I’m For Newt, and Here’s Why.
I was going to write a long post, probably in the area of 3,000 words, about the candidates, and which one I like but I decided not to. Oh sure, I could toss in bullet points and section headers and give you something every bit as good as you’d find in your average conservative political magazine. I could wax on about who did what in the past and who cozied up to whom.
Would you really read that, though? For that matter, do you really care who I like for President?
Look, if you want detailed endorsements, I’ll point you to a few. I linked three excellent endorsements of Rick Perry in this post and you can add this early endorsement by Melissa Clouthier and this even-handed piece by Matt Newman to them. Stacy McCain, Lisa Graas, Zilla Stevenson, and Pete Da Tech Guy have endorsed (or all but endorsed) Rick Santorum. Of course, you know how the more professional conservative crowd has gotten behind Mitt Romney including Ann Coulter, Governors Chris Christie and Nikki Haley, and, in a backhanded way, National Review. If you got behind any of those candidates, you’d have plenty of good reasons and you’d have the support of many smart people.
None of them are for me, though. Like I said on The Delivery a couple of weeks ago, we all have to decide what we want our President to do, then find that candidateswho we believe will get most of those things done. I have my list, and it’s a short one (it is also revised to account for Herman Cain’s retirement from the race. I guess I’ll have to wait to get someone who isn’t a career politician).
- Repeal Obamacare.
- Take the fight to the left, without pause or mercy.
- Carve into the size of government so that it’s smaller after four years than it is now.
As it stands, I believe all the candidates but one will take a legitimate run at Obamacare. I know that Mitt Romney has said he would, but I simply don’t believe him, not as long as he backs Romneycare as firmly as he does. Aside from him, though, I’ve not really narrowed down the field.
I also believe all the candidates, Romney included, will make the federal government smaller in some way than it is today. Some will cut more than others. Each of them will work in different areas of the government, though I’m certain they’ll all strip out business-killing regulations at some point in their administration. Again, I pretty much have the entire field from which to choose.
That leaves me with my second criterion, which is pretty important to me. I have no desire to relive the George W. Bush years, during which I and nearly every other conservative had to do his fighting for him because he was unwilling or unable to muster his own defense. His social security reform died because he didn’t sell it well. The left, and more than a few on the right, savaged our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan because he could not push back against the often scurrilous attacks. I could not have endured another year of President Bush. I was tired. I imagine a lot of you were tired too. In fact, one of the biggest reasons John McCain lost to Barack Obama is because he would not attack Obama’s record, his checkered past, his repugnant associates, or his bog-standard socialist worldview.
So I want a fighter and I’m willing to let a few things slide to get one. I’m willing to overlook a man’s marital iniquities, committed decades ago. I’m willing to accept that I may have to fight my President on occasion to push him back on the right course. I realize that at times I may have to get between him and a compromise with the dishonest Nancy Pelosi or the weaselly Harry Reid.
By now, I’m sure you’ve guessed that I’ve chosen Newt Gingrich. Look, say what you will about some of the bad choices he’s made in the past (and if you want chapter and verse on them, you can get it from National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru and Mark Steyn), but you can not deny that among all our present choices, he is the only one who has aggressively and consistently pushed back against the progressive left and their quislings in the media during the campaign. As I wrote earlier in the week, he fought when other candidates held their peace or whined for more attention. His record as Speaker is stuffed full of times when he shoved back hard against the Democrats and the status quo — the Contract with America, the balanced budgets he passed with a Democratic President, Welfare Reform that he had to push three times to get past that same President. He is the only man in my lifetime who was willing to shut down the entire government rather than let the left’s runaway spending go without challenge.
I support him for more than that, though. I support him because, for the most part, he’s won his fights. he is the only Republican politician I can remember in the last decade who backed down Nancy Pelosi, and it only took a couple of hours for him to do it. I also support him because he is the only candidate, now that Herman Cain is out of the race, who has not only pushed a series of positive messages about what this country can do with him in the Oval Office but has deliberately refrained from savaging his fellow candidates or those who support them. His control has frayed recently, after he came under simultaneous attack from four different candidates in the same week, but he’s holding it together pretty well. I admire that, and I would hope that you do, too.
