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The Sound of Newt Choking and Spluttering

By Quin Hillyer on 10.26.09 @ 12:35PM

Not choking in a life-threatening way of course.

IF this latest poll is accurate, showing Hoffman now leading the three-way race in New York's special congresional election, then Newt Gingrich, Pete Sessions, John Boehner, and all the party hacks, including the NRCC staff who reportedly helped talk the local New Yorkers into endorsing Dede Scozzafava, will be eating so much rancid crow that they are bound to cough and choke and splutter. And they will deserve every bit of it. And this is before news of Scozzafava's latest ethical questions had any real chance to permeate the consciousness of voters. Frankly, Newt Gingrich should be ashamed. He has been Beltwayed.

I say this with mixed feelings. Gingrich always has been a great "big picture" guy, but despite all of his outsider rhetoric, he has a tendency to be overly taken with the personal concerns of the congressional GOP and with tactical considerations that put him at odds with the broad centre-right that he claims as his main audience. He did it back in 1998 when he pushed rules for impeachment proceedings that were way too stringent, without necessity. Of about 12 procedural items put forth in Dick Gephardt's proposal that Gingrich rejected out of hand, about 10 of them were utterly fair and ENDED UP BEING USED ANYWAY after the GOP lost ground in the fall elections. The main thing to which Gingrich objected was a deadline for deciding on impeachment -- and then, lo and behold, having rejected Gephardt's deadline as part of the rules, they rushed to beat the deadline de facto anyway. What happened was that in order to hold the moderates in line on the punitive impeachment rules (when less punitive rules still would have done the job), Gingrich agreed to cave on the spending fight with Clinton and give the moderates all their pork. Result: Disgusted Perot voters were doubly angry: First, because they were turned off by the maniacal impeachment focus (yes, Clinton should have been impeached, but it should not have been made to look like a personal vendetta, which is how Gingrich let it come across); and second, far worse, because they resented the capitulation on spending. Meanwhile, demoralized conservatives stayed home, and the GOP lost seats.

Why is all this relevant now? Because once again Gingrich has lost touch with the concerns of the people he should be listening to. Right now the broader public, not just hardline conservatives, are in an anti-establishment mood. Yet Gingrich has sided with the establishment, and with a professional politician, against a self-made outside businessman getting into politics due to principle. The public is more pro-life now than it has been in decades of polling, yet Gingrich is with the winner of the Margaret Sanger award. The public is overwhelmingly against eliminating the secret ballot for union elections, yet Gingrich is with the ally of the union bosses. The public -- not just right-wingers -- are furious about bigger and bigger government, and opposed the stimulus package, but Gingrich is with the support of the stimulus. Plus, Gingrich is with the candidate dogged with ethics questions and with siccing the police on a reporter. And so on.

It is appropos that Doug Hoffman was comptroller for the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Speaking purely as an observer, not an advocate, one does not have to strain to make the analogy that posits Hoffman as the U.S. hockey team, while Gingrich sticks with the Soviets.

View all comments (21) | Leave a comment

Oldefarte| 10.26.09 @ 12:57PM

Newt [indirectly] semi-critisized Palin's recent endorsement of Hoffman, saying that actions such as this would disenfranchise the Republican Party's chances of winning nationally; and he is/was entirely wrong. Any Republican who professes/acts thus is/will be on the wrong side of history going forward. It's the old mantra expressed so often recently that IT'S BETTER TO JOIN THEM THAN TO FIGHT THEM. Nothing could be further from the truth. Newt's and Clinton's political wars are a thing of the past and are irrelevant to what occurred 11/4/08 [which is/was a radical/leftist/socialist takeover of this country, trojun-horse style]. It is not now a question fo Democrat versus Republican, but of CONSERVATIVE VERSUS [radical] LIBERAL. Palin endorsement of an Independent over her [Republican] party's nominated candidate indicates her awareness of the dire seriousness of the situation facing this country [I'm sure she did not want to go against her party's choice/wishes, but she had not other alternative--------AND NEITHER DO THE REST OF US]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crusader| 10.26.09 @ 1:11PM

Why is ol' Newt concerned with whom Sarah Palin, citizen, endorses? She's no longer a politician. Seems the RINOs are as scared of her as the libtards are.

