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Subscribe to RSSRepublican Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's candidacy is only days old, but he's already on the defensive. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
From NBC’s Ali Weinberg and Carrie Dann
***This post has been updated below to reflect developments***
On NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said that the central test he will face in the 2012 campaign will be “whether I have the discipline and the judgment to be president.”
In the last 48 hours – after Gingrich expressed support for insurance mandates and linked Rep. Paul Ryan’s fiscal plan to “right wing social engineering” -- some conservatives have offered their own answers to that question.
And it’s not good news for the presidential hopeful. As Tuesday wore on, it didn't get much better.
The Wall Street Journal editorial page skewered Gingrich on Tuesday, writing that his comment on the Ryan plan “reveals the Georgian's weakness as a candidate, and especially as a potential President—to wit, his odd combination of partisan, divisive rhetoric and poll-driven policy timidity.”
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, whose state’s position as the third-in-the-nation primary makes her endorsement especially coveted, chimed in as well, calling Gingrich’s position on Ryan’s plan “absolutely unfortunate.”
“When you have a conservative fighting for real change, the last thing we need is a presidential candidate cutting him off at the knees,” she told CNN.
Conservative radio host Bill Bennett also admonished Gingrich, who appeared on his show today, telling him, “Ryan’s in the fight of his life, and you’re shooting at him from behind, saying this is just right-wing Obama-ism.”
But perhaps the most blunt criticism was literally in front of the former speaker’s face. On Monday, a voter in Dubuque, Iowa shouted at Gingrich to “get out now before you make a bigger fool of yourself.” (The video of the exchange presents just the kind of squirm-inducing awkwardness that prompts opposition researchers and ad-makers to chirp with glee.)
The man, Russell Fuhrman, later told the Des Moines Register that he thought Gingrich was a “jerk” and “an embarrassment to our party.”
And this barrage of reproach came before Politico reported that between 2005 and 2006, Gingrich carried as much as $500,000 in debt to Tiffany’s, the luxury jewelry company. It’s not yet clear whether Gingrich has since paid off the debt or not, but as a presidential candidate he will have to file a personal financial disclosure form.
‘A jump too far’
The trouble for Gingrich began Sunday, when he told NBC’s David Gregory that Ryan’s plan to replace Medicare with a privatized voucher system was “a jump too far.”
“I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering,” he said. “I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.”
Gingrich was also asked whether he still favored, as he did in 1993, individuals “being required to have health insurance.” Rather than backing away from the implication that he supported an individual mandate, he insisted that “all of us have a responsibility to pay--help pay for health care. And, and I think that there are ways to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy.”
After being pummeled by conservatives for those statements, the onetime Georgia lawmaker and history professor has tried out several tactics in defending his position.
In a discussion with conservative radio host Mike Gallagher’s show on Monday, Gingrich blamed “gotcha press,” telling Gallagher that “they took dramatically out-of-context what I said, and tried to make it, dramatically, into a fight between Paul Ryan and me.”
Then later today, Gingrich told CNN that his current view of the Ryan plan may not be the one he ends up sticking with. “Normally campaigns are very secretive, they don't reveal anything until they're totally ready and then they spring something,” he said. “I really think you're better off when you engage the American people in a dialogue where they get to participate in the development of the ideas.”
While that explanation is ready fodder for those waiting to pounce on any shifts in Gingrich’s position, some conservative voices have already closed the book on the Gingrich campaign.
On Fox News yesterday, syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said, “He’s done. He didn’t have a big chance from the beginning but now it’s over.”
An attempt at reaching out
NBC News political reporter Domenico Montanaro reports Gingrich and Ryan spoke on the phone Tuesday afternoon. According to Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler, the two had a very good conversation and it "went very well."
Tyler said his hope is that Gingrich will be helpful in helping Ryan and the Republicans design a political strategy to win the argument. Tyler went on to say Medicare is going to be important part of 2012 election. It's important, he said, that Americans have a plan they can support.
But Tyler did not back down from a complaint about the Ryan approach, saying: "A large-scale policy absent a political plan is a nice idea on a piece of paper. I’d like to see Newt Gingrich help Republicans design a Medicare reform plan that Americans can support.”
And, as if Gingrich didn't have enough problems, the Associated Press reports that the candidate and his wife, Callista, "were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. "
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A half million dollars at Tiffany's! He must have bought a headband!
Calista sure must like some bling! lol
Anyone know what the over/under is before we stick a fork in him and tell him he's DONE?
"Mrs. Gingrich #3" has expensive tastes!
Let's face it, if you had to crawl into bed with the Newt, is it any wonder she would demand a 'little blue box' to compensate for his 'little blue pills'? ;o)
BLECH!
Fiesty, how can any man get in bed with Calista's hair? He could get stabbed to death! And for Newtie, "another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust, and another one gone".............................................next?
Feisty, that name is so right for you. LOL!
Hey Fiesty !
It's called bling for fling; strangely, when the pharmaceutical company wanted a color for Viagra they chose the same shade of blue as Tiffany's use for their boxes and bags.
I LOVE it Orb!
Thanks for wrapping that up so neatly in a little blue bow! ;o)
@ michelle & American Girl! Thanks for the shout out! I saw footage of Calista today and all I could think of was plastic hair Barbie!
Considering what Viagara costs, Tiffany blue is an appropriate choice of color.
Hey Forest Grump.
The $500,000 at Tiffany's was for diamond and white gold 'spreadeagle' pins for his campaign aides.
