Posted on 01/20/2012 4:51:44 PM PST by CedarDave
It’s a regular feature of the 2012 GOP presidential debates — that moment when Newt Gingrich takes a deep breath, then proceeds to rip the insipid moderator and the conflict-and scandal-mongering press.
Both Thursday and in numerous debates before, the former House Speaker’s stance suggested a candidate harboring deep bitterness toward the media ...
The reality is very different.
The same candidate who on Thursday decried “the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media” shows another face to the cadre of reporters who follow his campaign day-to-day.
It’s not unusual for Gingrich to chat with reporters, off-the-record, in the hotel restaurant at the end of a long day on the campaign trail — and he engages them to a degree that’s unheard of on the other campaigns.
Mitt Romney, for example, doesn’t make small talk with reporters about sports, the news of the day or the food at his events like Gingrich. No one gets close enough.
The contrast between the two couldn’t have been any clearer ... when Romney stopped at a BBQ joint ... and approached a family with a basket full of hush puppies. When a ... reporter innocuously asked Romney if he planned to try one, the staff cut him off, insisting it was an off-the-record stop.
When the press tweeted about the incident, angry emails were dispatched from the former Massachusetts governor’s staff to offending reporters.
While Romney won’t take questions outside the safety of controlled press conferences, Gingrich is perfectly comfortable in unscripted situations, content to make small talk while working the public at events.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
It’s a regular feature of the 2012 GOP presidential debates — that moment when Newt Gingrich takes a deep breath, then proceeds to rip the insipid moderator and the conflict-and scandal-mongering press.Huh. I can think of an equally "regular feature" of the 2012 GOP Presidential race. It's when the entire State-Owned Media picks one of the Republican hopefuls and -- almost like someone somewhere is coordinating it -- throws everything but the kitchen sink at them, including totally fabricated stories, rumors, and twenty-year-old accusations from total nutcases.
Then there's the things that are "regular features" of Democrat races. Like when the State-Owned Media writes fawning stories that compare the various candidates to G-d, or Jesus, or Ghandi, while all the while being deaf, dumb and blind to glaring inconsistencies in their life stories, huge gaps in their educational and employment history, extremely questionable personal relationships, self-admitted criminal activity, and monster gaffes that sound like they came from the mouth of the village idiot.
I like Newt. Romney is simply an empty suit. A robot. A robot that others control. Has no core principles and would sell out America in a North East liberal minute.
Newt is comfortable in his own skin. He knows where he’s going. He’s a visionary who sets his own goals, makes his own plans, answers for his own deeds and, unlike Romney, admits to and asks forgiveness for his misdeeds.
It would be great fun to watch Newt holding court at presidential press conferences.
This is a big part of what's wrong with Romny...he's totally opaque, not transparent at all. We already have an aloof distant President, do we want another?
I like Newt’s willingness to confess his failings. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him self-effacing but he is far ahead of Romney in this regard.
I think Newt is at peace with God and his personal demons.
I love how he is able to gleefully take the fight to the enemy. People are longing for a hero, I think Newt could be the guy.
While talking politics with the “executive director” of Michigan’s most conservative county last November, I asked her which candidate she has met (she has met them all over time) and was the most down to earth of the lot. Instantly she replied “Newt Gingrich”. She talked about how she and her family were picking up after the event and thought they were the last to leave a Lincoln Day Dinner of which Newt was the featured speaker. She was surprised to find the speaker still in the building and how cordial, thankful, and complimentary he was of her efforts and how he just didn’t want to get on a plane and asked her to get her family to come and sit down in the lounge and shoot the breeze with his wife and kids. She said they all sat down and talked about family, god, hunting, fishing, hobbies and politics was never a subject that came up in conversation. Faiths positive comments about Newt were quite refreshing to hear and seem to be mirrored in this article even though it is from a communist rag.
This is a news flash to Ginger Gibson.....
The scumbags such as have been involved in some of the debates, etc., are one species of journolist; and rightly loathed by Newt, et al.
