[DoughtyOne]

The members of Congress as a whole vote for the speaker. He pissed off the whole body of majority Republicans to the point, he no longer had support to hold his position.

Yep, today we call them the GOP-E and they are backing Romney.

Speaks volumes...

Okay, I think that makes sense except for one problem.  Five years earlier most of these same people had voted the guy in as Speaker as reward for his success at turning Congress into a Republican dominated House and Senate.  In the following years the operating budget of the United States was brought into balance.  Then something happened that caused the rank and file in the House to rebel.

If you think that was because Newt was too Conservative, I think you've got some explaining to do.  This wasn't something the majority of the Republicans objected to.  It was considered a feather in their cap for having pulled it off.

It seems to me that it had more to do with personality conflicts and personal baggage.  I believe Newt's advance for his book figured in here.

[CAluvdubya]

If you think that was because Newt was too Conservative, I think you've got some explaining to do.
It seems to me that it had more to do with personality conflicts and personal baggage. I believe Newt's advance for his book figured in here.

No, I don't think it was because Newt was necessarily too conservative for them but I do think maybe they couldn't control him like they wanted.