BLANKLEY: Newt’s past and future leadership

Washington Times ^ | Dec 12, 2011 | By Tony Blankley

[Jim Robinson]

Candidate has already proved his high office credentials as House speaker

Almost all political commentators agree on one thing: The Republican presidential campaign is unlike any we have experienced. It is not a campaign of steady trends and continuities, but rather of emotional reversals and discontinuities. Perhaps this is so because the past three or four years have been a shocking time of discontinuities and reversals for America. Really, America has been bewildered, shocked and disoriented since Sept. 11, 2001. The economic collapse and the unprecedentedly statist policies of the past three years have just compounded the anxiety. The rise of China, the fall of Europe and the chaos in the Middle East has been startling in their swiftness - and the lack of American leadership as these dramatic events unfold is sending a shudder throughout the world.

We don’t know what to make of events. We have not been convinced that either President George W. Bush or incumbent President Obama have had a clue about how to make things right.

The GOP primary voters reflect this helter-skelter search for leadership. I predict that when the general electorate is engaged in the election campaign next year, the independents and some Democrats will reflect the same desperate confusion and search for the right kind of leadership for these treacherous times. But what kind of candidate is most likely to be able to make sense of the terrible events and forces that weigh down our country, be capable of vividly describing our plight and what needs to be done and convince the public that he has the intelligence, courage, experience and sheer will to force events favorably to America’s historic interests and needs?

[Jim Robinson]

Years later, when Newt was speaker, he followed his own advice. He refused to raise taxes, he made a political fight of spending cuts with Bill Clinton (paying a big price in personal smears run against him), but we won the historic balanced budgets.

In dangerous times, the safer choice for president is not the candidate who has always played it safe, nor is it the candidate who has not already faced and defeated adversity.

[onyx]

God be with Newt Gingrich!

[Zakeet]

Actually, the more the political machine from both parties and the main stream media long knives go after everybody but their boys, Mutt and the Wee Wee, the more I like the opponent.

Thanks for posting.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

The ‘12 GOP POTUS race is having so many unstable moments, because the MSM, the remaining left in all of its forms, RINOS, establishment Republicans, and elitist Republicans, combined, are all as partisan as ever in their ongoing attacks upon the most conservative of candidates, who do have serious chances of winning it all.

[lainde]

Great article...Thanks! I’m feeling better about the former speaker the more I understand what he did for conservatives. Although I’m not liking the recent “piling on” from the other GOP candidates...It’s a good test for his endurance discipline and patience.

[campaignPete R-CT]

I was amused to see Gov. John Sununu, President George H. W. Bush’s chief of staff and a current Romney supporter, criticize Newt last week.

I remember back in 1990, just after Newt had become GOP whip, when Mr. Bush, urged on by Mr. Sununu, was about to break his campaign pledge and raise taxes, which eventually cost him his re-election bid against Mr. Clinton. It was Newt who opposed it. In fact, Marlin Fitzwater, the loyal and shrewd White House press secretary, and no fan of Newt’s at the time, later wrote in his memoirs, “As it turned out, one of the few people on the Republican team who understood this trap [the Democrats demanded Bush raise taxes as the political price to reduce the deficit] was Newt Gingrich. … Newt had … recommended a different course of action: Abandon the budget negotiations [with Democrats], keep the tax pledge, insist that Congress cut spending, and make a political fight out of it. It’s clear now that we should have followed his advice.”

[Carthego delenda est]

Why did the guy develop a pattern of cheating on his ‘wife’?

He very well may be the most qualified individual to turn our Country/Nation around towards prosperity given the uncertain Blessings of Patriots.

Of course if Newt chooses Susana as a VP he will win.

[MrEdd]

Why did the guy develop a pattern of cheating on his ‘wife’?

Newt's first wife was his High school Geometry teacher (who was boinking him in high school) they married when he was nineteen and in college. Though they told their daughter they met when Newt was a senior, that does not square with stories from Newt's classmates, nor the fact that geometry is a subject taught in ninth and tenth grade (And Newt was a national merit scholar, not some math challenged special ed student) not a senior level course.

If this happened today, she would have gotten jail time.

Even the Catholic church granted an annulment on this first marriage - the divorce of which - was her idea and not his. He cheated on her but she had separated from him and ran off back to Georgia with his kid prior to that.

It is no surprise that Newt has subsequently had difficulty maintaining relationships over the long haul. That is what generally happens to kids sexually preyed upon by adults in authority ... whether they are male or female.

[RobbyS]

The same restlessness that made him successful. Don’t have to be a psychologist to recognize how insecure he may feel at times. Made a mistake when he married a woman more than five years older. Disraeli did it, but he needed the lady to have any standing in society. He married his school teacher.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Glad to see some of his close associates come out in defense of him since the many vultures are piling on 24/7.

[greeneyes]

Good Article. I remember Newt well from those years when he was speaker. I didn't like his infidelity; I distrust almost any long-term politician; and I am not fond some of the stuff he has done since then.

However, without a doubt, he is the most qualified of all the candidates to actually be able to accomplish the changes that are needed once the election is behind us.

Plus, it is easy for any candidate to say what you want to hear during a campaign. Their record is more important than what they say. He's the best there too.

