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The Spectacle Blog
John Tabin notes two new polls taken last week by CNN and PPP have Newt Gingrich on top of the GOP field.
After Rick Perry’s debate gaffe last week, Matt Lewis of The Daily Caller contacted Reagan biographer Craig Shirley about Gingrich’s prospects of winning the Republican nomination. Shirley, who is currently at work on a book about Gingrich’s political activities in the two decades leading up to becoming Speaker of the House, replied, “We are witnessing one of the greatest — if not the greatest — political comebacks in American History.” He goes on to compare Gingrich to Reagan, Clinton and Nixon. “All were pronounced politically dead by the intelligentsia but they had other ideas, as does Gingrich.”
It’s hard to argue with Shirley on this point. But of the three, I think Gingrich’s situation most closely resembles that of Nixon. Even when Reagan lost to Ford in 1976, it was by the narrowest of margins. Although he wasn’t considered a lock to win in 1980 the fact that he ran came to the suprise of no one. Clinton’s comebacks came before and during his presidency (i.e. Gennifer Flowers, the Republican takeover of Congress and Monica Lewinsky).
Conversely, Nixon’s political career appeared to be over when he lost the California gubernatorial race to Pat Brown in 1962 when he famously said, “You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.” A reporter from Time Magazine who attended that conference wrote, “Barring a miracle, Vice President Nixon’s political career is over.” Almost six years to the day of that press conference, Nixon was elected the 37th President of the United States.
While Nixon appeared to have taken his final shot at the media in 1962, Gingrich has spent most of the 2012 bid running against the media rather than his Republican rivals. If Gingrich should win the GOP nomination and if he goes on to become the 45th President of the United States, his absence from public office would have been nearly twice as long as that of Nixon.
Shirley called Gingrich’s durability “one of his greatest assets.” Well, he will need every last ounce of that durability because it will be put to the test over the next fifty days between now and the Iowa caucus vote. And even if Gingrich prevails in the Hawkeye State, it will only be the beginning.
View all comments (36) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/11/14/is-newt-the-new-nixon
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RJ| 11.14.11 @ 4:41PM
Nixon was very smart, but he didn't do well on television. He usually came out second best in arguments with the press and often didn't connect with the public over tv. Newt doesn't have that problem and television (including the Internet) is much more important in campaigns these days.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 7:35PM
" With the intense search for a conservative alternative to Mitt Romney producing popularity “bubbles” for Rick Perry and Herman Cain, “Who’s next?” has been the recurring question. In an ironic twist, the consensus answer seems to be: Newt Gingrich.
I say “ironic” because the opposition to Romney has been led by conservative grassroots writers and activists, as well as groups like FreedomWorks. Gingrich isn’t much more popular among that contingent than Romney. In May, when Gingrich sharply criticized Paul Ryan’s Medicare reform plan, FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey reminded National Review that Gingrich had been a serial offender:
Citing Gingrich’s support of Dede Scozzafava in the 2009 congressional election in New York’s 23rd district, his backing of Medicare Part D and TARP, and his commercial with Nancy Pelosi about climate change, Armey observes that “Newt entered the race with serious ground to make up with these 2 million Tea Party activists.”…
Brendan Steinhauser, director of Federal and State Campaigns for FreedomWorks, reports that the Tea Partiers he’s talked to are “irate” at Gingrich… “I never met a single Tea Party activist that supported Newt Gingrich for president,” he adds."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
PBot| 11.14.11 @ 7:46PM
The answer will never be Ron Paul either. Even with Cain and Perry imploding Paul is still in the single digits. Sucks to be a Paul supporter.
Red Phillips | 11.14.11 @ 8:04PM
Sucks that the GOP primary electorate doesn't want the only true constitutionalist in the race.
PBot| 11.14.11 @ 8:32PM
Sucks that Ron Paul and a loud and stupid segment of his copy/paste supporters (or liberal trolls trying to make him look bad) are convincing a generation of voters that constitutionalists are kooks and bigots.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 9:04PM
Ron Paul Polls at 38% in ConservativeHQ.com's GOP Presidential Straw Poll
Dr, Ron Paul: 38 Percent
Herman Cain: 25 Percent
Newt Gingrich: 22 Percent
Mitt Romney: 2 Percent
http://www.conservativehq.com/.....straw-poll
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 9:04PM
" Top Tier: Ron Paul Polls Third In Three Early Voting States
GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is polling in third in the key early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, according to a new CNN/Time poll released yesterday.
The Texas Congressman attracted 12% in telephone polls with potential voters in all three states.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 9:18PM
Remember The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain Did Not Win A Single Primary Until Super Tuesday.
Then Ask Yourself,Which Republican Candidate Has The Most Support Among Independents.
Alabama
Arizona (Semi-closed, with primaries open only to unaffiliated or unrepresented voters, except for the Libertarian primary.)
