failure will lie as heavily on their shoulders as it will with the nominee.
What should readers who despair of a second Obama term make of all this? Hope ObamaCare is repealed by the High Court, the Iranian bomb is repealed by the Israeli Air Force, and the Senate switches hands, giving America a healthy spell of Hippocratic government.”
For the entire article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203806504577178594236642420.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Thanks for the link, Ausonius.
avgjo (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 8:06AM EST (link)Mitch Daniels – trucer would not get evangelical votes.
Paul Ryan – too academic to speak in soundbites, dreadfully necessary for a prez candidate.
Chris Christie – all he’s done is heckle his hecklers, many of which are women, diminishing his whole ‘ballsy’ thing. Otherwise, nice NE lib republican.
Jeb Bush – do we really need to go into why another Bush is probably not a good idea?
Haley’d been okay.
I’m tired of all the Gingrich bashing. The same people warning us of a GOP firing squad (conveniently when Romney’s getting bashed) are engaging in it. No credibility.
Ceterum autem censeo, Obamaecuram esse delendam.
It’s the morality, stupid.
Agreed: If Republican Voters Want Gingrich...
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 8:20AM EST (link)…then we will need to support him as much as possible.
Your quick assessments are on target.
Christie is an East Coast RINO, as proven yesterday with his NJ Supreme Court appointment.
And yes!!! WHY does anybody mention Jeb Bush? America has had enough of candidates with his last name.
As I commented above in the diary, I do not care for Gingrich, but hope and believe he can be salvaged with the proper discipline, like Nixon.
The danger,
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
The entire Nixon experience was so helpful to the conservative cause.
Ann_W (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 8:27AM EST (link)In my estimation the Nixon comparison just reminds us that someone without a moral compass (and a large ego, remember?) is a time bomb.
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
— Milton Friedman
The War on Poverty– forty-six years and counting!
Nixon was conservative?
In The Hook (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 8:34AM EST (link)The guy who gave us the EPA and “peace with honor” was conservative? You’re kidding me, right?
As for Christie, so he appointed a gay black man to the NJ Supreme Court. This just in, he was also a Republican. Christie is plenty conservative and to the right of most of the citizens of New Jersey. He’d advance the ball forward a lot.
Daniels made one comment about a “social truce” and everyone’s killed him for it. Let’s just completely ignore that he’s stripped state funding for Planned Parenthood, is making Indiana a right to work state, built up the state government’s financial reserves and has 65% approval. Ok.
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
The money part of Christie's comments
avgjo (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 8:43AM EST (link)re: the homosexual black judge and the Asian fellow was not who they are, but no mention by the good Gov. of their Originalist perspectives (re: NJ constitution) or lack thereof. He played identity politics and used meaningless and irrelevant terms like ‘diversity’, as one would expect a good little RINO to do.
About time Daniels did something about Right to work. I remember his earlier opposition to it. Also, I understand the law doesn’t affect building and construction trade unions. I wonder how much that leaves out.
Ceterum autem censeo, Obamaecuram esse delendam.
It’s the morality, stupid.
He played to his audience
In The Hook (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:21AM EST (link)I’m not a fan of it, but sometimes it’s what has to be done to move the ball forwards. He puts forth nominees that the Democratically controlled legislature would have a crazy hard time blocking and gets the philosophical balance on the court that he wants. If he has to make some trite comments on “capturing the state’s diversity” so be it. Diversity isn’t bad. It’s just not a real qualification.
But you do know that Christie’s nominees have been blocked for a year now after he kicked John Wallace off the court, right? So he made an end-around to get these impasses removed. I daresay the result is worth the five seconds of boilerplate nonsense he had to say. Now if it turns out that these justices are left wingers, then it’s a different story. I doubt very much that will happen though.
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
Didn't say Nixon was a conservative.
Ann_W (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:32AM EST (link)I was trying to make the point that Ausonius’ comparison of Newt to Nixon was valid on a different level than what he was making.
If I understand him, he says that Newt can be disciplined and overcome voter dislike like Nixon did. But my comparison was just to say that Nixon was a flawed product as is Newt and that as such getting him into office would be as destructive as getting Nixon in office was.
My reference to conservativeness was just that the destruction of the Nixon pres. set back all R’s conservative or not because everyone gets (still) tarred by the Nixon legacy. I remember sitting in history class in 7th grade when my teacher said, “all Republicans are crooks.” I managed to say, “No, they’re not.” He challenged me and I could only come up w/ my dad. (I was 12.) The rest of the class just absorbed.
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
— Milton Friedman
The War on Poverty– forty-six years and counting!
I got your sarcasm
In The Hook (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:42AM EST (link)I was adding my own and referring back to Ausonius as well. I think we’re of the same mindset here Ann. I would have mused if you were ghostwriting for Romney’s wife if you hadn’t elsewhere expressed your displeasure for Pawlenty running such a poor campaign when he was the best from a strategic standpoint for us to offer.
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
I wish, she's a classy lady.
Ann_W (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 12:04PM EST (link).. nt
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
— Milton Friedman
The War on Poverty– forty-six years and counting!