Tim| 10.26.09 @ 1:14PM

This RNC is the same Bushified party that borrowed money and stuffed it into their pants with both hands during the last several terms. They have no desire for, or appreciation of Conservatism.

BillF| 10.26.09 @ 1:28PM

As we start changing the model of who represents us in Washington, it occurred to me that in addition to sending real conservatives, we ought to start looking for conservative accountants, not attorneys.

BillF| 10.26.09 @ 1:34PM

Looks like The Great One's strategy of selecting McHugh in order to divide the Republican Party is backfiring. The good news is that if Hoffman wins the election The Great One may change his tactics. The bad news is that if Hoffman wins the election The Great One may change his tactics.

Mary Louise| 10.26.09 @ 2:30PM

My opinion of Newt has always been mixed. He's smart. He can be a big picture guy, but he's glib.

Remember his 'whither on the vine' comment? It was taken out of context and used against him, but that was inevitable based on the red meat that was for liberals. Maybe it's a little too easy to say, but I think he should have been more circumspect.

Being the sister of Hockey fanatics I seem to remember an encounter between USA and Soviet hockey teams that led to a report of bad meat being fed to our boys.

Nick| 10.26.09 @ 3:01PM

Mr. Hillyer,

Excellent post, sir.

Just to pile on Newt, don't forget he was cheating on wife #2 with a staffer during impeachment.

And, this isn't the first time he has supported the RINO over the conservative. In '98, a special election was held to fill the seat vacated by the death of Walter Capps. SPEAKER Gingrich raced into the district to recruit liberal Brooks Firestone over conservative Tom Bordonaro.

But to be fair, the GOP only lost 5 House seats in '98. While it was an off-year election, the huge gains made in '94 made it unlikely they would gain seats again. The fact they retained control of both houses of Congress made '98 a victory.

Walter| 10.27.09 @ 11:19AM

And let's not forget that as soon as Bordonaro won the great victory over the RINO Firestone, Lois Capps made quick work of Bordonaro and has never had a tough election since. The Republican Party has become very small and very pure.

Nick| 10.27.09 @ 7:41PM

And let us not forget that the GOP withheld money and personnel from Bordonaro until it was too late.

Mary Louise| 10.26.09 @ 3:18PM

Make that wither instead of whither.

W. A. | 10.26.09 @ 3:37PM

I like Newt but Newt's compass is off on this and other like RINO Kumbaya leanings. Make no mistake that Newt has seen it all politically; however this is one for the books as he will either join the New Republican Party or he will mosey off into the sunset with the old republican party. I do want to say that Newt was a genius during his day and was outstanding for the party at the time but what Newt, et al., needs to realize is that the Party is changing and not the other way around. Graham who? Snowe who? And with all due respect McCain who?

W. A.

WestWright| 10.26.09 @ 3:41PM

Thanks Quin for the b/g on Newt the worm....I wish ould donate more to hoffman but the Commies have destroyed my livelihood and Newt wants to get another Commie elected in NY!

rrpjr| 10.26.09 @ 3:47PM

I have a theory about Newt, which can be applied across modern establishment conservatism as well. I believe he was irrecoverably traumatized by the Clinton-Left attacks on him over the government shutdown in the 90s; I believe the Clintonian effort to stigmatize Gingrich and indeed all conservatism for so-called scandalous failures of empathy sent equal parts paralyzing fear and transformative shivers throughout the party, and even spawned the inane, superfluous and wildly counterproductive conjunction "compassionate conservatism."

Gingrich has been mooching around the liberal set ever since, trying to prove his compassionate chops. His misalliances with Pelosi and Sharpton are two notorious examples. He seems bent on ingratiating himself to Leftist opinion, if not actually to atone then to be viewed as "legitimate", to have as he puts it, "a seat at the table."

