Posted on 11/25/2011 5:57:36 PM PST by TitansAFC
Is Newt Gingrich the latest flavor of the month among the candidates pursuing the Republican nomination for president? Or is he a real candidate who can beat the supposed frontrunner Mitt Romney?
If the reaction from his appearance Friday in Naples is even the slightest indication, then the former Speaker of the House will indeed challenge Romney for a spot on the ticket to face President Barack Obama next November.
At least 800 people crammed into the Hilton Hotel for a townhall meeting. The ballroom was jammed to the gills and loud speakers were added in the the hallways to accommodate those who weren’t allowed into the room.
He was a commanding presence at the lectern. He spoke for 39 minutes without notes and not once in his talk did he even utter one “uh.”
Gingrich speech was aimed at Obama and not his GOP opponents. He used his background as a history teacher to pepper his speech with historical milestones and repeatedly referred to the presidential race of 1860 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
It was then that the two candidates held seven three-hour debates with no moderator, just a time keeper. As he has done in other speeches, Gingrich said that if he is nominated, he will challenge Obama to a series of Lincoln-Douglas-type debates.
He said he has a plan that would force the president into debating.
“You see,” Gingrich said, “when Lincoln challenged Douglas and he at first declined, Lincoln began following Douglas where he was speaking and the next day would answer Douglas. It didn’t take Douglas too long to agree to debate.
“So when I am nominated, I will let the White House be my schedule maker. Where ever Obama goes is where my schedule goes. I won’t show up the next day though, I will be there four hours after he speaks.”
In a speech interrupted by applause more than a dozen times, that brought the loudest and most sustained ovation.
In a debate last Tuesday, Gingrich spoke out about his immigration position, and he said, was misinterpreted by his GOP opponents. He said the tenents of his immigration plan are “Control the border, English is the official language of the United States, and it’s baloney, if anyone suggests that I favor amnesty for 11 million illegal immigrants.”
He said the government should make it easier for visitors to get visas. “It should be easier to disspell someone who is not desirable.”
Gingrich said his immigration stance hasn’t changed recently. “Check the transcripts of some debates. I said the same thing at the Reagan Library debate.”
Asked why the brouhaha now on immigration, he said it’s because he’s now running well in polls and his opponents are worried.
In essence, Gingrich appears to be setting himself up as the anti-Romney candidate, someone the tea party can turn to.
Barry Willoughby, founder of the Naples tea party movement, admitted that he has been skeptical about Gingrich, but is being won over to a degree.
“I’ve been following him lately and have been very impressed. I wasn’t that enthusiastic at first.
“The question remains ... is he electable. Does he have too much baggage.”
That also concerns Hal Molhoek of Naples.
“He has a firm grasp of the fact. He makes a lot of common sense. He knows the pulse of the country.
“I’m still not sure. I am a little concerned with his baggage.”
What would a townhall meeting be without an appeal for votes?
“Florida could be the decisive primary. If I win Florida I will be the nominee. I hope to do very well in Iowa and respectably in New Hampshire. We are the favorites in South Carolina. Right now I think Iowa is a jump ball,” he said.
“And, if you know anyone in Iowa, tell them to vote for me.”
The laws that are in place obviously aren't working because the whole system of immigration is antiquated and filled with so much bureaucracy any lawyer can find loopholes and means to stall the process. It has to be changed and the only way for that is development of what that would be. Cain didn't mention “how”.
Mentioning securing the border is a given and nothing new about that...we all know this has to be done..but again Cain offered no details how he would secure it.
Cain has needed to up his game for some time now and simply has not offered more than is generally known...and this without concrete direction...or specifics to getting the job done.
No doubt he means well..he just isn't where he needs to be to go to the next level....and we are seeing this on a consistent.
That is what the liberals all keep saying. Only a fool listens to liberals and Rinos
To all Newt supporters, time to come clean.
You support Obamacare as Newt does and you support Amnesty as Newt does.
Be proud of your support and make your case as to why Obamacare is good for us and Amnesty.
Say it I am a proud supporter of Newtcare and Amnesty.
Fred...get off your high horse and be civil about this without putting yourself in the catagory of those who play the tactics of the name blame game...you should be above that nonesense.
There’s not a single Newt supporter who is for Obamacare and you well know that so quite talking out your rear. You can be more than irritated that we are not in Cain’s court...that’s fine...we all have the right to choose who we support.
But it’s getting pretty nasty on these threads and those who beat on fellow Freeper individuals who are discussing the candidates, who genuinely want those discussions are going to vacate this place if it continues as is. Some have already done so for how thick the riduculous responses are.
At some point a truce has to ensue....can you be first?
Newt is no Reagan.
Newt is so yesterday as well.
I look forward, not back.
Who do you like?
So, are you running the Santorum ping list yet? He seems to have shown "real movement" after all.....
You mean the 1990's when Conservatives had real power?
So, I guess you'd prefer to nominate Santorum and replay the '50s.
Fred, Fred, Fred ..... have you ever met the truth? Try it. Posting truth might enhance your credibility.
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