Clownifying education reform again

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 11, 2009 04:33 PM

Ugh. Here comes the traveling Obama education circus again. This time, in Baltimore:

The odd couple of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the Rev. Al Sharpton will bring their quest for education reform to Baltimore on Friday.

Gingrich and Sharpton are on a three-city “listening and learning” tour to find out which school strategies are working and why.

The former speaker is a conservative Republican, and Sharpton is a civil rights activist and liberal Democrat. They don’t agree on much, but they found common ground in the concept that education is the new frontier on civil rights. They say the quest to improve schools should be nonpartisan.

Gingrich and Sharpton are joining Education Secretary Arne Duncan on the tour.

“Nonpartisan?” How about non-racial demagogue/non-hoaxster?

No quest to improve schools can succeed when it includes one of the nation’s worst, grievance-mongering shakedown artists.

This alliance was a bad idea when it launched. Even worse now in the wake of the NY-23 debacle.

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Comments


  1. #1
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:36 pm, MtsEdge said:

    I know a couple of older ladies whom I greatly respect who recently (on separate occasions) cited Newt as someone whom they respect for his conservatism. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to gently point out his support for Scozzafava as the most recent example of how Newt has changed. That is ignoring his bashing of Palin for backing Hoffman, and his incessent playing footsie with Pelosi and Sharpton. They were, needless to say, shocked. But their eyes have been opened.

  2. #2
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:38 pm, GladzKravtz said:

    Here comes the push for Ebonics again….

  3. #3
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:43 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Gingrich and Sharpton are on a three-city “listening and learning” tour to find out which school strategies are working and why.

    Hint – start at Sidwell Friends School…

  4. #4
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:44 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    No quest to improve schools can succeed when it includes one of the nation’s worst, grievance-mongering shakedown artists.

    And Sharpton – don’t forget Sharpton…

  5. #5
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:46 pm, rooster said:

    Please go away Newt. You sicken and disgust me.

  6. #6
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:47 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    It is so fitting that Gingrich is going to finish his laughable career eternally coupled with Sharpton, Pelosi and Gore. Kind of like William Shakespeare ending his career as a carnival sideshow barker.

  7. #7
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:49 pm, Jeddite said:

    Non-partisan education reform: White people are the cause of all humanity’s ills. Black people resort to crime only because of the unequal playing field leveled upon them by typical racist white folk.

    There. I just saved everybody several hundreds of billions of dollars.

  8. #8
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:50 pm, Dan Lee said:

    I didn’t know Salt n’ Pepa were touring again…

  9. #9
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:50 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    I swear – the Russians must have a nuke in the basement in DC, and they threaten people with it. “Today, you will become an unspeakable ass.’ “Uh, ok.”

  10. #10
    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:57 pm, zyzzyg said:

    NY23rd debacle?

    Yep, the result was that a Democrat was elected and not a Republican. Another result, and potentially far worse, was that it resulted in the House having an additional vote on the healthcare bill. Well two, because there were two open seats that could have been won by Republicans. Despite the Gubenatorial elections in VA and NJ it did not impact the healthcare vote.

    Would Scozzafava have voted for the healthcare bill? I don’t know. Though there was a greater upside to Scozzafava voting ‘no’ if she wanted Republican support a year from now to win re-election. Be happy for those gubenatorial races, but Governors do not vote in the House.

    Yep, it certainly was a debacle.

  11. #11
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:00 pm, battleaxe said:

    The former speaker WAS a conservative Republican. We don’t have a clue what he thinks he is now. It’s too bad, because “drill here, drill now” really was a good idea.

  12. #12
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:04 pm, Edouard said:

    Had Hoffman won in NY-23, Pelosi would simply have dictated to one of her 39 Nay voters (from contested congressional districts) that he/she would no longer be allowed to vote Nay.

    No matter who won in NY-23, Pelosi would simply have adjusted her vote counting on her precious bill.