Of course, this is all a plateload of pointless delusion. For one thing, he has nothing to apologize for. Second, there is no seat, not even a table, and if there were, he'd be the last person invited. But this goes back to his central delusion about the Left, which reveals Gingrich's epic disconnection with his times and conservatism. In this sense, he is utterly lost and increasingly irrelevant.

I believe conservatives in general have been laboring under this false stigma and fear of "dis-empathy" ever since this watershed event. They realize the Left controls the media and, as it follows, control over public perception, and that the worst thing one can be called in our times is "insensitive." What they don't realize is this: fear is exactly what the Left wants them to feel, and it is only by directly confronting it rather than endlessly condoning it that they have a chance of political liberation, authentic conservative selfhood, and victory.

Simon Templar| 10.26.09 @ 4:35PM

rrpjr..excellent points..great insightful comment! I would just add that republicans/conservatives have allowed the Left to define the debates of the past both in premise and position. Why did it take till 2009 for a leading conservative to write a conservative manifesto..Levi's excellent book on Liberty and Tyranny? Bush was an excellent example of a republican who seemed either unwilling or unable to EXPLAIN and communicate the reasons behind his decisions and political positions. Nor was he able to counter the slander and misinformation spread about him and his policies. I think most Americans now live with a myriad of myths, down-right lies touted as facts and conventional wisdom, and a huge amount of historical revisionism. Newt is trying to capture the approval of the independent voter. He is trying to convince them that he is not an ogre or a person who cares nothing for working people. The task of conservatives is clear. Do not allow the Left to define who you are. State your positions clearly and control your message. Respond to the slander squarely and call it for what it is. Educate the public about your beliefs and why you hold these beliefs. Be solutions driven and positive. Stick to your principles and values. Compromise where appropriate but do not sit on couches with your political enemies who do not hold to any standards of fair play or decency.

unseen| 10.26.09 @ 4:19PM

IRT to NEWT why anyone would think a man that leaves his dying wife on her deathbed to have an affair with another women is someone you can trust is beyond me. character matters people. Of course Newt is going to choose power of principle everytime. He choose sex over principle. If he breaks his vow to his wife do you think he is going to keep his vow to voters ?

Mary Louise| 10.26.09 @ 4:34PM

I agree w/most of rrp's post. Especially the last sentence.

The only thing I would add is that the revelation of some of Newt's personal failings played heavily into the hands of those who want to tar conservatives as insensitive and/or hyprocrites. And the only reason I mention it is that it seems likely that he wants to dispel or remake that part of his image too.

IMO, Newt is not electable. And to tie himself to Scozzafava will gain him nothing.

It's easy (at least for me) to forget the good that he did, and again to rrp's point, had he been a stronger man, willing to defend very defensible positions, he'd be in a better shape today.

The same holds true for being charged as racists. If you refuse to defend yourself chi tace acconsente.

I've had problems w/pay pal so I don't like to use it, but I just got off the phone w/a Hoffman rep, and he gave me the address to send a check. During this final stretch funds are probably just as needed as ever, maybe more so. And I can't imagine he/they would mind me posting it for those who might want to do the same:

Doug Hoffman For Congress
P.O. Box 708
Saranac Lake, NY 12893

JP| 10.26.09 @ 4:47PM

Unseen,
I checked both wiki and even some other sites like the Huffpo and found no evidence that Newt left Marrianne Gingrich nee Gitner on her deathbed. He did leave her while she was recovering from cancer, which is bad enough.

Perhaps that is why he coverted to Catholicism. As Chesterton once said, "There are only 2 types of Catholics - saints and sinners."

TennesseeVolunteer| 10.26.09 @ 5:30PM

Newt would rather tell us what to do then listen to us on what he should do. That is why our reaction to his pick is such a surprize to him. Don't worry, a couple of more smack downs like this one and most of the republicans will figure out where the real electoral power of this country is going. Well done all!

J.C.Eaton| 10.26.09 @ 5:42PM

Newt is basically a real bright(very glib) academic who is really not very brave. In fact he's something of a gutless worm. His confession that he was "intimidated" by that other well-known gutless wonder:Bill Clinton tells me everything I have need of knowing about this chap. Mr. Newt ought be governed by some sort of Sundown Law.