I am not naive. I know that I will have to keep my eye on Gingrich should he be elected President. I know very well his impulse toward the technological solution and the grand idea. I know that his penchant for brainstorming out loud will lead to headlines that will make me, and most of the country, roll our eyes in disbelief. I know that he can easily come off as arrogant and too clever by half. I will not agree with him in every detail; in fact, I can tell you that I don’t. I have plenty of reasons not to like him. Then again, I have plenty of reasons not to like any of the candidates.
Despite all that, I prefer him to all the others. Much like Abraham Lincoln said of General Ulysses Grant, “He fights”. I want someone in the White House who won’t shy away from a fight over conservative principles. I want someone who will kick recalcitrant Congressional Republicans in the tail, like he did when he was Speaker of the House (and don’t think for a moment that they removed him from the position for any other reason than because he upset their apple carts). I want someone who will look Democrats in the eye, grin, and take them to school so quickly they barely have time to figure out how they lost.
I believe Newt Gingrich will be that man and so he has my support.
Other Posts of Interest:
- Mitt in 2012? If He’s Learned From MassCare, Maybe So.
- Big Bloggers Fall in Line for Rick Perry
- Three Things the GOP Field Can Learn from Herman Cain and One They Should Forget
Category: The 2012 Horse Race
I know why! You are a shortsighted Kamikaze Republican. Well darnit, lets give Americans a strong conservative and if they don’t like him then we are all damned and so it doesnt matter anyway whether Obama gets re-elected. Oh, and by strong conservative I am talking about the way Newt talks. Who cares about policy positions? The bombast and firebrand rhetoric are infinitely more entertaining and by golly I want a candidate who is fun. That’s why I in all likelihood have supported Trump, Bachmann, Perry, Cain, and now Gingrich. Whoooooo Go Newt! Leave immigration up to local councils, subpoena the Supreme Court, damn the torpedoes, and full speed ahead. All aboard as Newt goes off the rails on a crazy train!
Ah, Robin. It’s a shame you took the time to write that but didn’t take any time to read my post.
It’s always amusing to witness a concern-troll post as a first in the thread.
If conservative = Shouldn’t be hammering fellow party folks with vitriol.
If liberal = This kind of post is expected in an unmoderated blog.
Hmmmmmm…..
Most likely a Ron Paul troll…
Sarah Huisenga @SarahH_CBSNJ 19m Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Newt on Ron Paul: “I think the key to his volunteer base is people who want to legalize drugs.”
P.S. Congratulations on a well-thought out endorsement and best wishes on future relevance!
Thank you, Jimmie, for saying what I think, in a way I could not. Perfectly. I would add my endorsement of Newt Gingrich is also because I’m counting on his long memory of history in a time when so many have forgotten. I don’t wish to look negatively on the choices of my fellow conservatives, I just hope they thought as carefully as I did about their selection. As evidenced above, you certainly did.
Most important line in this post:
“I am not naive. I know that I will have to keep my eye on Gingrich should he be elected President.”
Really doesn’t matter who takes the nom: that nominee has to be working for We The People, which implies WTP hold them accountable.
I’m slightly biased against the candidates who appear too insider, too media-approved, too reliable.
Moreso than the rest of the crowd, Newt would rock him some debates.
Cheers, Jimmie
It’s true, Smitty, that we’ll have to keep a close eye on out next President. Then again, we should have been doing that all along!
Also, it doesn’t hurt that I’m a bit of a contrarian. The more “respectable” folks attack Newt, the more I’m inclined to like him.
Jimmie, I agree. These are special times that require special people/person to get us out of this mess. I like Michelle and both Rick’s, Ron not at all. I’ve never got warm to Mitt. My humble opinion, Mitt is a NE progressive that will not do well in the south and I don’t trust him. He couldn’t beat out Mac and so now he’s slings stuff all over Newt. I don’t remember seeing that with Mac.
In this time and moment Newt will be my candidate. Come hell or high water.
Absolutley. I want a gunslinger right now. Not a preacher.
Gingrich is a gunslinger. He has a past…but right now the town’s in trouble. I’ll throw my money his way.
Just hope he doesn’t make us paint the town red or something first.