    Notice that the very final Democrat Nay voters on HR 3968 waited until it was clear that Pelosi had gotten her 218th and winning vote, before they could safely be Nays.

  13. #13
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:04 pm, Weary Citizen said:

    The former speaker is a conservative Republican

    According to who? If he is conservative, I am off the “radical right wing” conservative scale.

  14. #14
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:05 pm, love2rumba said:

    Would Scozzafava have voted for the healthcare bill? I don’t know

    Zyzyg, if you don’t know the answer to that by now, you simply are not paying attention to Scozzafava’s record and to whom she was married to.

  15. #15
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:08 pm, NeoFan said:

    Does Newt know who Sharpton is?
    Is he ok with this guy too?
    http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2411

  16. #16
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:10 pm, Edouard said:

    BTW Newt consorting with Pelosi on the couch in that global warming ad, backing Scozzafava in NY-23, and now shilling with Sharpton on government schools has just gone way too far off the reservation for this conservative ever to trust him again.

  17. #17
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:14 pm, malkin_fan said:

    At least we know newt wont EVER be POTUS.

  18. #18
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:15 pm, md1964 said:

    Listening Tour = Taking Orders for more TaxPayer Cash.

  19. #19
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:18 pm, Misscheryl said:

    Gingrich and Sharpton are on a three-city “listening and learning” tour to find out which school strategies are working and why.

    …anything to make them relevant.

  20. #20
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:19 pm, NJ-Aviator said:

    Drop Newt in the toilet….

    …and flush him.

    He’s done.

  21. #21
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:25 pm, spaceycakes said:

    neither one listening nor learning—and only Newt being non-partisan.

  22. #22
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm, Cal City Conservative said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:04 pm, Weary Citizen said:

    The former speaker is a conservative Republican

    According to who? If he is conservative, I am off the “radical right wing” conservative scale.

    Yep it should say he is a FORMER conservative to be more truthful.

  23. #23
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:34 pm, Cal City Conservative said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 4:43 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Gingrich and Sharpton are on a three-city “listening and learning” tour to find out which school strategies are working and why.

    Hint – start at Sidwell Friends School…

    mmm mmm mmm

    Just had to.

  24. #24
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:50 pm, Mar said:

    As a Maryland resident, I can’t wait for them to tout the success of our new high school assessment tests. Each student must pass these 4 tests on various subjects (government, algebra, etc.) before they can graduate. It started with the class of 2009 and they are SO DIFFICULT that SIX (YES, SIX) students in the state of Maryland could not pass them and thus could not graduate last spring! Oh, the horror of it all!

    Seriously, how difficult can the dang tests (or the projects that the students could do as an alternative) be is only 6 students in the entire state couldn’t pass??????

  25. #25
    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:56 pm, graysonret said:

    These days, anything would be an improvement; however, with Sharpton, I could be wrong. Can you dumb-down schools even more, without making it so obvious, even to a complete idiot that is graduating? If there is a way, Sharpton/Newt will lead the quest.

  26. #26
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:08 pm, Uplander said:

    What the hell does sharpton have to do with education except as a negative stereotype?

  27. #27
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:09 pm, Uplander said:

    Yo, Newt. Cut yur loses. Say good night Gracie.

  28. #28
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:10 pm, cicerokid said:

    Fireman who set fires and are then praised for extinguishing them.

  29. #29
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:22 pm, zyzzyg said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 5:05 pm, love2rumba said: #841095

    Zyzyg, if you don’t know the answer to that by now, you simply are not paying attention to Scozzafava’s record and to whom she was married to.

    That is a theory, however I would think the Republican leadership in the House could put enough pressure on a ‘newbie’ Representative to tow the party line. At least initially and on her first votes. The Republican party line in the New York Legislature is different from the Party line in the Congress.

    Yep, the past can be prologue, but if she wanted to continue in the House, she will have to not be a Lieberman. Not having the ‘Juice’ of a Lieberman, she would just be twisting in the wind if she went against the caucus.