Gingrich Is As Risky A Candidate As Nixon Was
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 10:17AM EST (link)Your caution is justified: Gingrich could be a disaster for the Republicans long term, if his darker sides, like Nixon’s, are unleashed by the temptation of the Arrogance of Power.
Has he learned any lessons from his past? Has he learned any lessons from the Nixon story? Is his conversion to Catholicism genuine, so that his unsavory traits are now controlled?
We simply do not yet know the answers. It is easy to predict that he will return to type unexpectedly, gaffe himself in the foot, and lose to MAObama.
But that might not happen: we are still taking a risk, IF he becomes our candidate. And the consequences of that risk may not become evident until after he is in the White House!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
If Newt wins the GOP nomination, it will mean that "America" does NOT
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:42PM EST (link)hate him, by definition. more later
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Newt Is America, And So Can You!
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 10:14PM EST (link)We were told that “America Hates Sarah Palin” too. “Polarizing” and also “not likable.”
Did she believe that? Is that the real reason she has stayed on the sidelines?
No matter: Gingrich is ignoring such things, and so far is directing effective rhetoric against BIG BRObama and his ruinous policies.
It would seem that – a la Nixon – likability is not necessarily the same as electability.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Agree Earlgrey, I wish I didn't!
romansdaughter Tuesday, January 24th at 11:54AM EST (link)2None of the candidates now are acceptable. Newt is the best of the 4 remaining but they are all seriously flawed. The best candidate is out of the race and for the life of me, I cannot get inspired by the candidates that are left. We needed a conservative, small government candidate and now we are suppose to rally around the not so conservative to moderate candidates that mostly are still big government. I can’t honestly vote for any of them in the primaries but in the General I will pull the lever for any of them, except possibly Ron Paul before Obama. But I am afraid we are going to get 4 more years of Obama.
“I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t,than live my life as if there isn’t and die to find out there is.” Albert Camus
“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” Alexander Hamilton
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is equal sharing of misery.” Winston Churchill
” He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot
yes, newt, mitt, rick, ron, mike and romansdaughter are seriously flawed
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:52PM EST (link)and?
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Pelosi's Threat: Reality Talking Or Is It The Arteriosclerosis?
Ausonius (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 7:51AM EST (link)We know about Gingrich’s flaws, but does Pelosi really have anything?
I love blackmailers who publicly announce their intentions to blackmail somebody! It just makes things so easy!
One would think that if she had anything substantial, Gingrich would have headed it off by now.
Of course, who was that other candidate…Herman Cain?
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Madame Pelosi, America knows alot about you
circlegranch Wednesday, January 25th at 8:29AM EST (link)and your record and what you’ve done. Your record, which includes failing to properly investigate possible ethics issues of some Democrat House members even after vowing to ‘drain the swamp’, pushing ObamaCare through without proper debate and even allowing House members time to read the bill are at the top of the list of your accomplishments. As for ethics regarding either Newt Gingrich or you, its all on record. If you have anything else you feel needs to be revealed outside of the confidentiality constraints you’re to follow, feel free to ‘drain the swamp’ now and let America have a look.
If you try to look at Gingrich objectivly you will see why he is a hard sell to independents.
kyle8 (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 8:31PM EST (link)The guy has not one or two but several sleazy deals in his past, He has a sordid personal life.
He was extremely hard to get along with and made many enemies in his own party. He is narcissistic and grandiloquent, bordering on megalomania. And he has to shout out the first thing to come into his head leading to awful gaffs.
If we pick him guys, I am telling you it will be a slender chance to beat Obama.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
"Would You Buy A Used Car From This Man?"
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 8:50PM EST (link)An (in)famous poster against Nixon showed him with his 5 o’clock shadow and smiling like Charles Foster Kane with that caption below the picture.
I can easily imagine something similar being used against Gingrich.
Yes, he will be a hard sell…and he needs to find the motivation that Nixon found to control himself, when “the dark side” threatens to come out.
But…if he is our product, we will need to promote him as well as possible!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Who else though? Santorum?
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 12:57AM EST (link)Romney will have to get his 1% image scrubbed to be a better sell.
Santorum has a good blue-collar background (a la John Edwards) story to tell, and doesnt have Newt’s scandal’s or Mitt’s problematic 15% tax rate on million$ in earnings …
but we have to pick one of the above because a brokered convention aint happening.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
I still believe Romney will do better among independents than Gingrich
kyle8 (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 6:49AM EST (link)The whole being wealthy thing is a bit overblown. Right now with the economy so bad people will be open to electing someone with a business background.
Newt, in this case is no better than Obama, he is an academic who made most of his money being a legislator and then parlaying his position into dollars.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
If Obama wants to make this an Occupy election
In The Hook (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:32AM EST (link)Then by all means I’ll welcome him to try that. OWS is not popular and has lost a ton of steam. Sure, it might help stir the base but it will turn off independents much in the same way the “movement’s”antics did. Their welcome wore thin pretty quickly.
And in the interim, Romney can just ignore those attacks and go after Obama’s record. Obama would do much better to run a Bush ’04 style campaign. Romney just needs to avoid being too defensive and make this a referendum-style election.