Arkansas
Georgia
Hawaii (Open primary for state, local, and congressional races; caucus system for presidential races.)
Idaho
Indiana
Massachusetts (All races' primaries open for "unenrolled"/unaffiliated voters only)
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
North Dakota
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Robbie| 11.14.11 @ 4:53PM
If Newt's the nominee, just name Obama the winner right now. I can think of no greater act of political lunacy than for Republicans to nominate Gingrich. Why not just set ourselves on fire? I will stay home rather than vote for Newt.
Ken (Old Texican)| 11.14.11 @ 5:01PM
Robbie, you don't have a home.
From your comment above, you don't deserve a home without mommie to wash your clothes.
Bumr50| 11.14.11 @ 4:57PM
Cain's going to win Iowa.
PattyMor| 11.14.11 @ 5:19PM
I predict too that Obama will win if Romney or Gingrich are the nominee. Gingrich will be absoutely shredded. No, not the stupid book deal that he got drummed out on. Oh, where to start? Would it be his waltz with Global Warming with Miss Nancy, or his calling Ryan's plan as Right Wing Social Engineering (why because he didn't devise the solution in his think tank?), or his taking $300,000 in "consulting" fees from Freddie Mac. I thought Newt was going to swallow his teeth over the question. Or would be Newt's caving under the Clinton shutdown. Or just maybe his philandering and dallying around while still married. They'll probably even flog him with his large credit account at Tiffany's. He was too stupid to pay it off before having to do the disclosure statement. No I'm sorry but Newty is hopelessly compromised and ethically challenged, nothwithstanding his ability to debate with the best of them. Debating is not leading and this is Newt's weakness.
Simon Templar| 11.14.11 @ 6:16PM
Patty and Bob should get together and skip on over to the Huff and Puff. Then both of you trolls would be at home there. You could start having some baby trolls that spit up the same lame spittle and vomit.
ImissBuckley31| 11.15.11 @ 11:13AM
I'm never been one for believing every political attack against a politician; but I've heard, and read about many of these scandals. So I guess my question to you is....do you think scandals are false? Or are you simply attacking Bob and Patty for not wanting to vote for the "lesser of two evils" in the next election?
Occam's Tool| 11.14.11 @ 5:46PM
I dunno. I think Newt can frame this as he wants. I'd vote for him in a New York Minute over Obummer.
But hey, Anybody but Paul over the Bummer.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 7:40PM
Gingrich Is a TARPSTER.
We Are Being Set Up By RINO-CINO Israel Firster Flunkie Stooges.
These Are The RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges Who Gave Us The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain Of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy,McCain-Lieberman,Gang Of 14, Opposing Bush Tax Cuts Of 2001 & 2003,TARP.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Bob| 11.14.11 @ 5:51PM
Newt is fat, old, racist and unlike "I'm not a crook" Milhous is a crook and a serial philanderer. He even cheated at tiddlywinks and hopscotch when he was a kid-naughty boy.
albert constantine jr| 11.14.11 @ 6:18PM
Before one celebrates too vigorously the comparison between Newt and RMN, let us not forget how it all ended for Nixon, and what the next six years were like (e.g. WIN buttons, fall of Viet Nam and Cambodia, Justice Stevens, four years of Jimmuh, etc.).
Simon Templar| 11.14.11 @ 6:22PM
Maybe we could just allow Newt to be Newt and appreciate what he does have to offer and what strengths he does have as a person, a conservative, and a politician rather than let him be defined by a bunch of liberal losers that continually define, judge, damn, and undermine very single conservative that this nation has ever produced. What ya think? Try something new, perhaps.
Simon Templar| 11.14.11 @ 6:28PM
The answer is No, by the way. Aaron, other than mixing it up with the press, there is no comparison between the two men and that really is not a good comaprison as Newt is rather effective in slapping them (the press) around where Nixon was not.
Aaron, how about an article about Newt clearing up the lies and myths surrounding him started by the press and a little detailed and comprehensive description of his career successes and failures? Just a suggestion.
RJ| 11.14.11 @ 6:35PM
I would love to see articles that clear up the lies and myths made up by the media. Too many times, a phony story becomes the "truth" in the eyes of the public. And sometimes the public wants to believe the myths when they know it wasn't so; for example, the Kennedy Camelot fairy tale.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 7:46PM
The RINO-CINO Gingrich Endorsed Dede Scoozafava.
Scozzafava is an abortion rights advocate who favors gay marriage. It would be one thing if Scozzafava balanced that social liberalism with fiscal conservatism. But as a state assemblywoman, she voted for massive tax increases, Democratic budgets and a $180 million state bank bailout. She also supported the trillion-dollar federal stimulus package — which every House Republican voted against.
