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br> Louisville, Kentucky /p>

Mr. Macomber's essay on the return of Newt Gingrich evokes the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail scene when John Cleese accuses, "She turned me into a newt!....Well, I've gotten better." Perhaps Mr. Macomber should utter the follow-up, "Well, maybe I haven't gotten better after all."

I was a true disciple of The Newt from the beginning of the 1980s. I wanted him to run for president because I was impressed by all his impressive ideas. When he became the leader of the Republican opposition in 1992, I was heartened, only to be betrayed in 1995 when he finally achieved real power. Unfortunately, conservatives have avoided analysis of what happened in the mid-1990s in favor of a bunch of mythology.

First, it was not just the Contract With America, which led to the Republican triumph in the 1994 off-term elections. Probably that was not even mainly responsible. For two years the Republicans, inspired and led by Gingrich, had waged a campaign against the Clinton corruptions. Not just Whitewater. There were the purloined FBI files, domestic spying, misuse of the IRS for political purposes. "Who hired Craig Livingstone?" The subornation of the FBI. The Waco massacre. What really happened to Vince Foster? The high-handed method of trying to introduce Hillary Care, including the highly questionable appointment of Hillary to head the commission. The abuses of the army, attempting to turn it into a White House catering staff at the top and a homosexual haven in the ranks. Disappearance of subpoenaed Whitewater files, and much, much, more. For those who do not remember, they need only go back and review the 1993-1994 archives of TAS. This is just to mention corruption while passing over legal, but bad policy choices and personnel appointments. And of course the continuous deceptive Clintonoid word-weaseling. Newt led a truly heroic battle against all of this, and against corruption by Democratic congressmen as well.

Everyone sensed that the first order of business could, and should be impeachment of Clinton for serious crimes against the Constitution, (not for sexual improprieties and perjury). Newt's Contract of blessed memory was an afterthought compared to the truly important task of restoring some semblance of honesty and constitutionalism to American government.

And when Newt captured both houses, for the first time in memory, we all expected that finally the villain would be brought to justice. And yes, that the Contract would be implemented. By the way, how many of you remember how many points there were in the contact, and what exactly they were? But as soon as the dust settled and the offices and prestige parking places had been reallocated, the betrayals began.

First of all Newt declared that Clinton no longer mattered, and that we ought to forget about pursuing his crimes and abuses. "We need to pursue a pos-i-tive a-gen-da." As if restoring a modicum of honesty to government and respect for constitutional rights somehow was not positive. Of course later we would be fed the alibi that the Clintons were untouchable. That there was such a groundswell of love for martyred Saint Willie that any attempt at impeachment would have led to bloody revolution and the lynching of all Republicans.

In fact, as of 1995, the country was almost ready "to Ceausescu" our White House tyrants. It was only later, as a function of his repeated, Road Runner-like escapes that Clinton became a cult figure, beloved by those who were grateful for anyone who could foil a Republican, and grateful for any official who could successfully live out their dissolute fantasies. And it was not only Clinton's escapes, but also a function of a new cynicism implanted when Newt told us, in effect, that "now we have gained power honesty in government no longer matters." Imagine if Kenneth Starr had brought his impeachment charges over the fundamental violations of the Constitution listed above, instead of courtroom technicalities relating to a sexual escapade? It is likely that Willie would have been removed in 1996 before Monica's dress and reputation were stained. In fact, Newt contributed mightily to the cynicism which allowed people to dismiss all accusations arising out of Paula and Monica-gates as nothing more than political attacks. After all that was what Newt tacitly admitted the previous time.

But hey, we got our Positive Agenda, the Blessed Contract, didn't we? Well, no. As noted earlier, few of us can remember the specific items. I recall that a few, was it two or three, items were ultimately voted into law within the first hundred days as promised. But that most items got stalled. Were brought to the floor of the House, and were either voted down or sent back to die in committee. And when Republican constituents complained about the unseemly haste with which the contract items were abandoned at the first sign of serious resistance, Newt angrily scolded us, that (he) never promised to enact all the items in the Contract, only to bring them to the floor of the House within the first hundred days of the term. Willie must have really enjoyed seeing this peculiarly Clintonian finagle.

Newt spent the rest of the Clinton administration backing away from confrontations with Clinton, while explaining that you just can't help liking the guy, and you can't oppose anyone so vastly popular. Hey Newt, as a Ph.D., did you ever hear the term self-fulfilling prophecy?

Amongst the Republicans, Newt repeatedly showed poor judgment, both in his own business and in adjudicating support for other Republicans in trouble. The principle seemed to be "abandon our wounded" and rally round the ones who retreat, a principle the Republicans still have not unlearned. At the time, some of us speculated whether Newt was being intimidated by materials from his own purloined FBI file. We may have been closer than we knew. When Newt's own troubles came, perhaps people remembered his prior stance of 1995, that principle matters only as a club for beating an opponent. It certainly was poor timing to be caught in a sex scandal at the same time as pursuing the president for something all too similar.

p>Now Newt wants to come back from the wilderness. And surprise! he begins by announcing a political deal with his old chief enemy, and using her old choice issue. If it comes to it, I would vote for anybody but Lyin' John Kerry before I'd vote for Newt. br> -- George Mellinger

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