Hey, you never know...Newt might have been feeling "patriotic" again!
Who said Callista got any of that jewelery?
I'm thinking that Newt's logic (?) is that if he covers "Calista" in jewels, no one will notice that she is really a man....
The Right contains little more than a-moral, sociopathic, xenophobic, misogynistic, Taliban-like, side-show freaks.
They are the "Gravediggers" of the Postmodern Age.
Sing it, Fiesty Redhead!
http://bit.ly/mh2wCf
That is all.
Liberals on Newsvine are stupid beyond compare. Gingrich is a weak candidate.
So what?
He's not going to be the nominee.
That will be Mitt Romney.
Who will end the insanity that is the Obama Administration.
Wow, just wow -- look at what conservatives are doing to Newt. I'd like to think it's just cover for not having to deal with his moral and ethics issues, but it's not. It's anger about Newt breaking the GOP's 11th Commandment and speaking against "one of their own." I can't believe it, but I'm actually going to defend Gingrich right now.
How dare Newt criticize Ryan Hood's arse-backward plan to rob from the poor to give to the rich (even though most Republicans dislike Ryan's plan too)? How DARE Newt! No matter how crazy and extreme Ryan's plan is, or how true Newt's remarks are, how dare he!
Folks, this is coming from conservatives who claim they are all about transparency. In reality, it's just another version of Feds formerly from Wall Street Feds supposedly enforcing regulations on Wall Street, or lobbyists for Big Business writing legislation on insurance or energy. It's not even the police policing themselves (where at least the offending officer might actually be reprimanded).
Until the right-wing can be honest, until Republican members are allowed dissent and to speak their minds, until conservatives can think for themselves, the GOP/TP credibility gap just gets larger. Until the right-wing can shut-down the crazies--like the Birthers in their Party--or candidates like Christine O'Donnell and other wingnuts in 2010, or clowns like Donald Trump for 2012, the GOP/TP will be seen as nothing but a joke.
This is the United States of American where we as a Republic practice democracy, free press, free speech, freedom. May the Republican Borg be defeated. Vote them out in 2012!
I hate Newtie, but I also can't stand the "voter" who attacked him simply because Newt spoke out against Ryan. As if Ryan is the GOD of Medicare and has the golden plan to save the day. Gag. His idea is hitting him in the face as it is other Reps as they go home. Rightly so. There are so many other ways to do this, but being a Rep, he will only insist on HIS way and the free market way. Anyone remember the energy markets in CA due to free markets? CA got screwed... literally by the energy traders. Just as the insurance people will screw us all with the voucher plan. Not to mention what happens when the voucher runs out for a real need? Ryan needs a wake-up call... apply medicare tax on ALL income. That would close the gap tremendously. I pay the same rate as the Koch Bros. Anyone see the problem????
How do politicians make so much money? Easy, first he uses his way-too-large government paycheck to use as a base from which to leech more money from Americans by 'investing/leeching' off American productivity and the hard work of its tax payers.
So in essence, this guy has never worked a hard day in his entire life, yet he makes more money than the common two-thousand hard working American families. What wrong with this picture?
Like I've always said, politicians are looking after one thing: Personal Interests. Be it interest in making more money for themselves, or interest in getting better paying positions in large corporations or in government for their family and friends, or interest in making sure the financial security of his family's future is set in stone. One thing's for sure, not many politicians are looking after the good of the people, very few of them do. What a screwed up system where the politician can use his position to make himself more money completely off the backs of hard working Americans.
Maybe we should ban politicians from 'investing/leeching' off American business. If banned from this practice maybe they would be lees inclined to sucker us American taxpayers into laws that ultimately screw us over but help them, the politicians, make more money well into the future.
A half a million dollars at Tiffany's??? 'ol Newt is going after the bling vote.....
I meant to add that conservatives just did the same thing to McCain who received a letter from current CIA Director Penetta debunking the Bushies claims that bin Laden was located based on intelligence from water boarding--NOT! It's one thing to spread lies, but to suppress truth -- The GOP/TP have gone over the edge.
He's a college professor. Taught students for years.
You know, that profession Obama likes to claim he belongs to.....except Gingrich was actually on the payroll. Not as a favor or "visiting lecturer".
Newter Blingrich... screw the have nots!
Wow, I know that Mr. Romney can raise a bunch of cash but his fight within the Republican party over his own issues will not serve him well. The fact is that the Obama team has set up the Republicans like bowling pins and now they're being knocked down.
I wish there was a candidate that would represent a middle-of-the-road approach to our nation's problems but the Tea Party faction would never allow that. Hell, they may even "primary" their own speaker and anyone else who wants compromise. Sad.
@Doug Ponders
What exactly was he teaching? How to get into government to leech the people out of their hard earned dollar? If that's the case, he was the best professor for such studies, hands down.
Doug, if Newt is such a smart person, why did you deflect to Obama? Shouldn't his "professor" status be enough for you to write more than eight words about?
Can you name something that Obama has done that Newt hasn't? I can.
Became POTUS. Newt will always be on the outside looking in. He only has himself to blame.
Doug, Republicans skewer Newt over his sorta, kinda waffling on health care insurance, so they're going to turn to... Mitt? The Mormon ken doll Mitt? The original 'I was against health coverage before I was for health coverage before I was against health coverage before I enacted health coverage' Mitt?
Um, if you say so.
He has been teaching? Really, and he spends $500,000 at Tiffany's, then all I can say is I want to join his union, it pays way better than the ones in Wisconsin. These people are full of it and are sickening.
