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.”
“You see,” Gingrich said, “when Lincoln challenged Douglas “
I suppose they’ll flip a coin to see who gets to be Lincoln.
You’re right, it is impressive. We live near this event and had no idea it took place. Had we known there would have been at least another five standing in the hall to hear Gingrich.
First Gingrich compares himself to Reagan and Thatcher now it's Lincoln and Douglas?
If he were half as smart as he thinks he is then he wouldn't have been thrown out as Speaker.
naps,
if Santorum showed any real movement, I’d be running the “Rick Santorum Ping list” instead.
No Palin, and Rick is dead in the water. Sigh.
“I don’t know if that person is Newt Gingrich or not, but I’m willing to hear him out and give him a chance to change my opinion one way or another.”
That is my stance also along with some of the other candidates. I want to hear the candidates out unlike some others here are Free Republic.
Since his presentation of his amnesty plane he probably would have had an even better turnout in Immokalee.
I suppose they’ll flip a coin to see who gets to be Lincoln.
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Look at your posting name and you use a comment like this???
Since his presentation of his amnesty plan he probably would have had an even better turnout in Immokalee.
Unfortunately you are right. I just keep him named because I think he hasn’t received a fair look. Sure he doesn’t have the flair of some candidates, but he sincerely is a good man who would absolutely 100 percent love America. But I know you know that since you mentioned the ping list. :-)
Add about 50 pounds to this picture. Newt’s baggage has baggage, not the word baggage used by the voters at the event.
I suppose they could take turns wearing a fake beard and tall stovepipe hat.
Yeah, you’re right. They should shoot craps for it since they both seem to think they’re `Honest Abe’ reborn.
I guess they couldn't find a 'pathway to avoid deportation.' If only they had been here at least 25 years.
“Newt Gingrich holds town hall meeting in Naples (Packed, overflowing room!)”
Wow. I guess he is the best hope of Illegals, and they appear to really want to hear what he has to say.
(hopefully they brought their kids to translate)
While Newt may have baggage, Obama has much more....it’s that we can’t find most of the damn bags. Newt is a choir boy compared to Obama.
I think she wiil campaign for him.
Yeah, that room in the attached video was just overflowing with obvious illegals......Not!
I hope for our sake youre wrong
His 6 year affair is so offputtng to me. It’s so much worse and deceptive than a one night indiscretion.
Also amnesty hurts my life personally. I think he’s not trustworthy. But I love him at the debates.
Toobad Newt isn’t a conservative.
I was in a packed, overflowing room just last weekend.
But the Wal-mart janitor got it plunged and mopped up.
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