I find IT amazing how historically ignorant some people are. Newt would be the worst possible one. You use the argument against Romney that because of Romneycare he couldn’t be trusted on Obamacare….EXCUSE me Newtie supports Individual mandate. Newt claims credit for things he didn’t do, lays the blame on others-including calling Americans too stupid to understand his plans because we are to dumb. It is always someone else’s fault with Newt. He has NEVER apologized for anything (& please do not try to use a serial adulterers apology for not keeping it in his pants) Never ADMITTED to being wrong on ANYTHING. Sorry that sounds like Obama to me.
Victoria, I’m sorry but there’s not much substance to your criticism and what is there is wrong. There is a world of difference between rhetorical support for an individual mandate and actually building one, signing it into law, and defending it in the face of its failure.
You say he takes credit for things he didn’t do, but cite no examples. You claim he’s never apologized for anything when there are many examples, freely available thanks to the internet, that he has. I get that you don’t like him, and you’re free not to. It would be helpful, though, if your criticisms were based on something more than animosity.
And what, pray tell, is that difference, Jimmie? That the pro-mandate rhetoric could just be insincere pandering or lying on his part? I don’t see any possible mitigating circumstance here.
Newt supported the individual mandate not only for close to 20 years, but right until May of this year. He even defended that aspect of Obamacare while conservatives were calling for full repeal. It seems to me intellectually dishonest to write off his long history of support for an individual mandate as not a big deal simply because he did not actually write it or sign it into a law – which all evidence indicates he well would have had the opportunity come up.
Don’t be absurd. Newt supported the “individual mandate” in the form that was proposed by the Heritage Foundation against Hillarycare in 1993.
The individual mandate in Obamacare bears little resemblance to that proposed and back by conservatives.
Victoria- Before you come onto a website and spout off your unfounded and historically untrue comments while suggesting that everyone studies up on their history; I suggest you do some research first.
Newt initially supported the individual mandate as an alternative to the socialistic HillaryCare. Newt was trying to find a way to keep us from heading down the spiral that we are facing now with Obama. However, after more research- he decided that the mandate would be problematic and has since vehemently opposed Obama’s mandate BIG difference from Romney who still doesnt apologize for his mandate.
Newt claims credit for things he didnt do? Clarification? Source?
When did Newt ever say that the American People were too dumb? If anything, Newt has been the only candidate to explain the historical processes.
Newt has apologized on several occasions and has openly admitted that he was wrong (talking with Pelosi on global warming, as example).
If you were as wrong on Newt generally as you were in this comment, may I suggest you look at him again with a pair of fresh eyes. I suggest going here to learn more about Newt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ_CvdcrHhQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ytK5DakDDL4 to read Newts bullet points on his 21st Century Contract with America.
Please name one thing in Newt’s career and/or personal history that makes you think he will “carve into the size of government so that it’s smaller after four years than it is now.”
Where do you see ANY evidence of that whatsoever?
His accomplishments in Congress.
Keep up those kind of succinct rebuttals, and I may have a nickname suggestion for you — “Bam Bam” (from the Flintstones)
You are challenging Lincoln on Grant: “I can’t spare this man, he fights!”
I would suggest that Santorum would not only fight as well, but has been uncompromising in his defense of conservatism in this race.
I’ve heard the contention from his supporters. Still, I do not trust him to fight.
[...] hikes 20 years ago even though it meant disappointing a Republican president. Conservatives love that side of him. Might matter when they’re trying to choose a Not Romney from among Gingrich, Perry, and [...]
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I am a minister who campaigned for Bush 43 in the infamous 2000 election. I lived in the infamous Broward (hanging chad) County. I registered 2,300 +/- unabashed fundamental christians to vote that year, through the megachurch I was a pastor of. I know that out of those numbers at least 538 voted for 43.
I too was tired of defending him, and tired of him not defending himself.
Your endorsement of Newt articulates perfectly my sentiment toward him and the field. My only concern is how the press will savage him if he does get to become POTUS. The one thing I do hold on to is that he will fight and fight again.
We need a transformational president, and in order to transform he will need to be able to fight and fight hard. For such a time as this Newt is the man.