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
Obama's OWS strategy will work if Romney gets defensive over his megabucks
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 9:57AM EST (link)Romney needs to not be ashamed of his financial success.
He needs to be out there being proud of paying his taxes and succeeding in his career, and retorting the lie that he’s a worse person for doing it.
If he gets defensive, then he is toast.
Voters have picked up on it, which is why Romney’s lost that ‘electability’ shield. Romney cant win if he cant defend his Bain record and millions he earned.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
Liberal Guilt Tells Romney - And Anybody Successful - To Apologize For Success
Ausonius (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 7:25PM EST (link)And if Romney or any other candidate gives into that pressure to feel guilty for success, they obviously have no reason to be a Republican.
The Leftist Logic: Your success is not yours. It belongs to SOCIETY, to GOVERNMENT because government built the roads that took you to work, because government regulates the communication system that helped you be successful, because government kept you safe with police and fire departments, because you had teachers paid for by the government, etc. etc. etc. you do not really deserve your success.
Except…YOU and your parents and all of society paid taxes for the roads, the police, the teachers, and everything else!
Corollary to Leftist Logic: your success has ruined somebody else, has kept them in poverty! YOU need to be punished!
Except…your taxes pay for their medical care, Food Stamps, education (if they want it), and for all kinds of paths out of poverty, if they have the modicum of brains needed to leave it.
This is what Romney and other Republican politicians need to spell out with no apologies!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Just turned off the debate, which we got live
califgal Monday, January 23rd at 10:17PM EST (link)streaming on HotAir blog. We couldn’t find it on our NBC affiliates on tv.
My daughter, of all people, just left the house, having seen the candidates talking on the laptop.
She’s ,married, 34, two kids. “Oh, Dad. No way can Jay or I vote for that guy.”
Jay is her husband. “That guy”? Newt.
Not even my own kid can vote for him! Achhhhhhhhhhh.
Gut Reaction Against The Old White Guy?
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 10:55PM EST (link)Can you give us any more details as to why she cannot vote for “that guy”?
Too old, too white (too white-haired), too divorced, too immoral, does she think he does not change his socks every day, or is there a political issue of some sort?
This is the problem: how does a Newt candidate “reach out” to people who quickly turn him off?
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
independants? Don't get you connection
david1313 Sunday, January 22nd at 8:44PM EST (link)Sounds like you just want to bash Newt in general. Independants went for Newt In S.C., it was an open primary. He won. You argument has nothing to do with independants at all.
Indys
anonymousbosch Sunday, January 22nd at 10:31PM EST (link)Indys in SC tell us nothing about Indys in OH, FL, VA, IN, CO, NV, MO, IA, NH, etc….
Indys in SC voted big for Jim DeMint. Doesn’t mean he’d win Indys over Obama. Maybe he would. But just because indys in SC vote for Newt tells us nothing about the country as a whole.
Gingrich
SE-779 (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 9:39PM EST (link)Gingrich is pretty much the Republicans Obama plus experience. Eloquently spoken and solutions oriented. Not even Reagan got into the detail Newt gets into. And Newt, like Obama before him, is one slick SOB. He knows exactly who, what, where, when, why, and how to push the buttons and throw out more red meat than any delicatessan would sell. Newt’s a fairly deceptive con-man, and I’ve met some deceptive con-men in my time. Newt’s also made comments in which he praises FDR and Wilson. Newt is definitely one to watch. Santorum has to be the guy. If not, out country goes down the gutter. Hell, Gingrich has caused me to warm up to Romney, a man I’ve never liked in the 4 years I’ve been familiar with him.
“Earnesty is stupidity sent to College”-PJ O’Rourke
“If you vote based on who has more election signs, you’re an idiot.”-Glenn Beck
“Stupid is what stupid writes.”-Yogi Berra
“It ain’t over til’ the sodaholic passes a gall-stone.”
“If I am going to stick a knife in you I am going to do it up front in your chest, I am never going to do it in your back. You will always see it coming.”-John Oxendine
“If wishes were horses, we’d be knee deep in crap.”-Dr. Robert “Rocket” Romano
“Yeah, try to hide your wild enthusiasm at my return. I find overt displays of emotion embarrassing.”-Dr. Robert “Rocket” Romano
“If you want something cuddly to keep you company, buy a hamster, don’t have a child.”-Jesse Ventura
Vote for the crook. It's important.
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:13PM EST (link)And you think Romney is as pure as the driven snow???
Santorum... bless his heart though..
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:16PM EST (link)I’m sorry.
Listen to Newt Instead of Bashing Him
Mike Merrill (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 9:58PM EST (link)Everybody has an opinion, but if you listen to Newt talk for longer than 2 minutes you can see what he’s really about. Yes, he has baggage- like every other candidate. Yes, he has a track record- not always good- like every other candidate (except Obama in ’08).
But when you listen to Newt talk about restoring the ideals of our country, he’s eloquent and passionate. When you hear him taking the fight to Obama, he’s fiery. We need a candidate who can stir up emotions and fire up Americans. Newt’s not perfect- no candidate is- but I think he has what it takes to beat Obama and turn this country around.
Check out my new book Leadership Lessons of a Campaigner-in-Chief — How to hoodwink voters, sidestep the Constitution and expand government bureaucracy.
