Posted on 05/04/2016 4:14:39 AM PDT by nikos1121
Over the last three months, Trump watchers have noticed that former House speaker and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has been consistently advocating on Trump’s behalf in the media, on Capitol Hill, among K Street power brokers, and on social media. In fact, Gingrich has morphed into Trump’s unofficial ambassador for GOP peace and unity, while also seeking converts in hostile territory. Gingrich is the most recognized and respected member of the GOP establishment who is defending the insurgent candidate — even as Trump rails against that same establishment. But now, it has become apparent that Gingrich is waging an active campaign to become Donald Trump’s running mate.
These days, any Trump World speculation is incomplete without comments from Roger Stone — Trump’s high-profile, long-time, on-again-off-again unofficial consigliere who was called “Donald Trump’s Donald Trump” in a recent Politico interview. When I asked Stone about a Trump-Gingrich ticket he said, “Newt has been enormously helpful defending Trump against the establishment” and that he “should be on Trump’s short list.” Most tellingly, Stone told me that “Newt is a revolutionary, and Trump is leading a revolution.” Curious about Gingrich’s reaction to Stone’s “revolution” comment and to his name being mentioned on the Times’ VP list, I reached out to the former Speaker. This is what he said: It is an honor to be mentioned. We need a new Contract with America to outline a 100-day plan to take back Washington from the lobbyists, bureaucrats, unions, and leftists. After helping in 1980 with Reagan and 1995 as speaker I know we have to move boldly and decisively before the election results wear off and the establishment starts fighting us. That is my focus. His answer speaks volumes. In the Times article Gingrich is quoted as saying that “it would be very hard for a patriotic citizen to say no” and that “very few people pass up the chance to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.” I think it’s safe to say that Newt is actively developing a new Contract while awaiting Trump’s call. I asked Mark McKinnon, former chief media advisor to the presidential campaigns of President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain to weigh in on a Trump-Gingrich ticket. He told me that “Gingrich would add steroids to the [Trump] revolution brand message, yet still bring a wealth of D.C. knowledge and experience that could be helpful.” McKinnon also added this perspective: “The conventional wisdom when picking a VP is to shore up your weaknesses. But, if your whole campaign has been about defying convention, why not double down on your strength?”
“It’s what Bill Clinton did when he picked another young southerner [Al Gore] for his ticket,” McKinnon noted. Gingrich may not be your traditional populist outsider — he was, after all, the speaker of the House of Representatives — but Newt still maintains a patina of “outsiderness.”
If Trump is the embodiment of the populist fantasy of the outsider — with no political experience — who is thrust into power by an angry electorate with a mandate to turn Washington on its head, right all the wrongs, and “make America great again,” Gingrich could be Trump’s wise sidekick.
Even Trump knows the outsider-reformist mission is next to impossible, and that is precisely why he is quoted in another New York Times piece saying that he wants a VP with “a strong political background, who was well respected on the Hill, who can help me with legislation, and who could be a great president.”
Now, who does that sound like?
Besides Newt, only four of ten others on the Times VP list seem to be open to running for the nomination rather than running away from it. They are retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin, and Alabama senator Jeff Sessions. For the record, Sessions is the only senator who has endorsed Trump, and is openly advising his campaign.
Even though the Times lists Ohio governor John Kasich as a possible Trump pick — I made the case for why a Trump-Kasich ticket would make sense back in January — that is looking less and less likely with each passing day. But even when it comes to passing legislation and pulling the levers of power, Gingrich’s skillset and experience are actually better suited to helping Trump than are Kasich’s. To use a military analogy: While serving on Capitol Hill, Representative Kasich was a mere one-star general. Gingrich, on the other hand, was the five-star supreme commander when, in 1994, he led the “Republican Revolution” that took back control of the House after four decades of Democratic party rule. Roger Stone told me that “Gingrich is a man who loves public service.” And I say, at age 73, he has everything to gain and nothing to lose — except maybe his Fox News contract.
Even if a Trump-Gingrich ticket were to lose, Newt’s media profile would have been substantially raised and he could cash in with new television contracts, as an author, and on the speaking circuit.
There are other advantages. We already know that in a no-holds-barred Clinton vs. Trump general-election campaign, Trump will be bombastic as ever. Gingrich, as Trump’s running mate, could be deployed to throw policy red-meat back at Hillary and Bill. Gingrich would be especially effective when the Clintons’ wax eloquent about their presidential legacy. That is when Gingrich could speak real truth to power because he — more than any other person in Washington — helped shape the Clinton presidency from his perch as speaker of the House.
During those volatile years (a period that culminated in Gingrich’s shocking resignation), it was the Clintons vs. Gingrich in political hand-to-hand combat. Now, more than two decades later, a potential Trump-Gingrich vs. the Clinton Machine matchup has all the makings of an epic battle. Furthermore, if Trump remained weak on policy specifics, speaking only in broad strokes and grand gestures, Gingrich could play wing-man: Trump knows that no one is more versed in the nuances of foreign and domestic policy than Newt Gingrich.