Wow...... this one is one is going to reel in a entire new crop of Independents! You guys were outstanding tonight. Even the liberal "men" where catting around like a bunch of sophomore whores! Any one of them on either side could spend that much in a day on just about anything! I dont like this guy either, but geesus can you be a tad more adult about things. People besides liberals come here and THEY are watching you act this way!
Well it's not like we called him a Nazi, communist, Socialist, terrorist loving Muslim, not born in this country, death panel creating, destroyer of our country, Kenyan.
I know I may take a lot of flack for this but, isn't it pathetic the Republican party cannot come up with one viable candidate? Either the people of the United States are getting smarter or the big money people who back the Republicans are under estimating our intelligence.
It enlightens me that Democratic candidates and our present and previous presidents were educated and personable and knows to surround themselves with able and skilled staffs. While many abhorred President Carter, he was not pretentious and he actually cared about the citizens of the United States.
Since Bush stole the presidency from Al Gore, the Republicans have had the most anemic group of hopefuls. In truth, I believed Ronald Reagan was also a paper tiger when it came to his leadership. He handed a lot of money and power over to big business and I for one, am still waiting for the "trickle down theory" to come to fruition. Let us not forget Mr Potatoe head, Dan Quayll. I believe there are so many adult children, who have made it through college and graduate school, received their degrees because, of their father's wealth. They received a sheep skin because of daddy's deep pockets, rather than any effort on their part.
What really angers me is, these pay-to-play, wealthy brats; have the audacity to question President Obama's credentials. President Obama actually earned his success and he merited everything he has received. It is so sad, to think about the cash, wasted on Bush, Trump, and the rest of the kindergarten class; while there are so many qualified people, who actually want to learn and educate themselves.
Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia and other elitist schools are most likely supporting their curriculum's with the extra cash, the ultra rich "donate" to assure their little beanie boy, gets a degree.
Talk about "dumbing down" America, one would have to be blind, not to see the lack of knowledge, the presidential candidates exhibit. Ignorance is not just a lower class phenomenon, it has trickled up, if one beleives, only the rich has brains. The last several decades of GOP presidential candidates have have very little to brag about when it comes to Intelligent Quotients.
No, I ain't no rocket scientist but, at least I know it. I could no more be president of the Mickey Mouse fan club, than the what the GOP offers up, as presidential material every four years.
You knw the difference between a Newt and a newt. One is a slimy gollum like creature that hides under rocks eats the young and unborn of others. The other is an amphibian.
Newt can go back in his cage now.
Just goes to show you how the radicals and extremists have taken over the Republican party.
Unless you're filthy rich you'd be a fool to vote for a party that was the enablers of Wall Street tanking the economy and now they want to tank it again. Only if they don't extend the debt limit, it'll be worse than the Great Depression.
I used to be a Republican but now that party is just religious fanatics, bigots and racists and economic know-nothings.
Wee you do have to respect he is saying what he thinks and not kow-towing to the party line.
That said he is still an unethical philandering idiot.
Republican'ts are cannibals...they eat each other
Poor Newt is still stuck in the nineties. He is not yet aware that modern Republicans openly and repeatedly screw the middle class today while calling it fiscal responsibility. The conservative cause no longer has need for misleading terms like "trickle-down". The openly take chainsaws to every social net and the American dream as they steam-shovel every last drop to the top 5%. If Newt only had foreign dictator Rupert Murdoch and his creepy talking heads at Fox to unite the simpletons, he could have had President Clinton crucified on an upside-down cross as he publicly had his way with Hillary and Monica. No need for Tiffany's, just some cheap make-up to hide the many pimples on his flabby, pale and wrinkled butt.
Newt is just too far to the "Center" for the Teapublicans. He told David Gregory what he believes and the funny thing is, its the "Truth".
I can't believe the "Righties" are hanging Newtie Boy out like this. Its been said that the Teapublicans will eat their own and this episode proves it once again.
Newt is not that dumb. He knows the Ryan Medicare Voucher Plan has already costs the GOP the Presidency and Congress in 2012, a complete repeat of 2008.
Poor GOP; they just can't decide which way to jump anymore. They go home to their districts to face angry town halls and start backing away from the Ryan plan and then even Newt claims its too radical and they're all for it again. Truthfully, I've never liked Newt and I've never actually heard what any of his great ideas he supposedly has are, but for once he's actually right about something and his own party crucifies him. You can't drive your car without insurance, why shouldn't health care be the same way? I don't hear them complaining about how socialistic requiring car insurance to be. Alas, Newt is letting the GOP noise machine back him into a corner and he's trying to walk his statements back already. For gods sake man, own what you said and be proud of it. This is not the GOP of the 90's, these are people befuddled by the mess they've created, desperate for a message beyond tax cuts and abortion, trying to make people believe they can reduce the deficit by taking in less revenue. Its not you, its THEM.
WOW, this may be a new record. Newt's Presidential campaign may be the shortest in history.
Overheard in Newt's Campaign HQ:
"BANG! Dang it, I shot myself in the foot! BANG! Dang it, I shot myself in the other foot!"
Campaign Manager, "Would somebody take that gun away from Newt before he kills us all!"
RIP Newt.
I guess that just leaves Mitt and Ron, huh? The Mormon and the maniac.
I just want to say I get the book reference in the article title.
Though now all I can see is Newt as a freckled, ginger child upset about his brown penny loafers as he's led by the hand of a much older, far more grizzled Michele Bachman.