Scozzafava’s husband is a leading upstate New York union organizer. She supports the federal “card-check” legislation that would massively boost union rolls — and Democratic voting rolls — at the expense of rank-and-file workers’ free choice. And for that matter, at the expense of Republican electoral prospects. Card check is the key to a Democratic majority in perpetuity. Big Labor bosses have said as much.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Pbot| 11.14.11 @ 8:43PM
What?? Gingrich endorsed the Republican candidate who won the Republican primary by getting the most votes from Republicans?
Sucks to be a Paulbot
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 9:11PM
You RINO-CINO Israel Firster BibiBots Suck.
RINO-CINO Gingrich Endorsed Liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava.
"More troubling, Scozzafava in past elections has embraced the ballot line of the Working Families Party — a socialist outfit whose political DNA is intertwined with scandal-ridden ACORN. ACORN and the WFP have shared office space in New York City, Arkansas and Illinois. ACORN head Bertha Lewis, a close Scozzafava friend and political supporter, wears a second hat as vice chairman of the WFP. The WFP has been listed in ACORN documents dating back to 2000 as an “affiliate.”
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here
florin| 11.14.11 @ 11:44PM
Clint, this is why I cannot understand how it is that Gingrich's ratings are up - he is NOT a conservative, never has been. Could it be that the left wing media is hot for Gingrich because they know he has no chance whatsoever against Obama? Romney has a better chance and if people say they want Gingrich because Romney is a RINO well, at least if that's true he's a RINO with a good character, no scandal attached to him of a personal nature...so if we must have a RINO I'd rather one with good character rather than one like Gingrich who actually and aggressively urges Republicans to vote for radical, left wing 'Repubs' like Scozzafava...Gingrich viciously attacks Repubs. when they don't fall in line with him...while cozying up to Pelosi and Gore and others...
PCC| 11.14.11 @ 7:00PM
I think one professor in the White House is enough already.
Bumr50| 11.14.11 @ 7:03PM
Newt.
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2011.....rine-bill/
Newtonium| 11.14.11 @ 7:49PM
Cain. Pulling a Perry.
http://www.jsonline.com/multim.....5195602001
axbucxdu| 11.14.11 @ 7:21PM
Say it ain't so, that the comparison doesn't go any farther than electoral politics, to actual policy. The closing of the gold window, OSHA, EPA, wage and price controls, were all approved by Nixon.
Clint| 11.14.11 @ 7:56PM
" Gingrich Feels the Heat for Appearing in Global Warming Ad With Pelosi
Every presidential candidate is going to come into the 2012 race with baggage. But Newt Gingrich has what, for primary voters, could be a doozy in his closet -- three years ago, he cut an ad with Nancy Pelosi for Al Gore's climate change group.
The ad, in which Gingrich and Pelosi don awkward smiles while talking about clean-energy solutions, is coming back to haunt him, along with other statements he's made about climate change."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Mimi| 11.14.11 @ 9:41PM
Just viewed a interview of Newt with Sean Hannity. What a great job Done by Sean asking all the most indepth sensative, uncomfortable details of Newts past.
Newt did a fantastic job answering all this without being offended....his maturity and self understanding of past details in a remarkable, endearing way served him well.
Top Dog status in the quest for the Presidency of the United States is like walking on a tight wire...The Dems as they have done to Herman Cain has already got a plan in place....God knows what they will come up with Newt! Their evil is dirty, repulsive and NONSENSE...Get ready for their ACT II...be prepared...they never disappoint!
somnolence| 11.14.11 @ 9:44PM
The ticket will be Cain/Romney, or Romney/Cain. The delegate outcome will determine this, unless the brokers at the Convention do the dirty work for Romney. Whatever, that duo will get my vote in November, no questions asked.
Mimi| 11.14.11 @ 10:21PM
The Primary Voters will do the choosing! Who are they? Republicans yes, but there is a deluge of new folks newly enrolled, so they could elect a firm Conservative, many in the Tea Party in the primary......mostly because they wanted Obama defeated because he was ruining our country.
Mitt must know, This is not the same Party it was as little as 4 years ago.
Paul Bot | 11.14.11 @ 10:49PM
Top tier candidates Ron Paul and John Huntsman are poised to make a run for the White House according to straw polls conducted with the Machiguenga people of Peru.
Paul Bott| 11.15.11 @ 12:06AM
Doctor Paul came in THIRD in the 4832 Hutch Ave basement poll. He would have come in first but I accidentally stuffed the ballot box with some receipts and Paul came in third behind Starbucks and Wegmans. But THIRD is awesome!
Juan Jose Morales-Castillo | 11.15.11 @ 8:40AM
First and foremost thing:
GET RID OF BARON OBOMBURST
Let's remember that Obomburst faces an enemy he cannot defeat: his own record as POTUS.
Keep reminding the electorate of his foolish words and his dangerous misdeeds, and whoever wins the GOP nomination will have little trouble winning the election.