There is an obvious downside, however, of a Trump-Gingrich ticket: With gender issues shaping up to be a yuuge factor in the general election, Newt’s three marriages are sure to raise red flags that Team Clinton will joyfully exploit. Fortunately for him, since 2000, it appears that he has been happily married to the very accomplished Callista Gingrich. Still, with six marriages between Trump and Gingrich, one can only imagine all the trophy-wife jokes that would be thrown at the Republican ticket — especially given that both men are currently married to stunning women 20-plus-years their junior.
The real question is whether Newt would hinder Trump’s ability to attract female voters. That’s unlikely — the real onus for attracting women voters will fall on Trump. But assuming Callista plays an active role in the campaign, she could be a tremendous asset both to Gingrich and to Trump, helping to smooth some of their rougher edges. Gingrich is media savvy and a mega fundraising asset. He is good on the campaign trail and could solidify support among conservatives. Newt and Callista could even help rally Catholics.
Most important, Gingrich legitimizes Trump’s candidacy and would refine Trump’s somewhat unartful domestic and foreign-policy positions. And if the current general-election polls are correct, and Trump has alienated Hispanic and female voters to the point where the Republican ticket is going to be soundly beaten — Gingrich could possibly use some of his own political capital to help minimize down-ballot losses by stumping for endangered Republican senators and members of Congress. A Trump-Gingrich ticket would send a strong signal that “Make America Great Again” is not just a campaign slogan but the theme for a new Republican Revolution — with Newt Gingrich as its chief strategist.
— Myra Adams is a media producer and political writer. She was on creative team of the 2004 Bush campaign and on the ad council of the 2008 McCain campaign. E-mail her at MyraAdams01@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @MyraKAdams.
I don’t think he is as concerned about how many votes the VP can draw as how effective the individual will be in working with Congress.
He is confident with his ability to draw the needed votes to win.
Rince and repeat has NO RIGHT to pick Trump VP!!!! Trump will have enough delegates and he will pick his own VP!!!!
OMG I LOVE SHERIFF CLARK!!!!! But he has no political experience but who cares, let’s BLOW THE WHOLE DAMNED PLACE UP!!!!!
I agree but, I think he is also well aware that winning the election may require a slightly different approach and any advantage should be taken.
I do believe we will be surprised with his pick.
Nope! He needs to be behind the scenes kicking a$$.
If you’re looking for a conservative senator with lots of military experience there is Joni Ernst.
Yes indeed, the surprises will be plentiful........
Tom Delay said he would vote for Hillary ove Trump he is DEAD to me!!! I REALLY loved this guyvhe was a GREAT whip but has gone to the dark side!!!!!
She is on the Washington Posts top five list.....
General Patreus HEADS EXPLODING!!!!!
Brilliant in my opinion.
Trump — Gingrich
Brilliant in my opinion.
Trump — Gingrich
She would be a good choice. The “woman card” is checked and she’s from Iowa which will help him in those rust belt areas. Her only drawback is a lack of experience.
“I for one would love to see Newt somewhere.”
Yes. He’s been very positive regarding Trump. On some show this morning he was over-the-top thrilled that Trump might be President. He’s smart. He can draw on history to make good decisions. He knows the ropes. He has contacts.
Also, he has a lot of baggage, especially re his prior marriage. With that, and the (untrue) meme that exists re Trump is anti-woman, probably VP wouldn’t work. Chief Of Staff would be a good position.
“What about Tom Delay?”
What about him? Wasn’t there a thread on here last night about his claiming he’d rather vote for Hillary??
No more tired old blood. The thing the country needs now is to groom someone younger, bolder, with new ideas. No more ‘my turn’ nominations.
The GOP would have done well to groom Rubio and Cruz, to prepare them (assuming eligibility) or their contemporaries for the job. Instead, we had two overly ambitious, underqualified candidates who might have been excellent given time to mature and gain experience.
NO, NO, NO!
Gingrich is singing all the right notes lately, but WAKE UP! He is a CFR GLOBALIST, open border pushing, free traitor INSIDER!
Gingrich is tied up with ROVE & Norquist, always has been.
He’s just opposite of what Trump is trying to do.
I’ll tell you this....IF Trump picks Newt for VP, Trump is conning us all!
HOW have you all forgotten what Newt has always supported???
IT WASN’T US!
“What about Tom Delay?”
Is there a MEMORY deficit on FR today??
Delay IS K ST! DELAY HATES TRUMP!
Google him....Delay and his ilk ARE THE PROBLEM!
Trump is trying to get the corruption OUT of government, and here are many of you trying to push Delay, Newt...the people WHO CAUSED THE PROBLEM!!
[sniup]The K Street Project is an effort by the Republican Party (GOP) to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions, and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials, an arrangement known as crony capitalism. It was launched in 1995 by Republican strategist Grover Norquist and then-House majority whip Tom DeLay. It has been criticized as being part of a “coziness” between the GOP and large corporations which has allegedly allowed business to rewrite government regulations affecting their own industries......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Street_Project
I love Newt, but, I do not think he would accomplish what Trump needs in a Veep... That Stephen Miller that has opened up many of Trumps speeches would better serve over the lords and ladies of the Senate.
Newt’s need to talk is his worst disability...
I agree, at some point, quite a while back the Newt changed dancing partners...........
That being said, will Trump need to coalesce to those in power??
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