Newt Stumbles Out of the Gate
**Written by Doug Powers
Newt Gingrich was on Meet the Press this morning in his first Sunday show appearance since announcing his intention to… challenge President Obama for the Democrat nomination, apparently.
Andrew Stiles at NRO has the details:
Newt Gingrich’s appearance on “Meet the Press” today could leave some wondering which party’s nomination he is running for. The former speaker had some harsh words for Paul Ryan’s (and by extension, nearly every House Republican’s) plan to reform Medicare, calling it “radical.”
“I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering,” he said when asked about Ryan’s plan to transition to a “premium support” model for Medicare. “I don’t think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.”
As far as an alternative, Gingrich trotted out the same appeal employed by Obama/Reid/Pelosi — for a “national conversation” on how to “improve” Medicare, and promised to eliminate ‘waste, fraud and abuse,’ etc.
At which point Gingrich started playing GOP primary Russian Roulette with a bullet in every chamber:
In another surprising move, Gingrich also reiterated his previous support for a “variation of the individual mandate” for health care. “I believe all of us — and this is going to be a big debate — I believe all of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care,” he said, insisting there is “a way to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy.”
“It’s a system that allows people to have a range of choices that are designed by the economy,” he said. “I don’t think having a free rider system in [health care] is any more appropriate than having a free rider system in any other part of the economy.”
Somebody sat on the love-seat with Nancy way too long. If there are mandates from Washington, any choices down the line are no longer designed by the free market economy but rather by Washington — which sounds a lot like the social engineering Newt called “undesirable” just a couple of minutes earlier.
In any case, that rush of air you might have just felt was Mitt Romney going “WHEW!”
NRO has the video clips.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
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Categories: Media,Newt Gingrich



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Gary Allen, I read this in 1971 I believe while still in the Army. I should read it again.
The truth is you know nothing about Obama. Just as you know nothing about the Tea Party or Palin. You just spout out what the left has told you with no regard to truth. Well the sleeping giant is awake Keep up the trash talking as it just adds more motivation.
Nite, nite Ota.
Sweet dreams
Chap
Would Reagan in 1984 count? Or Clinton in 1996?
Oh well. I had near zero expectation of voting for him anyway.
But I’d like to hear Sean Hannity quiz on these positions of his. Sean needs to call him out on this stuff. But I suspect he might barely do it halfheartedly.
I love it when a RINO screws up and starts telling the truth about their positions.
This self elimination is great.
First Romney, then the Huck and now the Newt.
The RINO’s are dropping like flies.
Wont be long before we get to the right candidates for the nomination.
As I don’t like either person, I can be rather impartial on this issue.
However, one’s grades do not necessarily reflect one’s intelligence, or, more importantly for President, wisdom.
I think, based on what I’ve seen of Sarah Palin, she’s far wiser than Obama. Is she smarter? I dunno. She successfully ran a State, Obama hasn’t successfully run anything but a campaign. If I have it right, Palin also ran a business with her husband (translation, he ran it, she got her name on the forms to get gov’t preferences, In My Experienced Opinion).
so, if “smart” is a combination of intelligence and wisdom, or even book-learning and wisdom, I think it’s clear that she’s “smarter” than he is.
That said, some of the worst rulers in history were terrifyingly smart.
So were some of the greatest.
Newt is not a RINO.
He’s a true red-blooded republican.
The republican party is RINO.
Sarah Palin’s voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Et tu Hangfire? Study what she says, not how she says it.
I am so glad that creepy dude, Newt, outed himself.
There is no place for sexism in the 21st century.
Unlike Archarcharch, who broke a leg coming out of the starting gate during the Ken tuck ee Derby, Newt won’t show the same inner strength that enabled Arch to not only finish but to actually pass 4 other horses in doing so…
And, Newt won’t be saved by Ripley…
Hide the women, Newt’s getting all patriotic again and will be out cruising for a mistress.
Newt just wants to “feed the beast” because the beast feeds him. It’s a matter of self-preservation for him. (In that respect there’s no difference between Washington Republicans and Washington Democrats.)
Newt’s heart cry: “Feed the beast!!!”
I liked Newt. Until this interview.
There’s not a single thing he can say that will make me want to vote for him. Therefore, this doesn’t bother me at all.
Newt jumped the shark years ago, now that he’s supporting the unConstitutional mandate, he’s jumped the whale.
