Why does everyone on FR hate the guy so much? In the interviews I’ve seen with him, he sounds very intelligent and pretty solidly conservative. What’s the backstory?
Since Nov 25, 1998, and you don’t know?
Man.
“What’s the backstory?”
So little time, so little bandwidth ...
He sticks his finger in the wind, and when the wind appears to be going against conservatism, he caves. The shining example for me is right after Obama was elected. Instead of sticking to his conservative principles, in spite of the way the wind seemed to be blowing, he caved and announced that "the era of Reagan is over." He likes to pretend he's at the forefront of new thought, but he's a follower with no core beliefs (the sort of beliefs you follow regardless of which way the wind seems to be blowing).
Gingrich is NOT an idealogue...he has worked out a large number of actual workable positions in our current political system that takes into account political reality...that’s not well-received in an idealogical forum...magritte
The Marriages of Newt Gingrich
Newt when asked how he could be unfaithful and give a speech on family values: "It doesn't matter what I do," he answered. "People need to hear what I have to say. There's no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn't matter what I live."
Nancy Pelosi And Newt Gingrich Come Together To Fight Climate Change
refer to post #15
Gingrich has been a part of the “club” in Washington going way back. He can talk a good game, but of late he’s been seeming very RINOish on “global warming” and the illegal alien problem here, and there may be other things. - He has a bad rep where wives are concerned. Wait until the Democrat machine rakes him over the coals about reportedly “deserting his former wife when she was dying of a deadly disease in the hospital and going off with his current wife”. Fact is that his former wife survived, but the whole thing stinks, and you may be sure the left will capitalize on it. - He is not attractive for many reasons; although he can, as I said, talk a good game. - I think I’m being realistic. Beside Governor Palin, he looks like Leroy Lecher, although that may be exaggerated. - I think it can be summed up with, “the era of Newt Gingrich is over”. (I remember the Christmas articles way back when where he was mentioned in an article “The Gingrich Who Stole Christmas” in some lefty magazine when he wielded some power in Washington.)
First there's his posing with Nancy Pelosi during that hideous PSA spot. That was a stomach-turner.
Then there's his endorsement of NY RINO Dede Scozzafava in NY state.
Then there's was his weaseltry during the Ingraham interview in which he tried to squirming his way out of outright declaring the US will NOT deport "11 million illegals" (when there's closer to 30 million), and in essence endorsing citizenship for illegals. IOW, he's a Surrender Monkey and RINO.
As you note, Newt is very intelligent - and articulate - but NOT "solidly conservative."
Laura Ingraham's common sense suggestion and solution to Newt: "ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAWS" and cracking down on businesses who hire them, and many illegals will self-deport - NOT even a consideration for the once-brilliant former House Speaker.
Geez, how this guy has devolved - it's a sin.
Newt is psychologically needy. That is what is wrong with him. Needy people should Never be given the presidency. He would not be as dangerous as an Obama, but he’d follow a snapped thong panty faster than Clinton.
He needs to be adored. He posed with Pelosi on that couch to “fight global warming. “ intelligence is not everything. You have to be willing to explain conservative principals to the American people and show them that conservatism is best for everyone. He is too easily swayed with what’s popular and what would give him “more sugar. “
That's a good, legitimate question that deserves a substantial answer. I'll give it from my perspective while encouraging any other FReepers to add their views who want to.
In 1994 Newt was one of my great heroes, having engineered the great Republican house victory. Indeed, I thought he might make a great presidential candidate, but wanted him to get some seasoning and see how he did as Speaker of the House before supporting him for the big job.
Unfortunately, he failed.
In 1995, according to a New York Post column written by a House insider, originally posted on FR but no longer available, the Clintons apparently learned of his affair with Callista Bisec, his current wife, and successfully blackmailed him into dropping and/or softening much of the Contract With America. This was most apparent when the Clintons starting running negative ads against him and the other Republicans, and he blocked every effort to run counter ads.
After that fiasco he's just continued to disgrace himself on vital matters, showing he's remained flipped and cannot be trusted to support the conservative agenda.
For example, he entered a "debate" on the anthropogenic global warming scam with Al Gore where he admitted Gore's basic proposition that AGW was real and required a governmental response. Thereafter he reinforced that blunder by sitting on the infamous couch with Pelosi to advocate Decapitate and Tax.
He's often opposed the Tea Party in favor of RINOS, particularly Dede Scuuzzyfava in the N.Y. 23rd or 24th Congressional district.
Finally, in just the last few days, he's come out for "comprehensive immigration reform" (aka amnesty) and has even gone so far as to say he supports "some parts" of the nightmarish DREAM Act.
In other words, he appears to preach a great conservative line, but, when it really matters, he regularly stabs us in the back. Hence, my designation of this article as fitting in "crime, corruption." He's so horribly corrupt and compromised that he can't be trusted.
Character counts and Newt fell short.
Shakespeare said it best:
Eye of Newt and toe of frog
Wool of bat and tongue of dog
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting
Lizard leg and owlet's wing
For a charm of powerful trouble
Like a Hell-broth, boil and bubble
Yup, this is ole Newtie (well, almost), LOL.
I just don't want him for my president....no way, no how.
Leni