Newt: Women voters will love him:
Newt: Serial adultery, deceit and betrayal: "Mistakes" brought in part by serving his "Patriotic Duty".
Ensign: Enough said.
John Edwards: "Sure I did, but she was in remission."
Newt The Standard Bearer: Women can't wait.
Hey sig-1249839
Newt's standard (or flag) is a beaver (pelt).
Bachman is Palin without the intelligence.
I just want to let you all vent. The next president will be Barak Obama since the Republican Party has been so radicalized. The american people do not like radicals, right or left. All you have to do is read a history book. The Tea Party is not acceptable to the american public. If you ignore this fact you are going to get your teeth kicked in.
True. And Palin is Kendra without the intelligence.
Bachman is Palin without the intelligence.
Whoa.... Saying Bachman is LESS intelligent than Palin? You may as well have called her a houseplant.
OMG - everything he says is taken out of context!
Nevertheless, Peggy Noonan pointed out that we may all remember Newt Gingrich from 20 years ago, but the young voters today may not be able to grasp all his baggage - we must educate them!!!
Newt doesn't need any help educating young voters. They have the Internet, youtube and Newt. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Unfortunately, like Trump, it looks like it's well on the way to being cancelled ;-) Who's the next contestant? Bachmann? Palin? Let's get rid of the clowns and move onto to Romney, Pawlenty and Huntsman.
Pawlenty and Hunstman are democrats
For the umpteenth time! Newt was a sessional instructor, never a tenured or tenure track academic. I guess someone forgot to tell him about NOT inflating his resume.
TO: Ursula-279622 who wrote:
“OMG - everything he says is taken out of context!...”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Republicans are so allergic to responsibility, they even blame others for what comes out of their own mouths !
They're not called the Party of Perpetual Self Pity for nothing, dontcha know? ;o)
He makes Trump look good.
We don't have to spend a lot of time trashing Newt and educating the young, the right is doing a great job of trashing Newtie for us. I love it! Three down in a week! Who's going to jump in next? I love watching the TP/Rethugs eating their own. Can you say four more years?
What scares me is Nikki Haley stating that "a conservative against another conservative (P. Ryan)'s coupon healthcare plan". Hmmm, I'm more worried about Ms. Haley from that bastion of Freedom and Democracy, South Carolina. I would like her to make her stand on the Ryan Healthcare reform as soon as possible. Newt? Well, bless.
Okay -- I concede that the president will win re-election. Woo Hoo! Now, please tell me what he will accomplish in the next four years? I'm sure all of you are aware that the redistricting will end up in Republican favor, so the odds on favorite will be that the House will remain in Republican control and the Senate has a real possibility of going Republican as well.
If the Republicans said no and blocked most legislation during his first two years when the democrats and a majority to pass anything they wanted if they stayed unified, what makes you think it will change in the next six years? Just asking and I'd like to see comments, thoughts and ideas of how the government will function with such a division.
Do we want to see this government at a stalemate which is as good as a death sentence?
Gee, with that many mistresses Newt could qualify to be a, err, uhm,............................. a Democrat !!
No the democrats don't want him he would make them look bad, he is worse than any democrat I know.
So, let's say that the house and the senate end up Republican and a Repubican President is electable. where do we go from there? Is that really an attractive proposition? I believe under a Republican run country that we will find ourselves sliding backwards not forwards. Its all very well God and Country stuff with all the trimming of flags, constitutions, slogans, bells and the rest but that doesn't represent the United States 2012. Where's the give and take, the compromise that Mr. Boehner can't define or even possibly say? What head of government has a vision? Is everyone in that vision? It is us or them? Is that where we're going? The Democrats have much to answer for. True. However, its not so exclusive a club that only those they choose are included. Healthcare USA is a disgrace. It is. We can argue all night about it but that's exactly what it is. We also pick on the most vulnerable. They become the enemy. It couldn't be the military complex, it couldn't be corporations, it couldn't be oil companies, its gotta be the price of gallon of gas and who's responsible? No give, no take. So, at the end of the day, all the name calling from both sides is counter productive. Fox News............is also a disgrace. Its "hearing what you want to hear" and its a disservice to everyone including its supporters. So, where do we go from here?
Ben, unfortunately if what you say happens, with the TP/Rethugs winning the House and the Senate, (which I sincerely doubt will happen), the Pres. will spend 4 years trying to veto all the insanity the Congress will try to push on the country, and nothing of value will get done. That scares me more than anything. But, while the Tea Party is still basking in their victory from last Nov., I think many people are now scared of their extreme ideas and many more will be out to vote next year. The GOP govs. have really over reached and scared alot of people, in Wis., Michigan, Ohio, etc. So, I think as we have seen the TP rallies dwindle across the country, the real middle will decide the TPer's are just a bridge too far to cross again.
Republican candidates are in a horrible spot. They've spent the last four years gaining popularity in their base by doing nothing more than ripping President Obama for everything he did, whether it made sense or not.
Now they're in the unenviable position of having to actually define their positions, and they're finding that "socialist muslim" doesn't cut it anymore.
Newt's right. Ryan's plan goes too far. But the far right has made a courageous darling out of Paul Ryan and the media has sold the right wing voters on the viability of this plan. For Newt to speak out against it is common sense, but his own party lambastes him because they've all bought the rhetoric that old people and teacher's unions have destroyed this country.
Good luck flip flopping on all the stuff you've said in the last two years, guys. You've been so far right for so long that getting back to the middle (to electability) may be impossible.