    If you want to get into minutiae, how many Democrats from Republican leaning districts voted against the healthcare bill? The NY23rd has been Republican leaning for the past several decades. Despite her voting record in the State Legislature, the Federal Legislature is a different animal.

    And, yes Owens is a Democrat from a Republican leaning district. He is a ‘newbie’ who had his arm twisted. He may come to his senses and become a ‘blue dog’ but it is something that became a lost opportunity for House Republicans to do on Scozzafava. He sought favor as Scozzafava would have sought favor from her caucus.

    I remain open to the possibility that Scozzafava would have towed the party line, even if her arm had to be severely twisted.

    The option was lost because the NY23rd was in fact a debacle.

  30. #30
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:26 pm, bjc said:

    *If Newt seriously wants to listen and learn, it starts with 3 letters, NEA; If he hasn’t figured that out yet and can speak to that as the root cause problem, then he is no wizard of smart, but just another in a long line of RINO’s in bed with the enemy; I am sick to death of so called conservatives aligning with liberals to destroy this country:
    Bush/Kennedy
    McCain/Feingold
    Grahamnesty/Kerry
    Newt/Pelosi
    Newt/Schitzofava
    Newt/Sharpton

  31. #31
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:29 pm, mytake said:

    Maybe Newt is slipping into senility like J. Carter did. Best to go gently into the night when you realize things aren’t clicking uptairs and the lights are just not coming on like they used to. I also have to mention McCain’s late coming to the realization that terror was the motive. So easy to jump on the bandwagon after Lieberman leads the way. If you want to lead, you have to be out front, damn it.

  32. #32
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:58 pm, reutersrutter said:

    But, but, to be King you must dance the Newt! When I first failed becoming a leader of sheep, I became a sharp-dog!

  33. #33
    On November 11th, 2009 at 7:37 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    however I would think the Republican leadership in the House could put enough pressure on a ‘newbie’ Representative to tow the party line

    Cao-pies…

  34. #34
    On November 11th, 2009 at 7:45 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Ebony and Ivory
    Live together in perfect harmony
    Side by side on my piano keyboard
    Oh Lord, why don’t we ?

    We all know that people are the same
    wherever you go
    There’s good and bad in everyone
    We learn to live, we learn to give each other
    What we need to survive
    Together alive

    Ebony and Ivory
    Live together in perfect harmony
    Side by side on my piano keyboard
    Oh Lord, why don’t we ?

    Ebony, Ivory, living in perfect harmony
    Ebony, Ivory, ooh

    We all know that people are the same
    wherever you go
    There’s good and bad in everyone
    We learn to live, we learn to give each other
    What we need to survive
    Together alive

    Ebony and Ivory
    Live together in perfect harmony
    Side by side on my piano keyboard
    Oh Lord, why don’t we ?

    Side by side on my piano keyboard
    Oh Lord, why don’t we ?

    Ebony, Ivory, living in perfect harmony
    Ebony, Ivory, living in perfect harmony
    Ebony, Ivory, living in perfect harmony…

    Question: When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs?
    Answer: All the f@#$%^&g time!

  35. #35
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:14 pm, nlebou said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 7:37 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    however I would think the Republican leadership in the House could put enough pressure on a ‘newbie’ Representative to tow the party line

    Cao-pies…

    BINGO

  36. #36
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:19 pm, nlebou said:
  37. #37
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:22 pm, nlebou said:

    how many Democrats from Republican leaning districts voted against the healthcare bill?

    Charlie Melancon did for one.

  38. #38
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:33 pm, zyzzyg said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 7:37 pm, AlohaGuy said: #841177

    Cao-pies…

    A lovely play on words, but please note the qualifications of my post. ‘Republican leaning’ districts.

    Yes, Rep Cao slipped through the net. The reason is because his district isn’t ‘Rebuplican leaning,’ or ‘Democrat leaning,’ it is because his district is royal blue. His seat was formerly held by ‘Cold Cash’ Jefferson. Recall that Jefferson was even re-elected while under indictment. All politics is local, and Rep Cao was protecting his six.

