Robert Novak, writing just after Obama defeated John McCain and Democrats solidified their hold on Congress, predicted that Republicans would turn to Newt Gingrich to lead them back to presidential power in 2012, Newt in 2012? (via @jmartpolitico):
In serious conversations among Republicans since their election debacle Tuesday, what name is mentioned most often as the Moses, or Reagan, who could lead them out of the wilderness before 40 years?
To the consternation of many Republicans, it is none other than Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House.
Gingrich is far from a unanimous or even a consensus choice to run for president in 2012, but there is a strong feeling in Republican ranks that he is the only leader of their party who has shown the skill and energy to attempt a comeback quickly.
Even one of his strongest supporters for president in 2012 admits it is a “very
risky choice.” But Republicans are in a desperate mood after the fiasco of John
McCain’s seemingly safe candidacy.
Novak did not predict Newt necessarily would win the nomination, and pointed out some of the difficulties.
But Novak did predict that people would turn to Newt in 2012 for the energy and dynamism missing from the rest of the Republicans who were likely candidates as of 2008, which included Mitt Romney, who lost in the primaries to McCain.
Several old Republican hands feel that Gingrich in 2012 is no more outrageous than Ronald Reagan was in 1980.
A lot has changed since Novak wrote the column just days after the 2008 disaster.
The Tea Party movement rose up in 2009 and provided the energy which led to the 2010 success in Congressional races. Rather than recognize that energy, the “old Republican hands” pushed back against the Tea Party movement, seeking to placate and marginalize the movement.
As regards the 2012 presidential election, once again the old Republican hands prefer the seemingly safe candidate, and have forgotten the lesson they learned on November 4, 2008.
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I would argue that many GOP insiders have willfully refused to learn the lessons of 2006 and 2008 because they don’t want things to change. They’re perfectly happy clinging to the old Dem-lite M.O.
Yes, unfortunately, the GOP is still infested with the Dem-Lites. Look no further than the House GOP leadership. Boehner, Cantor and their ilk are sickening. After undeservedly regaining the House, following the 2010 Tea Party uprising, these buffoons can not manage to cut a plug nickle from the budget. The grand deals they make with Obama turn out to be complete frauds.
I believe that Boehner and story book their little Kubuki theater. Here’s how I imagine the dialog at one of their late night White House meetings:
B: OK, Barack I want you and the Dems to really come out and castigate our budget. You should say that it has deep, deep cuts that will hurt the poor and the economy. Your base will love you.
O: Agreed. John you should say that the country is at a precipice and can only be saved by massively cutting the budget as proposed in your budget.
B: Yes, my base needs to hear there are deep cuts. Both sides should agree that these are the deepest cuts in the Federal budget in history.
O: Absolutely, in fact these cuts are unprecedented! I love that word.
The “old Republican hands” that have pushed back against the TEA Party movement have paid dearly for it. They’ve lost both political and financial support.
My parents and I have both been recieving calls from the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee asking for money. I’ve politely started asking them exactly why, as a Conservative, I should spend my hard-earned money supporting candidates who do not support the ideals I believe in. Usually the person on the other end of the line hems and haws and then spouts some line like “well we have to have a Republican Senate and we need to defeat Obama.”
I usually politely reply: “Merely winning and being in power is not enough if those who win still govern against my beliefs.”
The republican establishment is into graft and corruption every bit as much as the dims. Look at their accumulated wealth while in office. This is why the establishment is opposed to the tea party movement. They want to use the movement on their terms. Until we clean house from top to bottom we will not see any change. Every republican who voted against our wishes and used insider knowledge to gain wealth should be tossed out. And while we’re at it let’s toss as many dims as we can.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I have said this before, and am saying this again, there is no perfect candidate, let alone another Patriotic Constitutional Conservative Ronald Reagan, in the current field of candidates.. So, with that being said, Newt with his warts and all, has all of his 38 years of political career baggage and or laundry, all out there in the open, for all to see, his accomplishments and his mistakes and flaws.. So, the people can decide whether or not, they want and like Newt, over the other candidates at America’s helm as the next US President, or not.
Especially with major economic, political, social, and international world affair issues at stake, and on the table, the next President will have his or her hands full.. for which Newt is more than qualified to handle..
But, the same cannot be said of Romney, which in fact, the opposite is true. Romney is almost like Obama in may respects, as he hides everything controversial and negative, and them lies about them when asked.. He is so much like Obama is many regards, character and political tactics, it’s often hard to tell the difference.. and the MSM, refuses to vett Romney, like they refused with Obama.. why, because if there is one thing the liberals like more than a Democrat in power, it’s 2 Democrats in power.. In other words, when the candidate on either side of the political race, is of the same stripes, and agenda, then it’s a win win situation either way for the liberal agenda..
That’s why they hate Constitutional Conservatives, like Ronald Reagan, who could not be bought or corrupted.
This also why there is a split in the Republican party, the standard bearing Republican Party establishment of Bush, Rove, Romney, Christie, etc.. and the Tea party Constitutional Conservatives like Marco Rubio, Jim DeMint, Michele Bachmann, Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, etc.. This is where the line has been drawn in these 2 factions of the Republican Party. But the Tea Party represents the faction, that represents the “Will” of the majority of the American People, not the Will of the crony republican politicians, which is the main difference.. And that is why the far right crony capitalists like Romney and Christie, are backed by the establishment Republican Party of elitists.. But the question is, is Newt part of the Republican Party establishment, or the Constitutional Conservative Tea Party faction.. It would seem he is now Part of the Tea Party, that represents the people, which is why he is now, the frontrunner, compared to Romney, who is backed by the liberal establishment, and is why Romney is not being vetted, and is why Newt is being attacked and vetted, and the target of the Democratic attack machinery, as well as the Republican Right attack machinery, ie; both sides.
This is the truth, as the people have been the targeted enemy since Obama’s election as US President, then reinforced by Pelosi and Reid of the 111th Congress, then made even more evident after the 2010 mid-term elections, from both sides of the political aisle. So, it is no surprise that they, the Obama left and the RINO right, have teamed up to coordinated a media attack against Newt, just as they did against Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Now this is not to say that Newt is a Ronald Reagan Constitutional Conservative, but it is saying that Newt is the only one, who is even remotely close to being a Reagan Constitutional Conservative.. and who is the opnly one with a brain, expertise, knowledge, skill, and is extremely articulate in his speaking abilities, to convey the message, and to repel any and all attacks against him, in the same manner..
Newt is thus by far, the most potent conservative weapon we can have going up against Obama, the hard far left radicals, and their agenda, who are determined to destroy the Nation and the US Constitution..