Michelle,
I don't think you have to worry about a Republican controlled anything after the next election. Democrats will sweep as the uninvolved 4 year electorate comes up to vote for Obama again. They will awaken from American Idol and The Jersey Shore long enough to come out to pull the lever for everyone with a (D) next to their name. The only hope here is that the independents have rid themselves of "white guilt" and vote for the person who will actually lead the country in a good direction. Simply to end the race BS, I would like Herman Cain to win the Republican primary and face off against Obama. Then we would have people voting on ideas and leadership instead of race.
A divided congress is much better than a wholly controlled legislature and president. Much like we saw two years ago, nothing will be stopped regardless of American sentiment. They will push through any and all bills that will further take us down.
What our country truly needs is to get back to the idea that people can rule themselves. The federal monstrosity that has been built needs to be dismantled and states need to reclaim their sovereignty. We were meant to be the several states, not a giant State ruled from 3000 miles away. Bring the control back to the states and the wedge issues can then be addressed at the state level where they should. If you want a socialist utopia, there will be states like California who will provide for that. If you want a government providing for liberty and minimal intervention, there will be states like Texas that will provide for that as well. Then we can all win and the partisan bull@!$%# becomes irrelevant.
Atlas-
I sympathize with your aches over the direction of our government. But, I'm afraid that vision of America from the distant past just won't get it in the 21st Century, globalized as it all is now. Where the real problem-- the real disaster occurred was after WWII, when "we" decided to become an Empire. Eisenhower warned us that this could not be allowed. But lo and behold, here we are, indentured servants of the Military-Industrial Complex.
If you're looking for a cause of our misery, it must begin with that. To fuel the insane spending spree for worldwide military hegemony, sane revenue policy with the main goal of sustainability was abandoned. We are simply going to HAVE to relearn the meaning of defense. We are getting to be an old nation, and as such, we need to figure out how to avoid throwing the old folks under the bus.
Until I hear serious discussion on how to downsize the military and end the Empire, I take all of the talk as just so much Bull$HIT.
Newt is obviously not worthy of the time and attention he is receiving from the MSM.
At least he is being called out as an undisciplined candidate who is in way over his head. Tee-hee-hee.
At late as this morning pundits were singling him out as the one with the gravitas and portfolio to win the nomination for the GOP.
He is a gadfly and the anthithesis of the President, No Drama Obama.
Sheila, MD
"Newt is obviously not worthy of the time and attention he is receiving from the MSM."
Neither was that ultimate 'Me Firster' The Mr Trump, but wasn't it fun to have him to kick around every day! Nearly as good as that half-witt from way up north.
With all of Newt's flip flops, etc., isn't he the antithesis of himself?
1. A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
2. A contrast or opposition between two things.
Some people might call that bi-polar.
do you suppose Palin thinks 'BI-POLAR' is a weird bear?
foflol! A wierd queer bear! But that's OK, Sarah the dimwit could take that bear to the Assembly of God church in Wasilla to listen to a South African minister speak in tongues about Queen Esther, and then reeducate the bear to save its soul!
Also too, she strongly believes in her second amendment right to arm bears.
You guys are on a roll! fig Newt has a face only a mother could love. I bet spike barbie has to through back a few to even touch his little blue pill :O
Bi-polar bears go both ways North and South.
Do Bi-Polar Bears QUIT in the Woods??
Okay I'll play. No, they quit on the sidewalk and kick it into the woods.
Newt's bad day started in the mid 1990's when the House Ethics Committee, whom he appointed as Speaker, ordered him to pay $300,000 in "penalties" for serious ethics violations. Add his marital infidelity problems to the cart. Then, while cheating on his second wife with his now third wife, he was busy prosecuting Clinton for his infidelities. He's now flip flopped on healthcare and other issues and he wonders "whether I have the discipline and the judgment to be president.”
Short answer, no. You don't even have the discipline to stay faithful to the woman you are married to nor the discipline NOT to lie to an ethics committee.
As to morality, how do we explain him to our children?
If I am not mistaken, wasn't clinton impeached for lying under oath?
@Ben yes, Clinton was impeached for lying under oath, too bad that everyone that was a part of his impeachment didn't get impeached, but at least they all kind of disgraced themselves one way or another, and no one had to make them look bad they pretty much shot themselves in the ass, too bad they didn't shoot themselves in the face. lol...
Yes Bill Clinton forever tainted his reputation with his affair. After everything he has done in his life, the affair is the one thing that people who hate him remember, and the one thing that people who liked him can't forget.
Cheney was not part of the group doing the shooting, or else he could have shot em in the face quite handily....just like he did his 'friend' while out hunting Quayle!
What do you get when you cross Sarah Palin, Richard Nixon, Pat Robertson and the fat kid in school that talked so fast, his words ran together ("I'm running for theprezzantoftheUnieSates")?
Yep- the old Newt himself!
Strategizing the "Woman" Vote"
Newt: Serial adultery, betrayal and deceit: "Mistakes" in part from the "stress of Patriotic Duty".
Ensign: Enough said.
John Edwards: "Sure I did, but she was in remission."
Newt's on to something--he really understands women. A rare commodity these days.
There is every reason to expect that Dennis Rodman will be his running mate. He needs the dignity and consistent image of the former NBA player to counter his flip-floppery and moral turpitude.
Newt not racist? Please. He's flip-flopped more than a flapjack.