I think once people get past charicature
conservativeparrothead Monday, January 23rd at 1:21AM EST (link)I think one of the reasons people have this impression is that the see the charicature of him and think “he is a bad person” – many, especially in the Democratic party have probably never heard him debate. I think once they actually listen to him, his negatives will go away and he will have as good of a chance as anyone in the field to win this thing.
The problem with the other two is this:
1. Mitt – has gone too far right on immigration, will get killed in the Latino vote which you need to win some of those SW swing states.
2. Many moderate swing voters, especially in suburbs, may agree with family values, but they dont like it being told to them by politicians. The Social conservative message turns off a lot of voters, Daniels knows this which is why he wanted to “back burner” the issue for 2012 and focus on jobs and energy where Republican ideas will be much more popular, if Santorum is seen as social conservative extremist he will turn many of these off.
I visited the Newt site... Todd Palin has written a letter of support..
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:12PM EST (link)And believe it or not…
Chris Christie slammed Newt today. The gloves are already off.. I read a couple hit jobs on Newt today.
I was in error in thinking they would wait for Monday.
And so far as my thoughts on a brokered convention…
I believe that would go to Romney. He IS Mr. Establishment with the second generation political machine. He has the power and the leverage. All the trading stock you could imagine.
Newt wasn’t my pick. I was all set on Perry.
I am a Tea Party type… and we were decidedly not Newt, either.
But we ain’t all dumb and toothless.
But we do tend to cling to our guns and bible’s…
Who cares what Chris Christie thinks?
avgjo (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:23PM EST (link)Aside from Ann Coulter? All the guy’s done is talk smack to some teacher’s union people (most of the ones I’ve seen are women, making it even less impressive). He endorsed Romney and we’re supposed to think he’s a conservative?
You’re right, though, the gloves are off.
DeMint predicted that if the GOP didn’t keep its 2010 election promises, they might be destroyed as a party. Not only have they failed to keep those promises, they’re now trying to force us to eat crap. These idiots will destroy themselves politically.
Ceterum autem censeo, Obamaecuram esse delendam.
It’s the morality, stupid.
The ”establishment” would rather control how the GOP loses then lose control of how the GOP wins.
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:37PM EST (link)Stolen from pantera.
That, snowshooze, is the classic description of the ...
acat (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 11:20PM EST (link)“country club GOP”.
Old money and okay with losing because they’ll still get invited to the important parties and get in a round of golf in the afternoon…
Can’t back the nouveau riche (or worse, no-money) “main street” conservatives .. never know what that kind will do!
Fortunately, they’re a dying breed .. unfortunately, their ideology seems to have moved from the country club to the “right” D.C. gigs.
I was for Pawlenty, then for Perry. Now I’m for Newt – not because I particularly like him, but because the pucker factor is giving conservatives who are paying attention an idea of which of our allies are sincere and which are fair-weather.
Mew
——
Caveat Suffragator
Rush has said this numerous times
katesmith (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 11:22PM EST (link)That GOP embeds will fight more viciously to defeat a conservative than they will to defeat Obama, that they’re perfectly happy being permanent #2.
Newt needs to make this song thematic of his campaign
Xasteius (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:47PM EST (link)But taking out the visuals would be a must.
Don’t leave the party, hijack it back!
The only poll that counts is the one at the ballot box.
I don’t want to be Reagan. I want to be a Chance/Soros hybrid.
Twisted Newt!
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:57PM EST (link)Sure, why not?! It might attract the 30-40 year old descendants of Bill and Ted!
I see great disenchantment here with Gingrich’s rise, along with Romney’s.
Rick Perry and Herman Cain: we hardly knew ye!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Two issues you didn't hit
znjs (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 10:50PM EST (link)Overall a good plan, but you’re missing a couple issues that I think he needs to find some way of addressing:
1) Former colleagues of his hate his guts. That’s a real problem for him. They’re not suddenly to warm up to him no matter how positive his message is – they know the real Newt up close and personal. Having attacks coming from them will be a lot more harmful then attacks the MSM can come up with on their own.
2) His lobbying (yes, not registered but even so) during the last decade. This is one where I think there are a lot of areas for surprises to pop up. We’ve heard of a couple of them, most notably the Fannie/Freddie one, but expect all of them to come out, and many aren’t going to be popular. He needs to be able to explain why he was taking money from some of the most hated organizations out there and doing a job that many people find extremely distasteful. And no one is going to believe he was acting as a historian.
Thanks For Adding These "Newtron Bombs"
Ausonius (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 11:02PM EST (link)You are quite right: I heard a former Republican congressman (from Reagan’s first term) proclaim on a local radio show that Gingrich “is NOT a Conservative” and there was no way that he wanted to see Gingrich in the White House.
In the end, if his lobbying can be seen as a way to make him seem effective in D.C., it can be turned to something positive.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
It isn't that they dislike Newt... it is that they HATE him...
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 11:07PM EST (link)Which holds plenty of merit on it’s own around here.
But.. it just demonstrates…this is going to be uphill all the way.
Not only do we have to fight a billion dollar Obama.. we gotta fight the establishment too.
This is not going to go easy.