Bye bye Newt.
YES WE CAIN!
Does he plan to run against Obama in the Democrat primary???
Where has he been for the last 2-3 years, a cave?
Just about sums it up for me too. Sheesh!
Newt knows his history: the only “true conservatives” ever to win a Republican primary for president were Goldwater and Reagan. I’d say he knows what he’s doing here.
Newt doesn’t realize that the time & the electorate are very different from those of Goldwater & Reagan, He cut his own throat. Good riddance, Newty.
I was done with Newt before he ever started.
This just affirms my position.
I’m glad we got this over with before the election season was seriously underway.
Surprised Newt would self-destruct? Yes – that it happened so quickly.
(translation, he ran it, she got her name on the forms to get gov’t preferences, In My Experienced Opinion).
Then your opinion is wrong and you need to engage your brain before touching the keyboard.
If you had even a touch of actual knowledge you would know that Todd is the Native American and that is where the fishing business comes from.
I do not recall anyone who has ever before destroyed their canidacy for any office on their first interview the way Newt did.
You almost wonder if his subconscious wanted him out of the race.
Regardless, he’s done.
I’m afraid I have to agree on that. She screeches! I love what she says, but hate how she says it. It is the same with Bobby Jindahl. He speech pattern is off-putting. These traits are not acceptable for POTUS.
Are the following acceptable Happy?
“Ya sure”
“You betcha”
“Uff Da”
You could be right… we’ve never seen such a wave of extremely conservative candidates win primaries that we did in 2010… but then again, the “base” seemed pretty fired up about immigration the last presidential cycle, and McCain still won.
Does she say that? She has that in common with my mother. That, and nothing else whatsoever.
newt did NOT do “damage’ to the true CONSTITUTIONAL conservatives-
he actually told us that he is NOT to be supported
and those of us who want freedom to return to the US…had better NOT support him!!
C-CS
RSS,
Happy is from Minnesota… I could not resist after reading her comment.
Not sure how many Norwegians are in Alaska.
Look to his hispanic outreach to explain his latest flip flop. When you find the word opportunist in the dictionary- Newts picture is beside it!.
I just read Mr? Dionne’s opinion pos about how Lincoln wouldn’t know the present GOP candidates were republicans.
First Mr Dionne, JFK would NEVER be a democrat given today’s democrat party. Second Mr Dionne, yes Lincoln probably would scoff at todays Liberal light GOP as he was a man willing to start a civil war to keep business healthy in the U.S. much less cut government spending to match revenues. Lincoln took office in January 1861 and by March 1861 the U.S. Navy was blockading southern ports so the south couldn’t ship their cotton and tobacco to more lucrative markets in Britain. It was only after 2 years and continual battlefield losses AND the conscription riots in NY that Lincoln proposed the Emancipation Proclamation in an effort to get black southern slaves to revolt against their plantations and help fight the war. Don’t think the democrats have the high moral road on black freedom in the U.S. It was democrats who were the KKK, it was democrats who brought us Jim Crow Laws, it was democrats who brought us seperate but equal, and it was democrats who voted against the civil rights act and the voting rights act. If you look at democrat presidents during the 1950 to present, JFK was a military hawk who involved us in Viet Nam, and tried to involve us in Cuba. His successor LBJ really ratcheted up our body count in Viet Nam and brought us Guns and Butter which is bankrupting us today. Carter just a total f’ing mess who brought us Iran and this middle east debacle. Clinton a good politician (liar) who was the second president ever impeached. If democrats want to go back to the tax rate under Clinton, let’s do it. Raise everybodies rates, as Bush lowered everybodies rates. Don’t just selectively raise “the rich’s rates” as those rates were good enough under the only democrat president in the last 70 years to serve 2 terms even if he was impeached. Now this clown who HOPED we wouldn’t notice he’s a lazy college prof idiot and CHANGED our economy into a marxist managed economy destined to mimic all other similar economies. Now he is working to set up berlin walls to keep the productive from leaving.
At least he showed America what his position is before he was nominated.
Unlike that head fake to the right then back to the middle Juan McCain did in 2008.