"Food stamp President! "Texas is better than Detroit"? "Obama has the mind of a "Kenyan anti-colonialist!"
Besides: as I recall, the American Revolution was anti-colonial. The colonists were colonists.
FDR started the Food Stamp program. Every President after him could be called the food stamp President because NONE of them asked Congress to disband the Program.
GW Bush is why it's needed more now.... since the depression of the 30's.
Oh, and Gingrich asked his wife who had CANCER fighting for her life in the Hospital for a Divorce to marry his Mistress.
Such a compassionate man...Yea women will certainly love him...gag.
drive-by-observer
What do you get when you cross Sarah Palin, Richard Nixon, Pat Robertson and the fat kid in school that talked so fast, his words ran together ("I'm running for theprezzantoftheUnieSates")?
Yep- the old Newt himself!
Come on drive by, you can leave Richard Nixon out of this, after all he did get us out of vietman!! No the Cross should have been Sarah, Pat robertson and maybe Jessie Jackson, he did cheat on his wife. Richard Nixon would have never done that on Pat.
Jeff- I'll see your Jessie Jackson, and raise you a Larry Craig- I bet if we only knew, the Newt squeezed a few lizzards in his lifetime. Most of the loudest deniers seem to have.
Richard Nixon contribution to getting out of Vietnam was resigning, so the Gerald Ford could do it.
Jeff,
I have to agree on Tricky Dick, only he couldn't find anyone to cheat with no matter how much he would have paid. Well maybe he could have gotten Spiro Agnew.
We had a few guys with Spiro Agnew. Penicillin got rid of it.
AlexG-1904848
Richard Nixon contribution to getting out of Vietnam was resigning, so the Gerald Ford could do it.
Alex, Richard Nixon did more than contribution, he went to the russians, and chinnese, during the height of the cold war, that took alot of guts, they both pressured the north the get back to the peace talks, when the north balked, he with the approval russians and chinnese bombed them back to the peace talks, lets remember bombing hanoi was off limits for years. the full pull out started 6 months before he resigned.
I'm not a richard nixon fan but he was able to clean up a mess another former president from texas got us in. funny that nut jobs from texas gets us in all kinds of trouble!!
Just a few days into his presidential run and Newt shoots himself in the foot. just how bad are the potential republican candidates? My party has gone to sh#@.
cityofangels1: ready to leave the party of Hannity and join the party of sanity?
Ha, good one. Not ready to jump ship yet. Ask me again in December of 2012.
It's alarming how fast they are simply self-destructing... I saw another poster refer to them as "The Circular Firing Squad". I found that amusing.
Disavow all of them and vote for the candidates that want to work all the time to get problems fixed... not work all the time to get re-elected. There are good people and good ideas in both parties. The problem is the parties are run by a-holes, lobbyists and corporations. We need politicians for the people.
As long as we live in a capitalist-based society, that will never, ever happen.
It's kind of ironic that Newt's unforgivable sin was expressing a rational thought about health care. Before that terrible lapse, he was a real contender thanks to his venomous and racist lies about President Obama's "Kenyan anti-colonial mentality" and other Trump-like invective. Apparently, the GOP is going to nominate whoever can say the most hateful and outrageous things about Obama in the shortest amount of time.
Do ou mean, Houston, the kind of hateful and outrageous things the libs regularly spew about any conservative?
Houston!..
It's kind of ironic that Newt's unforgivable sin was expressing a rational thought about health care.
...........................................
...and Romney's sin also.
Rational thoughts are generally not tolerated by the GOP.
Spider, if that's the best you have, you better go home. Sort of sad really. You come on here and spew your hate about liberals and then come up with a statement like you just did? Sad.
spider-737231
What, exactly was said by a major Democratic politician that was as hateful and outrageous and as untrue as claiming that Obama has a "Kenyan anti-colonialist mentality" like Newt Gingrich lied, or that Obama's views were warped because he "grew up in Kenya" like Huckster Huckabee lied?
Much of what's said about Republicans is outrageous -- outrageous because it's true.
spider-737231
"Do ou mean, Houston, the kind of hateful and outrageous things the libs regularly spew about any conservative?"
You mean like calling them commies or socialists? Calling them foreigners? Calling them dithereres? Or radicals that want to destroy the country? Or 'epic failures'? You mean stuff like that, Spidey??
It's the pervasive back-and-forth of the electorate that forces out the fringe views all our would-be leaders cater to.
Architects of our own social destruction.
I suspect any GOP candidate is going to have trouble finding anything wrong with President Obama's agenda, so they have to resort to name calling.
As for Newt, he still that same old fool he was back in the 90s.
This is why the election of 2012 is so important, we need not only to re-elect Pres. Obama but we also need to take control of the house again but in a much bigger way, we need to control the house so that their can't be a philibuster. We need to take control of the house in a big way so that we can help this President pass the good bills that need passing.
President Obama v. The Republicans
Bill Maher isn’t a journalist. Yet he presented the facts as they are.
May 7, 2011, Written by Jason Easley
___________________________________________________
On his HBO show Real Time Bill Maher opened up with -
“Now that it’s become clear that the Republicans, the fiscally conservative strong on defense party are neither fiscally conservative nor strong on defense, they now have to tell us what exactly it is they’re good at.
It’s not defense. 9/11 happened on your watch, and you retaliated by invading the wrong country, and you lost a 10 year game of hide and seek with Osama Bin Laden, and you’re responsible for running up most of the debt, which more than anything makes us weak.”