The yoeman reporters assigned to Newt’s campaign are probably half-decent reporters of whom Newt feels he has little to fear.
Can you comprehend the DIFFERENCE?
Let’s all remember that Marianne BROKE UP Newt’s first marriage. She enticed him and he, being young and reckless, took the bait. And shortly thereafter, Newt realized that he’d made a BIG mistake.
I like what Newt is reported to have said repeatedly in a counselling session with a pastor about Marianne prior to his divorce from her: “She’s a Jaguar! I can’t handle a Jaguar right now. All I want is a plain old Chevy.”
Could be one reason some see Newt as “undisciplined.” He actually talks to reporters naturally in ways that aren’t carefully controlled and scripted. Newt is clearly an everyman, a “man of the people” and doesn’t see other people as being beneath him. I think it’s clear he can hate the media on the whole while liking the people who are in the media. It’s a very Christian perspective to hate the sin and love the sinner. Sort of the opposite of liberals who profess to love humanity but hate people. Part of me thinks Newt might get a fairer shake from the press because of this good relationship, but of course they’ll always be looking for the gotcha story.
I also think, like Reagan, Newt is a genuine optimist. I think he feels there is the potential to convert anyone, that anyone could be convinced that his views are right with a good and smart argument. That’s one reason he wants to speak to the NAACP. He thinks he can reach most people and isn’t going to write too many of them off (except I guess for that gay marriage proponent who confronted him who he told to vote for someone else).
Mitt Romney is not an honest person. His campaign is all about carefully manufacturing an image without letting who he really is or what he really thinks show through. He clearly looks down on us peons and simply wants the presidency as a status symbol and an ego trip, not to serve us or his country. His would be a very uncomfortable and uninspiring presidency for everyone involved.
Newt would have some pretty sweet State of the Unions too. You know he’d want to try to live up to the greats from history like Lincoln.
This comes through in the debates. Everything is thrown at Newt and he finds a way to retort whereas it’s clear Romney can be thrown off. He gets nervous in manner and stumbles for words. The tax return question last night was one of those times. He likes preplanned talking points.
Problem is if you’re not honest, you have to double check everything you say to make sure it isn’t inconsistent with other dishonest statements you’ve made before. That’s something very hard to do unless you’re smart as Clinton, and eventually even people as good at it as him fall off the tightrope (”is is”).
I saw Mitt Romney in person for the first and only time at one of Sean Hannity’s Freedom Concerts in Dallas. Besides Sean, Mark Levin, Col. North, Senator Hutchinson, Rick Perry and Romney were there. It was an informal affair with everyone informal or in western wear EXCEPT Romney. He showed up in formal suit, white shirt and tie. I remember he spoke a bit but in a very quiet way, no enthusiasm as if he was there only to make an appearance and not to enjoy himself as the others were.
I came away thinking, how could anyone get excited about supporting this man in an election contest? He didn’t inspire or connect with me and likely most of the audience. This was in 2006 or 2007 and I’ve seen nothing that would change that first impression of him.
Listening to a repeat of Laura Ingraham on WBAP. She predicts that when Santorum is ready to concede, he will support Romney, which is to me inconceivable given with Rick’s position on social issues. Like most establishment “conservatives” in DC, she’s in the tank for Romney. How a very pro-life Catholic could support Mitt is beyond me; maybe she cannot believe Newt has changed or maybe she just is one of those women who cannot look past his former transgressions.
Newt is an Army brat. I can spot an Army brat at the first meeting. They are very unique people. When children are moved from place to place they learn to be comfortable with strangers. In order to have friends they have to make contacts quickly and effectively. They know how to endear themselves to others as a first impression. They are not shy and know how to speak easily in public. When you don’t have long-lasting circles of friends, then everyone you meet is a potential friend. This is my take on Newt. I know this because I was moved around most of my life. I never see strangers, just potential friends. I’m very comfortable with strangers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.