Good conservative record, solid accomplishments under difficult circumstances, more knowledge of history, and understanding of Washington D.C.(how all the departments work and could be eliminated/streamlined) and how to get it done. Also the best at framing the issues and educating the people as he explains his proposals during the debates.

I think he's the best choice, warts and all. Gonna love to see him mop the floor with Obama.

[narses]

Look at their accomplishments. Newt allied himself with Ronald Reagan to build the Reagan Coalition, the Religious Right, and the Republican majority (together the Reagan Revolution) which directly led the downfall of the Soviet Union, the Contract with America, government reforms, less government, tax cuts, a balanced budget, and the great, long-standing Reagan economy.

Romney, on the other hand, vehemently denied Ronald Reagan and aligned himself with Ted Kennedy and the left. Romney accomplished installing liberal big government programs, defended and promoted Roe v Wade and legalized abortion as “settled law,” advocated and implemented RomneyCare with its liberty killing government mandates against formerly free citizens and its taxpayer funded or subsidized and mandated abortion procedures. He ran and governed to the left of Ted Kennedy on the “gay agenda” resulting in gay marriage in Massachusetts. He appointed liberal judges and liberal appointees throughout his government. Under his “leadership” conservatism and the Republican party was all but destroyed in Massachusetts.

Romney is one evil liberal progressive. No way in hell will MittBots be allowed to support this abortionist, big government, socialist scumbag on FR!

Guess my message isn’t clear enough. I have to keep repeating it and zotting would be MittBots.

79 posted on Sat Dec 03 2011 19:59:37 GMT-0800 (Pacific Standard Time) by Jim Robinson

[dennisw]

Who gives a bleep. Newt and Perry are too candidates I’ll gladly vote for against Obama. They top the list but really any Republican running against Bammy has my vote

[Carthego delenda est]

This thread is getting GOOD!

[MrEdd]

I am not interested in “Beating Bammy”.

Obama the person is not my enemy...Obama the socialist is.

Therefore, you will not see me voting for Romney, Wrong Paul, Huntsman, or Perry under any circumstance whatsoever.

Newt I would have to hold my nose for, and if a real conservative is also running independant or third party then that person will get my vote.

America will put a strong conservative back in office, but it is possible that we have not felt enough pain yet.

[Carthego delenda est]

I also have to ask about what Newt’s involvement was regarding the 1986 Amnesty crap? Those “jobs” that most citizens don’t want? Well, I was keeping those jobs such as tree planting and fruit harvesting up untill then.

Now I have a hard time finding legal workers on the ranch and the libtards want to tell us that employing young people is against the law.

[Cobra64]

Glad to see some of his close associates come out in defense of him since the many vultures are piling on 24/7.

Yes it is. Despite his past personal indiscretions, I wish more folks were aware of some his positive contributions to America, which are highlighted in this recent debate segment:

Bret Baier asked Newt Gingrich what makes you most qualified to create jobs and grow the economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=349DpnEm4Lo

.

If Gingrich wins the nomination, we would see him countering Obama in a manner similar to this:

Newt Gingrich destroys MSNBC reporter (defending / enumerating Palin's credentials).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsUw2Vq8UMw&feature=related

.

Obama's response would be...

[OrangeHoof]

Everyone who lauds Newt seems to focus on what he did the last century while ignoring what he’s done this century. John McCain was a Reaganite conservative back in the 1980s but I know for damn sure he’s not one now.

The collective amnesia about the more recent Newt troubles me more about his supporters than it does about Newt who has shown me he’s no more loyal to conservatism than he is to marital fidelity.

I understand the hatred for Romney but, c’mon. There are still better choices out there. We need to get behind one of them, not this walking time bomb.

[JediJones]

I'd still like to know how the milquetoasty RINOs think Obama's negative ads on Newt or anyone else are going to trump all of this...

• the debt
• unemployment
• the failed stimulus
• Solyndra cronyism
• blocking development of our nation's energy resources and the commensurate thousands of jobs lost, but giving speeches in support of said development in other countries
• the hated government takeover of health care and its taxpayer-funded abortion
• Jon Corzine and Obama's Wall Street connections
• letting G.E. get away with paying no taxes and then putting Jeffrey Immelt in the administration
• Government Motors
• Fast and Furious gun running and the cover-up
• apologizing to the world while he talks America down
• bossing Israel around and insulting them while praising everything Muslims do, unless the Muslims are protesting an Islamic government with Shariah law, in which case they're thrown under the bus
• the failure to confront Iran
• the flip-flop on Gitmo
• allowing the homosexual lobby to set policy for our military
• cutting military spending and Medicare spending while increasing spending on pretty much everything else
• attempting to divide our country for political gain by supporting the Occupy Wall Street goons and loons

And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I missed a few. Even Republicans should realize sitting next to Nancy Pelosi is nothing compared to what Obama's done. And we should know we need to nominate a candidate who will point out ALL of these things and call Obama out on being a socialist (to put it mildly).

[bruinbirdman]

"a bold, historic lunge by the voters to save the country. . . . not the candidate who has always played it safe"

Sounds like Blankley want to throw a NEWT-RON BOMB at the problem.

yitbos