Maher continued, “You’re supposed to be the party with the killer instinct, but it was a Democrat who put a bomb in Gadhafi’s bedroom, and bullet in Bin Laden’s eye like Moe Green.
He then rolled out the facts, “When Bill Clinton left office in 2001, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that by the end of the decade we would have paid off the entire debt and had $2 trillion surplus. Instead we have a ten and a half trillion dollar public debt and the different in those two numbers is mostly because Republicans put tax cuts for the rich, free drugs for the elderly, and two wars on the layaway plan, and then bailed on the check.
So much for fiscal responsibility.
Bill Maher then destroyed the idea that Republicans are strong in national security, “But hey, at least they still had the defense thing right? The public still believed Republicans were tougher when it came to hunting down dark skinned foreigners with funny sounding names. But Bush had 7 years to get Osama, he didn’t. He got Wesley Snipes. Only 6 months after 9/11 Bush said he didn’t spend that much time on Bin Laden that he was no longer concerned about him. Just as he wasn’t before 9/11 when he blew off that mysterious inscrutable memo titled Bin Laden determined to attack inside the United States. In under a year Bush went from who gives a****, to wanted dead or alive, back to who gives a****.”
After calling out the Republicans for criticizing Obama during the 2008 campaign for saying that he would go into Pakistan to get Bin Laden, he asked Republicans, “Why can’t you just admit that Barack Obama is one efficient, steely nerved, multitasking president?
In one week he produced his birth certificate, comforted disaster victims, swung by Florida to say hey to Gabby Giffords, did stand up at the Correspondents’ Dinner, and then personally repelled into in Bin Laden’s lair and put a Chinese star though his throat without waking up any of his 13 wives. That’s how it went down, I saw it on MSNBC.”
The truth is that the 30% of America that Bill Maher mentioned will never support Obama no matter what he does. Unlike Democrats who did rally behind President Bush after 9/11, many Republicans can only view the Obama presidency with bitter jaundiced eyes that are only capable of seeing all the vast conspiracies that explain why they were not able to keep the presidency, which they believe they are entitled to.
Maher had it right. Obama had an incredible week last week, but within 48 hours the right was back hard at work trying to delegitimize his accomplishments while at the same time taking credit for themselves. What is absolutely eating the Obama haters up inside right now is that he got Bin Laden.
Since 9/11 Republicans have treated the issue of national security as their birthright, but Obama showed them what a real commitment to keeping America secure looks like.
Barack Obama is everything Republicans wish they were, but don’t have the guts to be.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/bill-maher-crackers-obama
_____________________________________________________
Did you see Lawrence O’Donnell last night during his always informative, brilliant “Rewrite” segment wherein he took on the “torture helped get bin Laden” nonsense?
Lawrence asked – If “torture helped” then why didn’t we find the WMD’s in Iraq?
Thanks for the Bill Maher show report. He's absolutely right.
Yes, I saw Lawrence O and his rewrite was spot on!
TO: Pat, Boston, MA who wrote:
“The truth is that the 30% of America that Bill Maher mentioned will never support Obama no matter what he does. Unlike Democrats who did rally behind President Bush after 9/11…”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hey 70% of America is fine, and it’s still a majority. I really love Bill Maher because he really tells it like it is.
Just one thing, we never “rallied” behind Bush, never. We knew from Day 1 that he cheated his way into office motivated by an opportunity to increase his own family’s wealth so the Bushes could match the Saudis’ wealth (which the Bushes so envied), and Bush was THE most partisan, arrogant, crooked, vindictive, and hated president in the history of the United States.
I recall Bush ASKED the American People to just pretend as if they supported him, but Bush couldn’t even get that. Bush left office with a 26% approval rating, meaning even Republicans couldn’t stand him.
One of the first moments I realized the promises of our forefathers weren't being kept was shortly after 9/11 when Bill Maher voiced his infamous comments concerning the attack on his then-show, Politically Incorrect, that caused him to lose that progam and be thrown off the public airwaves.
That even in a crisis we as a country couldn't handle self-criticism (however biting or inappropriate it may have been, take your pick) struck me as anti-thetical of what it means to be American. For a guy who's always considered himself conservative and at the very least right-of-center, watching the Republicans do over the beginning of the 21st century what they did in the name of safety, rather than liberty, was ideologically crushing.
I am spiteful of the modern GOP. Their hypocrisy and adherence to their fringe only harms them in the long run. All that they do is reactionary; independent thought and true conservative positions are sunk into the swamp beneath a bilious deluge of putresence from every half-crazed pundit and wild-eyed jackanape they can trot out.
Why is it that that 30% is the only 30% that votes? Why is it that the most insane voice is the voice granted the most credit?
Lawrence O'Donnell is an idiot. He claims that torture helped get Osama Bin Laden but constantly blames the problems of the economy on Pres. Obama, hello who started the wars in Afganistan and Iraq? They want to give credit to Pres. Bush for helping to get Osama but they don't want to take the blame for the @!$%#ty economy that Bush handed over to Pres. Obama.
Another idiot running for President is Rick Santorum, who stated today that John McCain doesn't understand "torture" like he (rick s.) understands torture. What, wasn't McCain tortured in vietnam? Rick Santorum wasn't in vietnam so how can he claim to understand torture better than someone who was tortured. Okay, so I guess Rick will be the next jerk to have to bow out. What the hell is wrong with these Republicans??
The only " Newt " i'd vote for president was on Lonesome dove.
He may be a Newton, but he ain't Isaac.