Will Newt's colleagues speak out about him?
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 12:23AM EST (link)One thing that doesnt sit well with Newt
“Former colleagues of his hate his guts. That’s a real problem for him. ”
This doesnt sit well with ME.
Is it true?
I have only 2 data points:
– Coburn wont endorse Newt. I dont know why.
– Joe Scarborough made the claim that newt wasnt a conservative. Now he also said that Mitt wasnt either, but he made the comment that they both fell for global warming, etc. What Joe S. was his last floor speech he lambasted the perfectionists in the party in Congress. In other words, he was the Boehner-type in 1998.
My recollection was different. but then we are on the outside not the inside.
I also know that much of the motivation in 1998 to dump Newt was not from conservatives, but from the same ‘electability status quo’ types that saw Newt then, as they see him now, as ‘baggage’ that hurt them. We lost seats in 1998 and they were ready to dump him for it, so he resigned.
I do know that Newt and Grover Norquist and others undercut attempts to get tough on immigration.
I now that Newt tried to get free market reforms in medicaid, spoke of existing system ‘withering on the vine’ and that Democrats used it to accuse him of destroying medicare.
Newt blows Romney away in terms of articulating conservative principles. This is why he is winning.
But the Presidency is part communication, part leadership, part managing a workforce of 3 million. can he do it all?
Will Newt’s colleagues speak out about him? I’d like them to – pronto – so we dont get an ‘october surprise’ on what really happened.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
But lets look at the facts...
conservativeparrothead Monday, January 23rd at 1:13AM EST (link)In 1998 Midterms, they lost a total of 5 Seats, I think they lost 11 or 12 seats and gained six back.
But lets look at those losses:
7 of the 11 Seats they lost to the Democrats they never got back. So even with the 2010 wave and the Tea Party and everything else, they were never able to recapture those seats. Tells you about how difficult it was to win those districts in the first place and whose National campaign and Contract with America helped win those? Oh yeah, it was Newt.
1 of the 7 they havent gotten back wasnt an incumbent loss, John Ensign in Nevada ran for the Senate and won, this was Harry Reid’s old house seat which Ensign won in 1995, and was recaptured by Democrat and been there ever since.
Another one of the 11 losses was a party-switcher, who had won as a Democrat but switched parties, he lost re-election after the switch in 1998, the Republicans have gained that seat back, so it was more about him not Newt or the Republicans. Another loss was someone who had won the seat via special election for Bill Richardsons old seat in New Mexico.
We lost Bunnings seat in Kentucky which we got back, Bunning left and won a Senate seat.
Of the seats we regained, two of them were in 2010, one Democrat who won one of the races I think it was the Bunning seat was never defeated, he was a Blue Dog who retired in the mid 00′s.
As for the “Breach of Trust” and the coup these guys talk about…well lets see just how strong Conservatism was after you got rid of big bad Newt.
Did you get rid of Dept of Education? Nope, passed NCLB.
Did you reform medicare? Nope, just added a new beneift without paying for it.
Did you get rid of those pesky Regulations that hurt American business? Nope brought in Sarbanes-Oxley
Did you recognize the need to increase domestic oil supply in the US, maybe build a refinery? Nope
How about the Debt did you cut spending? Nope blew it all…
The reality is that the Congress after Newt was much more out of control spending wise and far-less conservative. It would be one thing if they showed that they were more conservative and fiscally responsible after he left, but the fact is they were much much worse. Talk about the Breach of Trust!!!
Great info on 1998 results
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Tuesday, January 24th at 10:04AM EST (link)Thanks.
2 points:
1. You are correct about post-1998 being LESS conservative. Hastert was Status Quo caretaker, and going from Dick Arm ey to DeLay was from free market true believer to K Street operator. We became corrupt spenders instead of principled conservatives.
2. 1998 was a 6 year election for Clinton, so the expectation was for gains, and Newt promised gains. Perhaps you might see in retrospect the losses werent surprising but the GOP were shocked by almost losing their majority.
Similar thing happened BTW in 2008 Texas Statehouse, where the (conservative) Speaker was dumped for a more moderate one, after the GOP almost lost the Statehouse. It happens.
one more thing. Newt resigned NOT over anything to do with ethics.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
Gingrich Favorability a Red Herring
aj_0000 Sunday, January 22nd at 10:57PM EST (link)His favorability ratings have swung dramatically over the past few months. They started out in bad shape, then improved dramatically in November as he began his first ascent running a positive campaign, then slumped. His unfavorables were as low as 44%, which is roughly the share of the electorate that will vote for Obama no matter what. His negative image is almost entirely a result of years of un-refuted slander thrown at him by the media, going back to 1994. As the nominee, people will give him another look, and he’ll be able to change perceptions. This is a greatly exaggerated non-issue the “establishment” is grasping at desperately.
No, it is a red Salmon.
snowshooze (Diary) Sunday, January 22nd at 11:11PM EST (link)The backbone of the Alaska Fishing Fleet.
Ratings? ya.
Reality… Newt can nearly pull this single handed so long as he has a platform to stand on.
His staff mutinied… ya.. so what.
Now look.
Gingrich can go positive now that he has money and surrogates to do the dirty work.
