From the AP and hosted by the Indianapolis Star comes this story on how Newt Gingrich is rejuvenating otherwise lethargic conservatives . These are those that have stood with the President, but have felt that not enough has been done to advance a true conservative agenda. They have had some differences with Mr. Bush on some things, but have stayed clear of too much criticism on him, because the Democrats have been slaughtering him relentlessly. They have stood with him in his efforts to fight terrorists, but some believe he has not done enough, or has not done it as smartly as he could have.
Newt had the world by the tail, when he and many other Republicans rode the "Contract With America" to victory in 1994. However, his style at that time was considered brash, arrogant, and harsh. The battles drawn up against President Clinton were perceived by many as mean-spirited. In fact, after the loss of the White House in 1992, many GOP were unexpectedly bitter and took every opportunity to demonize the President. There is nothing wrong with battling over policy, but the battles grew very personal with many.
But those mistakes aside, there is not a more intelligent person that can articulate his ideas as well as he can, in the GOP. And, there is no one else that is the embodiment of that conservative agenda that was laid out, in those 94 mid-terms. Communication and the ability to communicate well, are the two of the main essentials that determine whether or not, someone is electable. Despite his polarizing style in the 90s, he may be able to win over some that first thought him to be nothing more than a partisan hack. If you can ever listen to some of his observations and his ideas, you will soon come to realize that he has some good ideas and is more than capable as a thinker, analyst, and communicator.
This is not an endorsement of any kind, this is just an observation. It is a long time until November 08, and I have a lot of time to make up my mind.
8 comments:
Of those I am aware of likely running, Newt is the by far the most capable. He unfortunately has baggage. The left will surely try to exploit his affair on his wife, though they never seem to care when it is their own guyg running.
The rest of the baggage was caused mostly by imaginary and made up things by the media. The media hated him for his successful revolution and by winning the house, keeping Clinton mostly at bay for the remainder of his presidency.
Newt always gave extremely intelligent comments in interviews and always blew away either the interviewer and/or any opponent he was on a show with. At the time the old media was still strong enough to take this and spin it against him. I don't think they could get away with it today.
My comments are not an endorsement either. I like Newt. One good thing is that he would not embarrass our side in the presidential debates. Bush was only able to hold his own in the debates against Gore and Kerry because they were both pompous asses always trying to reinvent themselves. A debater he is not.
So far I lean towards George Allen. I need to learn more about him, but the more I hear the more I like.
AICS,
There's a lot to like about George Allen, but he seems to lack pizzazz. And far too many voters cast their ballots based on pizzazz.
On a Hannity radio broadcast, I heard an interview with Giuliani, and George Allen's name came up as a running mate. Hmmm....
Gingrich is a good candidate, but I'm not sure that he's electable. I can't quite say why I think that, however. I just have a vague notion that his baggage will present a problem, but I don't have the slightest clue as to the details.
I think Allen will have more appeal in the south which is where elections seem to be decided these days. I'll have to check out his pizzazz factor. I only heard his voice once or twice in a radio interview.
To me the most important factor after review of positions is trying to determine how easily they will leap to a compromise. We need a Compromise Susceptibility Index (CSI) for presidential candidates where 1 is they will leap to compromise and 10 is that the media will call him stubborn. Bill Frist is at 0, unfortunately. Guiliani I fear is at about a 4. Bush domestically is at about a 5; Foreign about a 10. So far I see Allen at around 7-8.
Flip Allen to the top and Guliani to the bottom and I think we may have a good one. Who knows.
You don't remember Newt's baggage because except for the affair it was all manufactured.
I do not know a lot about Allen except he was some relation to the football coach. Son, I would guess?
Anyway, Newt is a damned smart guy. He wasn't mature enough to handle being thrusted into the spotlights, with so much power, so fast. As for his affair, none of my business.
I didn't care about Clinton's escapades either. One of the most embarassing moments was how the GOP spent $12 million or so, and all they got was a LIE, about consensual oral sex. Not exactly fitting of the high crimes and treason sort, in my opinion.
But Newt, will get hammered by the left for it. The media will play that up. But I have said it many times and I will say it again; making too big of a deal out of one's private and personal life, can come back to haunt you, once you set that precedent.
Newt was instrumental in that Monica-gate circus. He could have softened it and even stopped it, but he rode with the wave and it splashed hard on a rock, as he (I am sure) is now aware of.
The pendulum swings back hard.
"I even look foward to seeing the Democrat version that never seems to materialize."
I pray every day to see that. The day that comes out is the day we will see the beginning of the end of the Dems. Once they clearly establish where they stand, they are doomed.
Of course the biggest reason I want to see the Dems go away is so we can establish a conservative party without splitting the vote. Conservatives vs. GOP.
I like Newt. he's smart and capable and actually knows some history. But his various skeletons and that little government shut-down thing might be too much to overcome. The liberal press remembers.
Yes, the greatest crime in the liberal mind is to shut down government for a few days. I thought it was great. Unfortunately, the libs will defineitely zero in on that.
"Yes, the greatest crime in the liberal mind is to shut down government for a few days."
You are right AICS, but you didn't go far enough.
Take the President, for instance.
The fact is, ANYTHING the President does is a crime, At least it is to the left.
Any decision, any reaction, any initiative any stance, any idea, and any opinion. Whatever he does, is nothing less than criminal. And if he does something good (or even something neutral), they will either turn it into some kind of negative or go back to WMDs, Abu Ghraib/torture, New Orleans, or the wiretaps. They take the weakest of reasonings and blow them up into a fantasy world, full of histrionics and hysterics. They manufacture lies.
And you know what is really bad? They really hate the man. Not just a political hate, but a true bitter hatred that spreads like a cancer inside of them and eventually consumes them, so that their every waking moment is filled with thoughts on how to hurt the man.
They seethe, they plot, they subvert, and they manipulate. Not for an ideology or something that they truly believe in. They do it for revenge. They know they do, and their consciences do not bother them, one iota.
How sad it must be, to be them.
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