Politico Arena Topic: Should Gingrich Run?
Well it’s not my place to tell any politician whether he should or should not run for office (I’ve tried that in the past and it hasn’t worked out so well). However, I think if Newt Gingrich does run for president, he will have trouble.
Many forget that he had quite a few enemies in his own House caucus during his four years as speaker and was challenged outright for the speaker’s gavel. He also has a propensity to say controversial things bordering on the outlandish such as when he reportedly called first lady Hillary Clinton a not-so-nice name and suggested that a large percentage of President Clinton’s White House staff used drugs. Much more recently, Gingrich suggested that President Obama can only be understood by understanding the president’s “Kenyan, anti-colonial” world view thus waving the flag of the Birther movement.
Perhaps Gingrich’s lust for political red meat would play well with his base and the tea party folks, securing him the nomination. However, as the GOP nominee, Gingrich would stand little chance. General presidential elections are usually won in the middle of the ideological spectrum as undecideds and independents tip the scale one way or the other. A Gingrich nomination would tip those folks in the middle to the Obama side.
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Well it’s not my place to tell any politician whether he should or should not run for office (I’ve tried that in the past and it hasn’t worked out so well). However, I think if Newt Gingrich does run for president, he will have trouble.
Many forget that he had quite a few enemies in his own House caucus during his four years as speaker and was challenged outright for the speaker’s gavel. He also has a propensity to say controversial things bordering on the outlandish such as when he reportedly called first lady Hillary Clinton a not-so-nice name and suggested that a large percentage of President Clinton’s White House staff used drugs. Much more recently, Gingrich suggested that President Obama can only be understood by understanding the president’s “Kenyan, anti-colonial” world view thus waving the flag of the Birther movement.
Perhaps Gingrich’s lust for political red meat would play well with his base and the tea party folks, securing him the nomination. However, as the GOP nominee, Gingrich would stand little chance. General presidential elections are usually won in the middle of the ideological spectrum as undecideds and independents tip the scale one way or the other. A Gingrich nomination would tip those folks in the middle to the Obama side.
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2 comments:
Oh for the love of God he isn't a birther. As for the 2012 presidential election, I'm going to propose something the comedian Dennis Miller came up with, the volleyball team presidency. We elect three Democrats and three Republicans, one serves until he screws up and then they all rotate.
I'm casting my vote for a certain representative from Oregon with the picture of himself decked out in the tiger mittens and neko mimi. I don't like poking fun at other people's misfortune, but it's nice to know there's a politician in D.C. crazier than I am.
Craig--I don't think he is a Birther either but I don't think he minds cozying up to that crowd.
As for Congressman Wu, at least he dressed up as a tiger & not something really offensive...
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