Common_Cents (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 12:22AM EST (link)Whereas before he had to go negative himself.
The media is pushing the meme of mean and angry. Just like they did on the tea party. They are scared.
Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from,
behind, the Back Nine.Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.
Gingrich "Is Never Going To Be Loved"
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 8:03AM EST (link)The professional GOP establishment “hates” Newt also, and should just let the Republican voters decide: that from the Wall Street Journal’s lead editorial in today’s (Jan. 23, 2012) issue::
A salient excerpt:
“Mr. Gingrich’s biggest problem is that more voters say they dislike than like him. In a recent Fox News poll, 56% said they had an unfavorable view of him, versus 27% favorable. That’s a net unfavorable rating of minus-29%, compared with a plus-5% for Mr. Obama and plus-7% for Mr. Romney.
Mr. Gingrich is never going to be well loved, and voters may overlook that if they want a hard man for hard times. But he can’t only practice the politics of contrast and win an election. Media-bashing may work when the questions seem unfair, but not when they are legitimate queries concerning his record at Freddie Mac or in Congress. He needs to practice the politics of addition with independents and nonconservatives.
***
As for the GOP establishment, such as it still is, Mr. Gingrich’s re-emergence is likely to cause a panic attack. They don’t believe he is electable. Our advice would be to relax and let the voters decide. If Mr. Romney can’t marshal the wit and nerve to defeat the speaker, then he isn’t likely to defeat Mr. Obama.
If GOP office-holders had a better candidate, they should have rallied behind one to get into the race, and they still could if the primary contest drags on without a clear winner.
In any case the record of elected GOP politicians in picking nominees is hardly inspiring. Rank-and-file voters are likely to have a clearer sense of what the country needs. On to Florida.”
My emphasis above
See:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203718504577176880442968276.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
If you are waiting for
Wayne (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 9:03AM EST (link)a President to love, you’ll have to wait until after his/her death since Americans have a tendency to wax romantically about their public icons after they are gone.
I agree with Acat with a caveat that I don’t believe our decline is stoppable. Blaming one party or the other for our predicament only telegraphs one’s ignorance of how we got here in the first place and how big a problem it really is. Both parties are progressive and both have a fair share of the blame. Until as a people we regain our understanding of core conservative principles our decline as a nation is inevitable.
I choose Newt not because I like him, but because in many ways his rhetoric communicates how I view my own life and struggles. If he has actually learned from his experiences, we have a chance of slowing this train down before an unimaginable consequence of national insanity. It will take the majority of Americans understanding the Constitution and the principles that have taken us to greatness and ignoring (or not understanding them) led us to where we stand today.
I support Newt because of what he says he will do, no less than any politician I have ever voted for in my life. It will be up to him whether he can and will try to do what he says he will. Only time will reveal its impact. This is truly a vote for the least evil and if one pragmatically examines the facts, the choice is Newt.
Wayne
“To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association—the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.” – Thomas Jefferson -
Gingrich: An Example of Our Worst and Our Best?
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 9:47AM EST (link)Yes, nobody will reverse America’s decline until the American population undergoes a personality transplant.
The famous observation by De Tocqueville that America is great because it is good can now be debated: How “good” is America today?
When watching the moral train wrecks of “The Bachelor” or “Jersey Shore” or “Two and Half Men” occupies our population, when envy against success becomes a hallmark of too many of us, when we allow the next generation to be flushed down the sewers literally through abortions and intellectually and spiritually through our schools and “kulcher,” one can see how weighted the scales are on one side.
Gingrich shows us such wreckage in his personal life: in moral logic, the trouble with voting for the lesser of two evils…is that you are still voting for evil.
Will he show us an example of a political and personal transformation?
We hear in the churches that God chooses unexpected people to effect transformations: tax collectors, fishermen, carpenters, shepherds, semi-lunatics eating locusts in the desert.
2012 will be interesting!
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
A silvered tongue Newt
geoph Monday, January 23rd at 9:36AM EST (link)Americans hate Newt. Isn’t that from the same source that tells us Americans support ObamaCare? The same source that tells us Americans support the “Occupy Movement”? The same source that tells us increasing debt is our only hope for economic stability? The same source that backs Liberals over Conservatives every time? Now, why on earth would you give credence to this story from that source?
Newt is a smooth talker. Listen again, not just to the debates of last week, but pull up some of his speeches from the ’90′s. He can get your attention, he can hold your attention, he can persuade you, he can inspire you, and he can motivate you to want to act. He is very good at interpreting the mood of people, and he generally frames his goals as a positive progression.
I was a Newt supporter in the ’90′s; I urged him not to make this run early in 2010. Now, I’m backing Newt for 2012. Presentation is important, and I feel Newts power of presentation is unequaled by any other candidate – even the Dem’s. With Obama, everything is a negative: we don’t pay enough in taxes, Americans have gotten soft and lazy, and people need more government assistance. Newt speaks of solutions, of the unemployed getting employed, of Government letting Capitalism and entrepreneurs do what they do, and of a brighter future for America because of Americans.
When the two visions of America are scrutinized side by side – Americans (including “Independent” voters) will flock to the positive view like moths to a light.