Jimmie: Thanks for sharing. You said the magic word: “fighter”. Bush and McCain refused to hit back and it all but ruined the Republican brand. They couldn’t see beyond their own noses, and tried to remain “above the fray”, not realizing they had a duty to defend the ideals of the people that put them there. Pathetic. Your words were a big help.
BTW…Thomas Sowell wrote an interesting piece on Gingrich a couple of days ago. I recommend it. http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2011/12/20/the_past_and_the_present
I support Gingrich for all the reasons you cited, but my main reason is this: The establishment Republicans – Rove, SourKrauthammer, Bush Sr, etc. – are all scared to death of him. These people are ruining the Republican party and they fear Gingrich because he will hold them accountable.
Jimmie, you must be reading my material. You sound just like me. Just read my blogpost on “Why is Newt the Right Guy” at my blog texasorbusted.wordpress.com.
I too support Gingrich, and for many of the same reasons. But, I also have a reason you didn’t mention, and it is my bigest reason. “Actions speak louder than words” Newt is the only one to have balanced the budget, he is the only one to have reformed an entitlement program, and he is the only one to have gotten the whole country behind his Contract with America and took over congress for the first time in 40 years. And those are the things we need again.
Win
Cut spending
Reform entitlements
and the economy will take care of itself, just like the 90′s
Newt Gingrich has my vote. We need a leader, not a joke, not a cowboy, not milk toast and not a liar.
This was so well written and so very true.
You’ve got Gingrich pegged and your reasoning is spot on.
I’m backing him too even though it’ll make Ann Coulter mad.
Well thought out argument in favor of Newt. He’s not my preferred candidate – Bachmann holds that dubious distinction – but he’s not the Antichrist either.
Ron Pal, on the other hand…
Um… Paul.
Hell yeah!
Well thought out analysis and follow-up comments, Jimmie. I really appreciate the candor and caution put into your writing.
Like you, I too have become even more impressed with Speaker Gingrich as nearly every establishment group and pundit has attempted to throw his candidacy under the proverbial bus. The way he has managed to carry himself through last Summer, into the debates, and now the withering attacks shows me we may have a principled candidate in the mold of Reagan and Churchil, warts and all.
How refreshing to consider a presidential contender accountable only to the American people and his grandchildren.
The American people who are truly watching this GOP race may have a front row seat to American history in the making, and the one person who may be the most fearful of the challenge he represents to recent years of re-moulding America is David Axelrod.
Thanks again for such a thoughtful article.
Great post Jimmie! I agree with you all the way. Keep up the good work.
I’ve already made my case for Rick Santorum, but Newt is my (close) second choice. I like him, and I don’t care what anybody says. he’d mop the floor with Obama and that alone would be fun to watch, but he (like Rick Santorum) knows WTF he is talking about when it comes to islam; unlike Mittens and Perry who will be useful idiots for the islamic supremacists, just like Bush was, but of course they’d be to a lesser extent than caliph Obama, but we need someone who sees clearly and nobody in the field sees the truth about islam more clearly than Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.
You’ve written a great piece, Jimmie, and you’re right, we DO need a fighter and whatever his faults may be, he sure is good at laying the smackdown on the left.
Linked here:
Christmas with the Sickies of the Resistance
http://zillablog.marezilla.com/2011/12/christmas-with-sickies-of-resistance.html
Well said Jimmie. Your positions are my positions although I haven’t endorsed anyone at this point. My pick has always been Santorum because I believe he can and would do all that you have laid out, but I do not believe he can be the candidate, and so I continue leaning to Newt.
Your point about holding pols accountable is exactly what we have to do, but we will have less of a chance of doing so with Romney, in my opinion. He’s a wall builder and has only now dared face Sunday news forums. I don’t think he will care about We The People, knowing that he has the backing of the party fossils. You are right that we are where we are today because we have let our elected representatives bruise and bloody the Constitution. Maybe that will never happen again without a fight.
I believe Newt has the fire in his belly – overweight and prone to cruising, nevertheless. I believe that this is his chance to make a lasting mark, and I think he “gets” the TeaParty attitude now of It’s The Constitution Stupid.
We held our noses and voted for McCain. Newt has opinions, ideas and speaks his mind, something McCain never did unless it was in support of a Democrat. I want to believe Newt. Very thoughtful post. I’m linking this morning.
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