Posted on 11/18/2011 3:54:43 PM PST by jageorge72
But there’s a solid argument that Newt (1) hasn’t changed, and (2) if he’s changed, it’s back into someone pursuing intellectual conservatism, not conservatism that comes from his gut.
It’s the latter that has led him to so many missteps. What conservative, or even panderer to conservatives, in their right mind would do and say the things he has done in just the last couple of years, especially knowing he was going to run for president?
Boggles the mind.
Well, bottom line is: we will see, to one extent or another.
Thank you. Good replies often are generated by good posts (yours).
Are you saying that, BUT FOR their performance in the presidential debates, McCain, Kerry and Gore would have won the election?
Hell's Bells, as it was John Kerry got over 48% of the popular vote and Gore actually won the popular vote and by a large margin. It was only the genius of our electoral college system that kept those two doofuses from becoming President! The debates had nothing to do with it.
?
Maybe in hindsight I’ll think differently (and a lot will depend upon how Cain performs from here on out), but my own sense is that Gingrich would never had gotten a second look for the top spot had the course of Cain’s campaign not given him that opening.
The fact is Cain and Gingrich offer two completely different persona: the Happy Warrior, pure outsider CEO who exuded optimism and the frumpy somewhat politically absent-minded professor and ultimate D.C. insider who was never quite inspirational in the personal sense.
This also gives me pause. The country is hungry for that kind of authentic optimism of a Cain, and Gingrich just doesn’t have that kind of personality or persona. And what people are drawn to now is actually Attack Newt — “wowzer, just can’t wait to see Obama humiliated” (as if he’s not humiliated every waking moment).
Attack Newt won’t be able to live in the White House. It would be stupid and highly unpresidential for President Gingrich to snap back at reporters the way he is now (to the utter delight of many).
(Plus, when he says “reach out to the Dems,” we all know that he knows what we know, that is, the the Dems INCLUDE THE MSM. Um, so where does that leave those who voted for Newt because he whupped up on Maria Bartiromo?)
So again . . . in addition to the not-inconsequential risk that we’re actually getting the “old boyfriend,” not the “guy who’s changed,” perhaps this is another way in which we’re setting up a severe failure of expectations. Sort of like buying a Porsche in Germany, then getting it home and realizing there really is nowhere you can drive it 200 mph.
His consulting contract (which specifically stated that he would NOT do any lobbying for the benefit of his client) had nothing to do with the collapse of the housing market. That was in the works before he ever signed on with Freddie Mac.
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