Holy cow! How can you consider that “off-putting” after listening to 0zero lecturing us and channeling his “inner Benito” for 2 1/2 years? What do you wanna bet that one or more of our founding fathers had a “screechy” voice? Thank GOD they listened to the words rather than the voice…
Maybe he said this because he feels confident the Supremes will overturn Obummer’s individual mandate (?!?!?), but in the meantime this utterance might develop appeal with the Muddled Middle (?).
Either way, it’s bad news for him, primary-wise.
Or, possibly his “out” is: He indeed does mean a mandate for coverage, but one where the individual still gets to decide what kind of coverage (?).
But even if true, like Doug said, it’s hard to imagine how that would not soon have DC’s intrusive fingers crawling all over it.
And, maybe he intends to follow-up with: “If you choose to not get adaquate health coverage, then you’ve screwed yourself and you’re on your own.”
Nothing wrong with that, per se.
As much as I hate to say it, I really believe that the best “electable” option the Republicans have is Rudy Guliani. Christie, Rubio, Bachmann, Ryan et al, would be great, but they are not ready at this point. The fact that Barack Obama, the Littlest Emperor, is still considered the favorite is mind-boggling to me.
Then what are you doing voting Republican?
Let’s see…I like Newt as a fellow Georgian but…
Newt backed Scozzafava in the NY 23rd race.
Newt believes in “Man made global warming”
Newt says the individual mandate is OK.
Newt says that Paul Ryan’s plan is too much “Right Wing” social engineering.
I don’t trust Newt as far as I can throw him. I will never vote for him as long as I have another choice. Simple as that. He’s just another fake politician with no principals.
Michele Bachmann who believes the founding fathers “worked tirelessly” to end slavery? When is she going to be ready, when she passes fourth grade?
So far, I like Herman Cain the best.
Don’t know about them, but when it come to having a “screechy” voice, Palin may have something in common with our first Republican president as two people who heard him speak remenisce:
They did and realized there could be no Constitution without a compromose. So they compromised no full well that compromise would ultimately bring the issue to a head.
That is the origin of the 3/5th’s rule. It was an compromise that satisfied no one. It was a planned provocation.
I haven’t denied the existence of the lawsuits. What is clear, is that they weren’t “pesky” or important enough to create much of a narrative in the MSM media. We can differ, on how we define much, but if you believe her BS excuse, as a sole reason to resign as governor, you’re willing to believe anything she tells ya.
Conjecture. Cite me a law that states, she wouldn’t be permitted to accept pro bono, or reduced cost services. It’s boring to see you folks just make stuff up.
Here is something that isn’t made up…a simple fact: She quit her job as governor, and made a lot more money in the private sector. Good for her. Again, she ain’t running for president.
I slept like a babe. Thanks.
Obama’s speech pattern is off-putting. He lies every time he speaks.
As I said, don’t know what Palin will do and I don’t care, she can hit her targets wherever she is.
Her voice can be shrill at outdoor events, when she needs to rise above the union goons in the crowd.
However, she is not a lying Marxist/Communist.
She is pro-America and the Constitution, I love what I hear.
You are just repeating what you said earlier.
You are thoroughly brain-washed into thinking what you believe, I didn’t expect to change your mind.
What I said was, you are spitting out talking points manufactured by media whores.
When I see that, I will make the correction.
Is that clear?
Newt was an idiot back when he became speaker and looks like he still is. All these RINO’s need to retire for good. Sarah Palin should announce and let’s see how she does.
Dateline, Internet: Today lefties began calling for the release of Obama’s transcripts.
Film at 11.
OT but the radio is reporting that Trump says he is not running
Beat me to it. Who’d a thunk it?
I just have an opinion, based on the facts as I see them. You have yours. I could accuse yours of RW talking points, but I won’t. The woman quit her job. That’s a fact. We just differ about her excuse behind it. You believe her BS. I along with many other folks, including some shocked conservatives, believe she could/should have finished out her term. She chose not to. No need to belabor.
Regarding asking a person to disprove baseless assertions of Obama’s college grades: You need to learn lessons about simple logic, and burdens of proof.
Beyond that, you’re right, things are getting repetitive. Enjoy your day.
Soon to be blamed on the first conservative to also ask.
Just been reading some of the comments about Obama’s college transcripts. Here is a thought…Seems to me, if Obama had a good record in college, good grades, and success, he would want the people to see that and would release the records. The fact that he is refusing to show the records can only lead to one conclusion. There is something in them he doesn’t want We The People to see! That is logic 101. Have I made myself clear? :wink?