Its the verbal bombs that sometimes he doesnt think about...
conservativeparrothead Monday, January 23rd at 10:58AM EST (link)The Radical Right Wing Social Engineering – what he should of said was, I like much of what Ryan has proposed and he is to be commended for taking on a subject which many people wont touch with a 10 foot pole and kick it down the road for the next congress.
However, you need to sell this to the American people, because in their minds the change is very dramatic. They would have many questions:
You are an older person who can barely open your mail and we are expecting this person to get a voucher and go out and purchase health care?
What if health care costs exceed the voucher amount, what are the fall backs?
These are concerns people have with such a plan, Congressman Ryan needs to explain some of the nuts and bolts before expecting to get such a dramatic change enacted.
Its the verbal bombs that sometimes he doesnt think about...
conservativeparrothead Monday, January 23rd at 10:58AM EST (link)The Radical Right Wing Social Engineering – what he should of said was, I like much of what Ryan has proposed and he is to be commended for taking on a subject which many people wont touch with a 10 foot pole and kick it down the road for the next congress.
However, you need to sell this to the American people, because in their minds the change is very dramatic. They would have many questions:
You are an older person who can barely open your mail and we are expecting this person to get a voucher and go out and purchase health care?
What if health care costs exceed the voucher amount, what are the fall backs?
These are concerns people have with such a plan, Congressman Ryan needs to explain some of the nuts and bolts before expecting to get such a dramatic change enacted.
Verbal bombs included
geoph Monday, January 23rd at 2:02PM EST (link)And who doesn’t step in it from time to time?
Hasn’t history shown us how one handles the misstep is even more crucial than the misstep? Look at the boner on Ryan’s budget – yet he wins SC. Look at Perry in contrast. He insults most Conservatives in a debate and stumbles painfully in answering a basic question on the size of government in another, but was not a smooth enough talker to make amends.
In this sound bite society i dont think its the “verbal bombs” that get you, but if you can’t smooth talk your way through damage control – you won’t recover.
Nixon was "successful"?
Ed54 (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 12:06PM EST (link)He resigned the Presidency in disgrace after being exposed for criminal acts. He was unethical to his core. He hated everyone who disagreed with him, a hatred that would eventually be his undoing.
Nixon is exhibit A for why character counts, and why Newt should not be our nominee. Thanks for drawing the parallel.
“If all men were just, there would be no need of valor.”
- Agesilaus
Yes, Nixon Was Successful! Gingrich Can Be Too, IF...
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 1:05PM EST (link)Elected to the House, Nixon was invited onto the House Committee on Un-American Activities, where he built a national reputation with the Alger Hiss case.
This national reputation got him onto Eisenhower’s ticket.
He then won two elections for the presidency!
THAT is success, despite his personality traits, which, as I outlined above, he controlled in order to win those elections. That is the theme of the essay: Gingrich can win, IF he delivers a Conservative message, refuses to play footsy with the media ( or with e.g. global warmists), AND controls those traits you dislike.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
A Sophoclean Tragedy Waiting To Happen: Gingrich Agonistes
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 7:28PM EST (link)Garry Wills, a Conservative apostate, wrote a book about Nixon in 1970 called “Nixon Agonistes” (the adjective comes from ancient Greek meaning “combatant” or “struggler.”). In it, he concluded – not unjustly – that Nixon was actually a liberal, who gave Conservatives the rhetoric, but not much else.
I recall very vividly the cover of National Review after the 1968 election, as the editors (led by Wm. F. Buckley) supported the “Triumphant New Nixon” ! If you are not old enough to remember, “New Nixon” was one of the slogans used to show us that Dick Nixon was back in a “new way.”
Among left-wing measures used by Nixon: wage and price controls, apathy toward abortion’s legalization, and summarily removing the dollar form gold convertibility.
Gingrich strikes me as capable of the same: giving us the rhetoric and the shaft simultaneously.
And I also fear that Gingrich’s more erratic traits could also lead him to scandal and disaster: in several senses, they already have, as many have pointed out. Again, the parallel with Nixon is unsettling.
Still, if he is the nominee, I will vote for Gingrich!
Jim DeMint? DeMint? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
I have to agree. Nixon was a very successful politician.
Tbone (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 7:44PM EST (link)Further, you must agree he was railroaded out of office by the liberal press and his political enemies, unless you are willing to argue had LBJ done exactly the same thing he would have been run out of office likewise.
As for his policies, they certainly got him re-elected with 60%+ of the popular vote and a 520-18 electoral college vote.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Proof That A Liberal Republican Is Still Hated By The MSM
Ausonius (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 7:56PM EST (link)Yes, quite right: ultimately Watergate is nothing compared to the election fraud perpetrated by the Democrats in Texas on behalf of Lyndon Johnson.
The MSM hated Nixon with a passion, and none of his liberal overtures persuaded them to treat him even-handedly. Dan Rather and CBS were infamous for beating the Watergate drum: Nixon of course committed numerous mistakes which he should have avoided, like not trying to “maximize the presidency” to begin with, knowing that McGovern was D.O.A. anyway.
