There is suddenly a growing buzz about the potential for a 2008 presidential run by Newt Gingrich. Of course, the talk is suspiciously timed to coincide with the promotion of Gingrich's new book, Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract With America.
I have a lot of respect for Gingrich's economic ideas. I was an enthusiastic supporter of his Contract With America in 1994, and I still think many of the reforms proposed therein are worth a try at some level of government (although not necessarily at the federal level). Some CWA ideas have finally become law, such as the elimination of the "marriage penalty" from the income tax tables.
But does Newt know what he is getting himself into? For starters, the Left and its wholly-owned subsidiary, the mainstream media, have never forgiven him for his role in ousting the Democrats from control of the House of Representatives after four decades of dominance. If you think George W. Bush is getting savaged by the MSM, just wait until Newt throws his hat into the ring.
For starters, we must remember that the Left delights in trumpeting the moral flaws of the champions of the Right. I can imagine the primary season in 2008, when pundit after pundit sneeringly takes note of how the "religious right" is willing to overlook Gingrich's messy 1999 divorce, which the MSM was happy to use to torpedo talk of a 2000 run.
Sigh. Maybe I'm being overly cynical this morning, but I've been around long enough to know that whatever the merits of Gingrich's economic ideas, the message itself will be completely lost in the debate over the messenger.
UPDATE: To nobody's surprise, Steve Forbes is also promoting Newt's new book.
1 comment:
I would be open to hearing more from him as a Presidential candidate. I like his vision. Not just with this book but in his earlier policy book (its name escapes me and I'm too lazy to look it up right now).
He has said that whether or not he makes a run, he would like the current discussion to be about his ideas, not him running. He says wants the ideas to influence the discussions of other GOP members running for office as we approach '08. I like this. We need to keep our ideas front and center. They are winning ideas.
I would put him on my list of possibles for the nomination. I'm not saying he has the top spot. I am thinking about a number of other names. I really, really like the idea of Dr. Rice, pie in the sky or not. Please, please, please, anyone who lives outside of NY state, take Pataki off your '08 list. He is a lightweight - at least right now. He was very promising in the beginning but I'm not sure I could support him again if he goes for another term. Too off base on some social issues. He isn't keeping other promises either - but I'm getting too far off topic!
Newt. Respectfully Tim, unless your comments were rhetorical (or you just needed another pipin' hot cup of coffee with appropriate amounts of cream and sweetener), I think he knows exactly what he is getting himself into. He said as much in one of his FoxNews interviews. He may well be a hard sell. It depends on what the field shakes out to be in a few years - including the democrats. Conservatives won't like his marriage track record. But, I don't know if that would absolutely disqualify him in their minds.
Finally, we agree that the media climate is brutal. But, we also see it changing. Who knows how much different the climate will be in a few years? I think "our" side currently has the upper hand and it may continue to snowball to our advantage if we keep up the pressure. Much of the younger generation has been raised right of center. Someday, the 60's left will be gone. The "youngsters" point of reference will be Desert Storm and the war on terror - not Vietnam.
Thanks for starting the discussion! It should be interesting to see if he or his ideas advances.
- Chocolate
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