I’m sorry but you have no idea what you’re talking about. The 3/5 compromise had nothing to do with ending or continuing slavery and only existed for population count. The only compromise concerned which territories slavery would be expanded to, and outside of New England, slavery was prevalent throughout the country outside well into the 19th century. And while some of the founding fathers objected to slavery in principle, you still had people like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who owned slaves themselves.
Ah but I do….. Keep trying. Apparently the history books in Flyover Country were not written by Marxists.
Absolutely correct.
Lawyers would not be paid to keep good news hidden.
B. Hussein Obama does not pass the smell test, or the laugh test, as I’ve said a number of times before.
Don’t tell me David Barton. I’m just curious whether Michele Bachmann reflects a popular belief of revisionist history, or is just a lone wolf dumb*ss. Either way, it’s horsesh*t.
Newt is dead meat. Not if he supports an individual mandate on health coverage. Not if he still believes in some form of cap-and-trade ponzi scheme for that Gore hoax global warming. He’s done. No Trump. No Huckaberry. Any time now, you’ll see people offering any number of human sacrifices to get Gov. Chris Christie to reconsider and enter the race.
Amen to that, I hope your right.
So Romney says government run health care is a good idea and Newt says that right wing politics ala Paul Ryan won’t work.
So much for the Tea party message that helped elect over 750+ elected officials throughout the country.
Those guys didn’t get the message.
Oh, they got it, they just don’t want you to be able to vote for anyone like that for President.
A lot of your posts wind up saying that the person you disagree with is either dumb or stupid and there are no other choices.
I guess it works for your opinion. Of course, a lot of us on here are of the opinion that your opinions are pretty much worthless. Or maybe they are insignificant. Could be that they are without value.
I was a supporter of Newt, until he caught Romney-osis and verbally self-destructed on NBC. Michelle Bachmann 2012!
Adios, Newt.
And I thought your marriages killed your chances to be president. These comments just confirmed you won’t even make it to the New Hampshire primary.
Actually, I thought his flirting with Nancy on the couch pretty much kinda ruined his chances, if only his ego could have seen that coming. Opponents could just recycle that video. Newt….chose poorly.
Newt has been to Iowa several times recently. The common wisdom is to go to those early States and get the momentum. Guiliani chose to not go the common route and opted to win big in Florida but that strategy backfired as he had no early State momentum.
Newt probably knows he has established himself in Iowa and New Hampshire and will do well in the early going. If he gets the momentum and utilizes his lib street cred in these “open” primaries, he will be able to be a front runner for the nomination.
Obama will not have a primary so those lib voters will be out in force trying to choose the Republican candidate that Obama can beat. They will vote for Newt in the primary and Obama in the general. A head start in Iowa is what Newt counts on. People like a winner so getting into the lead is important.
It seems like finding a real conservative to run is next to impossible. If we find one, conventional wisdom is they can’t win the general so Obama is reelected and given permission by the public to continue the policies he supports.
Meanwhile, according to Newt, we are all just right wing extremists.
Chris Christie is good for NJ. But he is NOT a conservative. Not by a long shot! We would not be happy with him as POTUS! Immigration, abortion, etc. He is not a Conservative. Check his record.
FIFY
I was on the fence about Newt and willing to listen, but this asinine set of statements has made certain that this Conservative will NEVER support him now.
Newty you utter dope, you just shot both feet and almost hit me in the process buddy, and you think you can walk your way back from that crap on Monday? Go to H. insult me Sunday and again on Monday, huh? such a winning “stragedy” as Curly would say.
I love all these Big Govt RINO Creeps dropping like flies. get the hell out of here you cowards, and you too Boner and Gucci Cantor and Liar McCarthy.
The Great RINO Hunt:
3 down(one by suicide), 2 to go(Pawlenty, Romney). The game isn’t over, people. Time to put on the pressure, and elect a REAL conservative.
The Great RINO Hunt:
3 down(one by suicide), 2 to go(Pawlenty, Romney). The game isn’t over, people. Time to put on the pressure, and elect a REAL conservative.
Great posts, GELady!
Love Sarah, but unfortunately I don’t think she can win.
-Too polarizing.
Newt showed his colors when he sat on the couch w/ Pulousy spouting his belief in man-made global warming. And he further demonstrated his ignorance of the Conservative base when he spewed on Sunday.