Republicans can never be liberal enough for the leftist press. Gingrich apparently realizes this, which is only to his credit.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
If Newt is the nominee all we can do is
Pi Over Three (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 3:24PM EST (link)“hope” the next 4 years go by quickly.
I drive a car powered by hydrogen – C8H18 to be exact.
regardless of who wins
Ed54 (Diary) Monday, January 23rd at 6:10PM EST (link)nt
“If all men were just, there would be no need of valor.”
- Agesilaus
GOP lies about Newt -- some exoneration details
jseville Wednesday, January 25th at 11:49AM EST (link)The GOP establishment and media such as Brit Hume dramatically distort Newt’s negatives and make for self-fulfilling prophecy ironically.
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/article/what-really-happened-gingrich-ethics-case/336051
Very Dissappointed with Brit Hume....
WillWong (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 11:54AM EST (link)I used to like Brit Hume a lot but have been very dissappointed with him lately.
Read somewhere that Newt could have played a part in the suicide death of his gay son Sandy Hume when he was threaten with outing during the failed coup of Speaker Gingrich in 1996. Hope it is not payback time for Brit!
Baier even asked Hume if he was in the tank for Romney
Common_Cents (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:18PM EST (link)Hume said, I callem as I see em. haha
Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from,
behind, the Back Nine.Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.
Is Drudge is in Gingrich attack mode as well.
Common_Cents (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:20PM EST (link)Sheesh, several top headlines bashing Gingrich.
Here comes the establishment push for a new candidate. What a disaster.
Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from,
behind, the Back Nine.Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.
Fox News, Drudge, Coulter, et al
In The Hook (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:26PM EST (link)Were our buddies when they backed Romney over McCain in ’08. Remember that? Did you folks ever stop to think that these people also care about conservatism and think that Newt would be a suicidal decision?
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
These guys backed Romney over Mccain in 2008
WillWong (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 2:00PM EST (link)because Romney was their guy even way back in 2008. McCain was not the establishment candidate. Mccain was always for McCain! He was a maverick….he does strange things to poke the eyes of the establishment as well as conservatives.
McCain sneak through because Romney and the Establishment was busy fighting Huckabee.
I don’t think Fox News, Drudge, Coulter were our buddies back then….anyone who is for Romney is not our buddies.
Rush, Hannity, Levin..
In The Hook (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 2:28PM EST (link)They too were for Romney in ’08. Just sayin’.
“Hello? You play to win the game.”
Support conservatives that can win.
http://www.marcorubio.com
Pelosi is terrified of Gingrich
Common_Cents (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:35PM EST (link)Look at this interview. Does she have brain damage from Botox? Something is seriously wrong with her, besides being a lying idiot dingbat.
If Pelosi had so much damaging goods on Ginrich. Why the heck would she say this now? Wouldn’t they want Gingrich and save surprises for the general?
The left does NOT want Gingrich to be nominated.
Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from,
behind, the Back Nine.Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.
Pelosi's Secret About Gingrich
Ausonius (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:50PM EST (link)Somebody on FOX News Radio commented that the reason she has not revealed this supposed secret yet, is because it does not exist.
Is she mentally ill, or as I wrote earlier, showing the effects of arteriosclerosis? Something is wrong: I still remember her glassy-eyed drug-induced nodding smile while saying about MAObamaCare: “We have to pass it, so we can find out what’s in it.”
Besides being terminally stupid, the comment could also show something deeper.
Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.
Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.
Cato@rock.com
Looks like Pelosi is on some wicked medication, Gingrich calls her out. Says Bring it on.
Common_Cents (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 12:56PM EST (link)There is no way that woman isn’t heavily medicated.
Newt calls her out:
“As my campaign has gotten stronger, the attacks have become more hysterical and more factually incorrect,” Mr. Gingrich said in an interview Wednesday with The Washington Times-affiliated “America’s Morning News” radio program.
Mr Gingrich challenged Mrs. Pelosi to “put up or shut up.”
“I have no idea what she’s talking about, I don’t think she has any idea what she’s talking about. But bring it on,” the GOP presidential front-runner told hosts John McCaslin and Dana Mills. “When you’re a left-wing Democrat, the prospect of a Gingrich presidency is really sort of like a nightmare. And they’re right. My goal is to go to Washington to change it, not just to get along with the old order.”
Obama=Golfer in Chief, Leading from,
behind, the Back Nine.Leaders don’t create movements. Movements create leaders. Get involved. Your future depends on it.
Govt “invests” YOUR tax money for POLITICAL return rather than economic return.
More likely, Ausonius, it's something she legally can't share ...
acat (Diary) Wednesday, January 25th at 1:19PM EST (link)and it’s not the first time in this race we’ve seen something like that, remember that Cain couldn’t comment on his sexual harassment issues because they were covered by non-disclosure agreements.
Assuming it’s something from the ’90s when they were in the House together, it’d have to be significant new news to really rock Gingrich… and the timing here is all wrong for that. If the Dems really had a poison pill on Gingrich, you’d think they’d release it late in the primary, or after he’s the nominee, not now.
That makes me think this is another nothing-burger, and that San Fran Nan is getting her own retirement in order before she releases it. (she’s not getting any younger…)
Mew
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Caveat Suffragator