I think the scariest thing to come away from this is that Newt is not far enough to the Right for the GOP/TP....
Wow!
Exactly, Mark n Indy, and it is scarey.
Ah, yes, when in doubt about how to handle a crappy answer, blame the folks who asked the question in the first place!
Sorry, Newt, that dog won't hunt!
Question: Name one thing Newt stands for.
Answer: Wind power. He's an environmentalist.
Considering that a Newton is a measure of energy, I would imagine that his blowhardiness would power a small town, oh, about the size of Wassila...
Half a million in debt at Tiffany's not long ago? OK, we deserve to know what he bought and for whom he bought it.
Newt's problems started long before Sunday's MTP--David Gregory just brought them to our attention again. Actually, Gingrich is probably the smartest of the conservatives running, he just doesn't stick with any one idea, flip flops and has a short attention span so he doesn't remember and too many of his ideas are just whacky. He also plays to whatever audience is in front of him as most politicians do except most of them stick with their core ideas. Newt doesn't do that. He knew there would be a wider audience on MTP, so he answered the truth about Ryan's budget--it is right wing social engineering. Surprise, conservatives do indulge in social engineering--it's what the social issues of gays, guns and abortion are about, it's what giving tax cuts to big business and the wealthy is all about.
Actually, republicans should be looking carefully at what Newt said about Ryan's plan--the American people do not like it. Any politician who embraces giving tax cuts to the wealthy and killing medicare to pay for it is not thinking clearly.
TO: Jody, Iowa who wrote:
"…doesn't stick with any one idea, flip flops and has a short attention span so he[/she] doesn't remember and too many of his[/her] ideas are just whacky…"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jody, you just described the whole Republican Party. LOL !
"I don't comment on other candidates," Sen. John McCain.
"staying out of presidential primary politics." Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
"I don't see any particular advantage to going there," "I appreciate the question but I'm not going there," Cornyn
Seriously, will that hold true for the Democratic candidate when he comes on to the stage as well.
These are the men that have the courage to lead American but it is Governor Nikki Hilery that had the balls to call Newt out.....LOL .....what a bunch of Wusses.
Yup, he's a moron.
Another Repub bites the dust! Now lets go after Mittens Romney- the guy who loves having health insurance in Mass but doesn't want it for anyone in the other 49 states
It looks like the Republicans are eating their old.
Mr. Fuhrman of Des Moines is an example of exactly what is wrong with the GOP and the Tea Partiers. That is a fear of debate. Truly, this type of person is an embarrassment to intelligence and a prime example of the dumbing-down of America. We should all stop the yelling and demand intelligent discussion and compromise. We all share this planet and we need to work together as a village. The alternative was tried in Germany and it was horrible.
Newt gets beat up by the GOP when he tells the truth:The Ryan Medicare proposal doesn't reduce costs, just takes them off the federal balance sheet. And it puts seniors at the tender mercies of the insurance industry. Current Medicare recipients may choose "Advantage" plans with coverage provided by private insurance -- and those plans cost the government more per person than single-payer traditional Medicare. Health care costs will never be reduced till the system is nationalized and rationalized.
You meant rationed, not rationalized, didn't you?
The sad truth is that every elected official in Washington knows that America cannot sustain the spending and debt that we are living with right now, but not one of them on either side of the aisle has the stomach to address it in a meaningful way that will save our ass. Much like a child who refuses to take the medicine that Mom says will stop his tummy ache, America voters/citizens refuse to take their medicine even if it means financial and global meltdown. Talk about your quintessential death wish, only this time the stakes are our very existence and we still refuse to take the medicine. The patient is terminal. America goes down and the rest of the world falls like dominoes. Then comes one world order and one world currency and a global government. Good luck folks, I'll be gone.
Blip
Newt has achieved the impossible: he offended the right wing.
Newt's a RINO.. he showed his true colors last weekend.
Only think lower than a Liberal/Progressive is a RINO.... scum.
mllimberg - nope - only thing lower is a Republican/Tea Partier. And, Mike, don't know a Barry but President Obama will win in 2012.
It doesn't matter who the Republicans put up against Obama. Barry's gone in 2012.
Who's "Barry"?
Barry is Mike's "'pocket pal".
...Goldwater?
Yes, he certainly IS gone - and much of what used to make Republicans, republican went with him.
Hey DBO and ed
Barry is short for BarrrrrrraKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Hiheels
Able in 2016, Adam in 2020,
Newt is unelectable, and his lack of insight never fails to astound me. How anyone can take him seriously with his personal life is incredible to me. You can't preach "family values", Newtie, and say that patriotism makes you exempt from those same values. His current wife is singularly without grace, and has no chance replacing the elegant Mrs. Obama as First Lady. Newtie, go home, pay your Tiffany bill so they don't raise their prices for the rest of us.
Newt has concocted a new drink. It's call The Fizzler. He takes full credit.
Republicans are not allowed free will. They must believe the same, act the same, and say the same. Stay on the party message set by the party messengers Melman, Norquirst, Limbaugh, almost anyone on FOX, none of which elected or electable for that matter. How can there be one candidate that is better than the others when all of them are exactly the same? Every sane or reasonable thing any of these people ever said must be taken back in as sincere an apology as is humanly possible, even though rarely are they truly forgiven.
Question: How long will it take Newt to drop out?
Answer: When is dawn?
The Party Of No has no viable candidate on 2012.
Game over...
@Checkered
Not true, they still have Sarah Palin to come save the day.
Palin is a blundering idiot!