    I maintain that pressure can be exerted on Representatives, both Democrat and Republican, when their districts are ‘Republican leaning.’

  39. #39
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:38 pm, nlebou said:

    Perhaps zyzzyg, but Louisiana is a Red state and he will not be re-elected by Republicans and I don’t think there are enough Dems to re-elect him. I know that I for one will do what I can to see that he is not. He will have an uphill battle for sure.

  40. #40
    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:53 pm, WarEagle82 said:

    Newt continues to make a jackass of himself and somehow he things it helps him. It is just one more indication that Newt and the rest of the GOP “leadership” is hopelessly out of touch with the people of this nation.

    Newt lost my support and respect some time ago. He is now approaching the same clown status as Sharpton and Kucinich.

    Newt may have been a conservative long ago but even that is in doubt when you look at what he did as opposed to what he promised. He certainly isn’t a conservative now.

    Newt is obviously just out for Newt at this point. And he thinks we don’t see that.

  41. #41
    On November 11th, 2009 at 9:52 pm, Freddy said:

    Q) Why does Newt think that education is within the purview of the federal government?

    A) Because Newt is now a believer in BIG FEDERAL government!

    nuff said!

  42. #42
    On November 11th, 2009 at 10:20 pm, Republicanvet said:

    The former speaker is a former conservative Republican, and Sharpton is a poverty pimping hoaxer who dabbles in fraud using civil rights as an excuse.

    That sentence badly needed repair.

    Why are these two hucksters pimping education reform?

    I thought it was all reformed after Kennedy wrote the NCLB education bill.

    Wasn’t education gay rights health care pickling himself waitress sandwiches his life’s work?

  43. #43
    On November 11th, 2009 at 10:25 pm, zyzzyg said:

    On November 11th, 2009 at 8:38 pm, nlebou said: #841207

    Perhaps zyzzyg, but Louisiana is a Red state and he will not be re-elected by Republicans and I don’t think there are enough Dems to re-elect him. I know that I for one will do what I can to see that he is not. He will have an uphill battle for sure.

    Perhaps Louisiana will be so lucky. Before it even comes to the general, Cao will not likely survive the Republican primary.

    The unfortunate reality is the current situation. Rep Cao’s vote, two new Democrat votes in the House, Republicans eating their own, the debacle continues.

  44. #44
    On November 12th, 2009 at 3:25 am, love2rumba said:

    I maintain that pressure can be exerted on Representatives, both Democrat and Republican, when their districts are ‘Republican leaning.’

    I understand your theory, and in fact that has worked in the past. I do not argue against that. The problem is that if there had been no near uprising from the base and then exapanded by independents in the past few months, the repubs would have rolled over to whatever Obama wanted, and part of the reason we are where we are at is that the RNC keeps funding people for office who really not only don’t care about the conservatve base of the party (e.g. Lndsey Graham, Bob Dole etc.), they have now sunk to the level of grabbing a marxist to run against a liberal in a republican district…if that isn’t stupid, then I don’t know what stupid is then.

    ..and what is worse they expect us to keep donating to them, while they do this.

    Dede Scozzafava would have been just like McCain…she would tow the line for a while, and then all of a sudden do what she did anyway at the end of the election with pre-meditation.

    Moreover from what I’ve seen this year particularly there has been no Republican leadership willing to even get them to apply pressure on people like Scozzafava..on that point the Repubs have been remarkably weak..and we still have to put up with the ‘leadership’ of “I can’t make up my mind” Michael Steele.

    Fortunately, Steele’s unwillingness to lead has become largely been made irrelevant by more recent events such as the Tea Party Movement.

  45. #45
    On November 12th, 2009 at 8:33 am, zyzzyg said:

    On November 12th, 2009 at 3:25 am, love2rumba said: #841247

    I appreciate you understanding the theory.

