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Newt will never, ever be GOP nominee
Washington Post ^ | 11/15/2011 | Jonathan Bernstein

Posted on 11/15/2011 10:33:39 AM PST by presidio9

Yes, Newt Gingrich has spiked in the polls. No, he’s not going to be the nominee. I’ve been trying to duck this one because it feels like laying out the obvious, but, briefly, three reasons:

1. The baggage he’s always had — the marital difficulties, the ethics troubles, a whole bunch of deviations from conservative orthodoxy over the years (such as that ad he shot with Nancy Pelosi: “Our country must take action to address climate change”) — just isn’t going to go away. Republican voters don’t have those things in mind at the moment, but no candidate is more vulnerable to attack ads than the former Speaker.

2. Message discipline, lack thereof. It’s impossible to imagine Newt not saying something that hurts him if there’s a microphone in front of his face for a three-week stretch, which is what wouldgoing to happen if the press decides he actually has a chance at winning this thing. We have a couple decades of evidence, including earlier this year, showing that he’s just not able to do it. For whatever it’s worth, I’d add that as I read the polling over the years, Newt’s basic act is unlikely to wear well with voters after extended exposure. People just don’t like the guy.

3. Both of those might be overcome, but this one won’t: it’s highly unlikely that anyone who worked with Newt Gingrich when he was Speaker would want him anywhere near the White House. As detailed in many places, but perhaps most memorably by David Maraniss and Michael Weisskopf in their

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: drivebymedia; newt; reevaluategingrich; wapo
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To: presidio9

Newt’s marital problems don’t concern me, nor does the fact that he carried out his new romance while still married. All of that is between him, his wives and God. The ethics charges against Newt were politics as usual from the sleazy left. ...Newt lead the charge with the Contract with America and welfare reform, and his pal Pelosi has lead the way in undoing much of it.

My problem with Newt is that he quit under pressure. What is his position on energy exploitation and global warming, or on socialized medicine, and what compromises will he make under pressure from the establishment? Why after his long hiatus does Newt want to run for president? I think he is in this to help Romney.


41 posted on 11/15/2011 10:52:51 AM PST by pallis
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To: sickoflibs

Newt’s wife as First Lady! AWK!!


42 posted on 11/15/2011 10:53:25 AM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: lonestar67

Look at whom this ‘journalist’ names as his supporting cast. David Maraniss and Michael Weisskopf? Please, the 180,000 hit pieces written during Newt’s Spaekership in the media’s effort to protect the sexual degenerate sinkEmperor clintoon relied upon Maraniss and Weisskopf to feed the sleazy lies to the public attention. Weisskopf was probably the source of the lie that ‘Newt’s wife was dying of cnacer in the hospital when Newt forced her to sign divorce papers’. It is time for the American people to remove the power to destroy people from the commie loving degenerates infecting the once viable Fourth Estate. The nedia are the enemy of We The People, if folks haven’t yet noticed.


43 posted on 11/15/2011 10:53:29 AM PST by MHGinTN (Some, believing they can't be deceived, it's nigh impossible to convince them when they're deceived.)
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To: Josh Painter
Make a case FOR Newt that doesn't revolve around "Newt is so smart, he would destroy Obama in a debate"

This is the problem Cult of Personality candidates like Newt always face. Their record never matches the Public Relations mythology being spun about them

44 posted on 11/15/2011 10:53:36 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: Sans-Culotte
The article also quoted Andrew Sullivan explaining why (s)he does not feel Newt is a conservative.

I know. I was really disappointed that I didn't have room for that in the excerpt.

45 posted on 11/15/2011 10:53:41 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
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To: jessduntno
I like this one also.

I'm not a Gingrich supporter. He's smart and good at debating, but he's a RINO and I wouldn't trust him for dog catcher much less the presidency. He's down near the bottom of my list of eligible *cough* Republicans just before Ron Paul. Romney at the very bottom, of course, tied with Giuliani for when hell freezes over.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2807007/posts?page=50#50

46 posted on 11/15/2011 10:54:16 AM PST by South40 (NO RINOS IN 2012!)
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To: org.whodat
Newt could only insure one thing, that is obummer would get a second term.

Back in the "RUN SARAH RUN" era, to suggest that electability was a concern was to risk riding the lightning, or at least being tagged as a Romney "bot".

Now that Her Grizzliness is not the subject of discussion, I guess that electability is back on the table.

Newt '12 for me.

47 posted on 11/15/2011 10:54:58 AM PST by Notary Sojac
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To: presidio9

I don’t know who will end up running for President in the Republician party. I do know that I am sick and tired of having other people tell me who will not be, can not be or is not ready to be President. The media effectively elected Mr. obama, the ineligible citizen (Not Natural Born Citizen). I will make up my own mind and the media and political idiots that think they know everything can take a long walk off a short pier.

If Newt or Herman is the one the Republicans run, then I will vote for them. If the Dems would run anyone other then obama, I would “consider” voting for them.


