Friday, January 15, 2010

Newt thinks he is top 2012 material.

Former House Speaker Gingrich considers himself among top 2012 presidential prospects for GOP
Associated Press
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday he considers
himself among the top Republican prospects for the 2012 presidential election,
adding that he believes there will be plenty of GOP options for voters to
consider."I think I'm probably on a list of seven or eight possible candidates
at this stage," Gingrich said. "We have a lot of people around the country who
would like to have somebody who represents a commitment to replace the current
failed programs and to develop a set of solutions that are practical and
workable."

Read the rest of the article here
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This is not what the GOP needs right now. We need someone fresh and not full of empty air and emptier rhetoric. We also need someone controversy-free, or at least has minimal skeletons in their closet. Newt is not a winner in either category, as the paragraph above says absolutely nothing, and Newt has way too many skeletons in his closet. I don't want to vote for a man who had ethics sanctions voted against him overwhemingly by the US House of Representatives, as Newt did in 1997.

Another problem I have, and I believe most other moderates and centrist would as well, and rightly should have, is the fact that Gingrich is constantly trying to bring the US "back to its Christian Heritage." I don't want my President trying to bring this nation to some period in time when the State bordered on State Religion (McArthyism anyone?).

Not to mention his leading of the charge against Clinton for his affairs and cover-up while having his own extramarital affairs.

All in all, Newt just isn't a great leader. Maybe he once was, but he isn't someone that I, as a moderate/progressive Republican, could see myself following. And I just don't foresee others following him, from either side (or the middle) of the aisle. To win, we need a charismatic leader without more empty rhetoric.

Crossposted at Republicans United

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Newt is a musty old ghost from the past. Follow him and he'll eventually dissolve into a cloud of dust.

Pamela Zydel said...

James: Newt was good in his day, but that day is NOT today. I'm with you in that we need NEW and IMPROVED leaders who are willing to JOIN us in the 21st Century...gay-marriage ring a bell? I'm not sure who the leader of the GOP is going to be, but I sure hope (s)he surfaces sometime soon.

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

Newt was an attack style politician. Not that I have a problem with that. I do my share of attacking.

So Newt probably will do well with the republicans though. Their message is old and stale so all they have is attacks. Newt does it well.

Alisa Rosenbaum said...

Not a huge fan of Newt either, James. But if he's all we've got (surely not, though), I'll scrape my knuckles bloody knocking on doors to get him elected over who we've got right now.

And Pam, we'll have to agree to disagree on the gay marriage thing. The Day Republicans adopt that into their platform is the day I go Independent.