Keep on talking, boys!
Show us who you really are!!
You can say that again. Oh, you did.
I would add that Romney inflicted a mortal?? wound on himself with the continued defense of Romneycare.
Gingrich is a fool if he thinks he even has a prayer with conservatives.
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2011/03/gingrich-wants-to-be-president.html
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
That’s what we said in 2008, and look what we got.
Until the Republican Party stops fielding phony conservatives, NONE of us should be voting for their crappy candidates.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
That’s right.
Even I said it.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
FIFY.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Amen to that.
Reagan and Goldwater would be grossly inadequate given what America needs today.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Doesn’t matter.
Jindahl isn’t any more eligible for office than Oblahma.
The Constitution requires one be a natural born citizen.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Damn, Newt. I wanted to believe the old “bomb thrower” was harbored somewhere deep inside that politically correct facade you’ve been putting up as you rehabilitated yourself from the ethical problems that cost you your House seat. Too bad. You’ve become that RINO you’ve been playing on TV. DLTDHYOTWO.
This is because the party apparatus pushed the issue, and primary voters took the bait.
Make your decision based on your own position and let the party go to hell in a handbasket for their bad decision-making.
It’s the only way to save America from the two party dictatorship we have been stuck with.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Sarah Palin endorsed McCain at her “coming out”. The very first thing. That was the last time you saw me tagging my comments here with “Go Sarah!” That was every bit as tone deaf as what Newt just did. She has since compounded that error several times by endorsing a liberal woman candidate over the male Tea Party candidate leading in the polls. She IS John McCain.
Hate to be the one to break this to you, but the US economy was ALREADY a marxist managed economy long before the fool in question took office.
That change took place gradually over the course of the Twentieth Century, and was intensified by the likes of Woodrow Wilson, Frankin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson. To be sure, he hasn’t done anything but make things worse, but the guy the Republicans fielded would have done most of the same things.
And you can bet the Republicans will field another candidate that Constitutionalists would never vote for in a million years. The best thing they could do is get Andrew Napolitano to run.
As if that would happen. Republican party bosses haven’t a clue, and Republican voters won’t stand up to them.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Head fake to the right? Back to the middle?
You have GOT to be kidding me.
McCain never made it to the center. He’s always been a hard left loser. To say he was anything else is to be ignorant of the man’s voting record, and his blatant attempt to repeal the First Amendment with his buddy Russ Feingold.
What you seem to be observing is the old Nixon campaign strategy. You were fooled. Forgot to watch the other hand.
Candidates are not what their campaign managers tell them to say they are. A very important lesson every American voter must learn before our cherished nation falls as a result of the foolishness of out electorate.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Bachmann is unfortunately about the best the Republicans are going to do. They just aren’t serious enough about having good candidates to do any better.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Eww.
RWR
http://www.rightwingroker.com
Pro-America and the Constitution?
Not a lying Marxist/Communist?
She jumped on the McCain bandwagon with far too much vigor for me to believe ANY of that.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Clueless.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Watch what you wish for; you just might get it.
Christie is no conservative. Doing a great job here in NJ, but the state constitution allows him a lot more wiggle room than the one he would have to operate under as POTUS.
He’d be just as bad as McBama.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
Ryan’s no more conservative than Newt.
Pot, meet kettle.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
The final nail in the coffin.
All anyone has to do to beat him is play the tape.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
So opposing ludicrous hate crimes laws that are usually arbitrarily applied is equivalent to being a part of the KKK?
…while ignoring all the other points made?
What are you doing trying to pass yourself off as an intelligent poster?
She made a slip when speaking out of how many speeches she has given?
I bet she not only knows how many states there are in this country, but also knows how to pronounce corpsman.
So a lawsuit or any other issue in America is not important unless MSNBC covers it in depth for you?
No wonder Urkel occupies the WH.
Cite you a law? I already did research you refused to do, Green eyed Lady pointed this out to you and you refuse to accept it, this one is on you.
You can always go back to MSNBC after you do a little searching.
As someone once said, you are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts.
In fact, he would have been spiking the football with them since his immaculation.
It takes time to construct an identity that passes serious scrutiny and the details can be problematic, hence the reluctance to put college records on display. There is nothing real about OBambi, he was constructed for a purpose.