48 posted on 11/15/2011 10:55:26 AM PST by Crazy ole coot (Mr. obama (the squatter in the White House) is Not a Natural Born Citizen!!)
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To: South40
No RINOs, no Newt, no thanks.
And you know that Cain won't govern like a RINO based on, well, based on the time he... what I mean to say is, based on... actually, if you take the time Cain served as... well, base it on this... .... .... could you remind me again?

We know Cain won't govern like a RINO... I KNOW! Because he SAYS he won't.

Ok. Got it!

I'm in.

I'm ALL IN with that plan!

Go, go, go!

We're a cheerleader squad now, ain't we?

49 posted on 11/15/2011 10:55:43 AM PST by samtheman
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To: SpaceBar
There were no skeletons in Cain's past. Did not stop the smear machine from simply manufacturing them at will.

And Newt's professional, and political, history give them a whole lot more to play off of.

50 posted on 11/15/2011 10:56:02 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: presidio9

The Acid and Venom against Cain, Perry, Gingrich, Palin, Paul needs to stop.

When I am upset by Gingrich’s foolishness in his cap and trade or trist with Princess Nancy, I remember that the Contract with America and resultant taking of Congress by Conservatives was his achievement.

And those of you that hate W., He kept America strong, lowered taxes, and appointed 2 conservative justices.

The Serpents are at the gate and we are shooting each other. Satan and Obama are laughing.

By the Way, Don’t believe the Media. They do not have truth nor your best interests at heart.


51 posted on 11/15/2011 10:56:43 AM PST by TFMcGuire (Liberalism Is Hatred)
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To: samtheman

Go away kook. You lost all credibility yesterday when you made unsubstantiated accusations against me. It’s not like you ever had any but your cred is now Zer0.


52 posted on 11/15/2011 10:57:30 AM PST by South40 (NO RINOS IN 2012!)
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To: Notary Sojac
Now that Her Grizzliness is not the subject of discussion, I guess that electability is back on the table.
It's funny how certain arbiters of How To Think About All Things actually think, isn't it?
53 posted on 11/15/2011 10:58:48 AM PST by samtheman
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To: pallis

Newt could have stayed on after losing his Speakership, and continued to fight on, odds are eventually he would have returned to the top....but no, he quit, and seeked the easy life of writing books and going on the lecture circuit.

An earlier thread suggested he was America’s “Churchill.”

Churchill was in a similar position in the mid-30s, ostracized by his own party, a voice in the wilderness, warning the war-weary British about the threat of Nazi Germany. Did he quit? No...he believed so strongly in his cause he kept going until history proved him right.

Where were Newt’s convictions?


54 posted on 11/15/2011 10:58:56 AM PST by dfwgator (I stand with Herman Cain.)
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To: TonyInOhio; South40
"No RINOs, no Newt, no thanks."

Wow, and I was just coming around to the idea that newt could win. OK, who do you support?

Don't ask him, if he had gunpowder in his mind, he couldn't blow his nose.

55 posted on 11/15/2011 10:58:58 AM PST by jessduntno ("They say the world has become too complex for simple answers... they are wrong." - RR)
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To: org.whodat

You CFS members are the ONLY weapon barry the bassturd has for his re-election bid. Keep up your work for him and you will cause the very thing you claim to be workign to prevent. I don’t know whom you support, but I will bet your posting of the past three weeks will reveal strenuous efforts to assassinate the character of the ones you do not support, refusing to actually post what you believe to be the reasons to nominate your choice. THAT is conducting a cirucular firng squad. And I’ll bet you’re a proud working member of same.


56 posted on 11/15/2011 10:59:05 AM PST by MHGinTN (Some, believing they can't be deceived, it's nigh impossible to convince them when they're deceived.)
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To: RexBeach
My guess is that his history of marital fidelity has only been highlighted enough by Democrats to remove him as Speaker. Just-enough, Just-in-time is the Democrat tactic with a surefire ability to escalate as needed at a time of their choosing.

His personal failings are not singular, i.e., not just one instance. Couple that with other potential failings by "Callista" (of which never was openly investigated AND reports)...

I'd say some dirty diapers are waiting in the wings for Newt.

57 posted on 11/15/2011 10:59:44 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: Notary Sojac

Wrong, Palin had 27% negatives and had always had, but most people still liked and respected her. Newt has the same track on negatives and he could not win a spiting contest and no one respects him.


58 posted on 11/15/2011 11:00:28 AM PST by org.whodat (Just another heartless American, hated by "AMNESTY" Perry and his fellow demorats.)
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To: MHGinTN

What is CFS?


59 posted on 11/15/2011 11:00:54 AM PST by samtheman
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To: South40

Hey, I’m on your side now.

You convinced me.

Anybody who SAYS he’s a conservative AND HAS SOUTH40 SAYING IT TOO...

Wow. Can’t get more rock-solid conservative than that.


60 posted on 11/15/2011 11:02:25 AM PST by samtheman
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