  46. #46
    On November 12th, 2009 at 8:39 am, GraniteMan said:

    Anyone with a lick of sense knows our education system is the pits. Especially in the inner city. It isn’t lack of money causing the problems. It is lack of discipline. letting children dress as street walkers, jail house hoodlums and extremely low code of conduct concerning behavior. Some way has to be found to either make parents be parents or find a way to reach the young minds and open them to the tremendous benefits of knowledge and achievement. I speak as a high school dropout who discovered these truths 50 years after dropping out.

  47. #47
    On November 12th, 2009 at 9:35 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    IF His Speakership and Sharpton wannabe Newt were half the Conservative he claims to be…..

    Oh well IF this was August it would be hot.

    Mr. Speaker: Please Go Away

  48. #48
    On November 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am, spaceycakes said:

    Question: When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs?
    Answer: All the f@#$%^&g time!

    Rogue; there was a quiz in the ‘Beat the Meatles’ issue of National Lampoon magazine (back when it was hilarious & relevant and PJ O’Rourke was editor)–
    Q: When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs?

    A: 1963-1977

    or something like that. I have the issue under a pile of stuff somewhere…

  49. #49
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:11 am, prendad said:

    Here we have an unconvicted murderer/racist/activist liberal paired with a chameleon who picks his ideals depending on the political wind. What a pair. I am sure that their stated quest for education reform will have far-reaching effects. The question is, for whose benefit??

  50. #50
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:14 am, sbw999 said:

    By aligning himself with race hustler Sharpton, Newt has lost my respect, and apparently, the respect of many conservatives.

  51. #51
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:20 am, cheapseat said:

    god almighty, what the hell happened to newt? did he spend a long sabbatical in france or san francisco? when did his castration happen? enquiring minds want to know.

  52. #52
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:37 am, maisy said:

    NEUTER NEWT!

  53. #53
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:40 am, Roland said:

    Newt has always been a political player rather than a true conservative. The Contract With America was about moving the party to block the Reform Party after Perot’s candidacy in 1992.

    Once the Reform Party was vaporized, Newt moved the party back to what he thought and still thinks is the ‘center.’

    Of the major possible Republican candidates for 2012, Newt is the least conservative.

    Nevertheless, I’d rather have him as President than Obama or any of the possible Democrats after Obama.

    The Democrat Party is rotten to the core. Root and branch rotten. Its voters are amoral slime and its politicians are worse.

  54. #54
    On November 12th, 2009 at 10:59 am, Pat said:

    Disband the Department of Education and stop the flow of tax dollars to ed cronies. That would be a good start.

  55. #55
    On November 12th, 2009 at 11:44 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    Newt seems to have “gone off the reservation” lately. Standing next to the good “Reverend” Al Sharpton (aka RACE HUSTLER) could be hazardous to your health–his corrupt way of thinking and acting could rub off on Newt.
    ***
    Or maybe it’s early stage Alzheimers or dementia setting in.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  56. #56
    On November 12th, 2009 at 2:36 pm, JustAThought said:

    Hey, Newt. Word of advice to one with no seeming clue.

    Take care who you are photographed smiling at.

    We WILL remember come time for your (possible) reelection.

  57. #57
    On November 12th, 2009 at 3:18 pm, conservativesRus said:

    I have an idea – how about we disband the Dept of Education. Get federal dabbling out of it and I’d be willing to bet that education would improve.

  58. #58
    On November 12th, 2009 at 8:44 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On November 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am, spaceycakes said:
    Question: When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs?
    Answer: All the f@#$%^&g time!
    Rogue; there was a quiz in the ‘Beat the Meatles’ issue of National Lampoon magazine (back when it was hilarious & relevant and PJ O’Rourke was editor)–
    Q: When did Paul McCartney write Silly Love Songs?

    A: 1963-1977

    or something like that. I have the issue under a pile of stuff somewhere…

    Yeah, I remember National Lampoon when it was good. When they started to pick their targets instead of lampooning everybody, they went downhill fast.

    They were like Southpark in magazine form back in the day.

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