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The Spectacle Blog
Among the criticisms of Newt Gingrich, as noted in Quin Hillyer’s post, is that Newt supported RINO Dede Scozzafava for a congressional seat in a New York special election. This would be a fine criticism — and as far as it goes, I agree. But alas, many of my conservative friends who are making this criticism did exactly the same thing when the geography shifted to Delaware. My great friend Quin was decidedly a strong supporter of RINO Mike Castle over conservative Christine O’Donnell in the primary for the Delaware Senate seat. Quin was not alone by any stretch of the imagination. All manner of conservatives virtually formed a conga line to support the SEIU’s favorite RINO Mike Castle — from the pages of the National Review to the Wall Street Journal to Senator John Cornyn and Karl Rove. Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Senator Jim DeMint, and yours truly took one whack after another for supporting O’Donnell, who, interestingly, was finally selected by the rank and file voters of the Delaware GOP over the RINO Castle. Fair enough.
But to suddenly go after Newt Gingrich for supporting a RINO Republican congressional candidate — someone already nominated by the local GOP — when those pointing to this as a defect raced to support a RINO primary candidate over a conservative — rings more than just a tad on the hollow side. And as to Quin’s citing of various Newt criticisms by others in this space, one can only say that if we are in fact down to Newt or Romney, Romney’s flaws are well out there. Indeed, he would not only be accurately described as a RINO — but if one is going to fly speck him as the ex-House staffer did Newt (anonymously, of course, because his bread and butter depends on it) we will shortly just agree to leaving the ballot slot against Obama a blank. Because there isn’t a soul out there who can make the grade.
View all comments (14) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/12/13/newt-and-scozzafava-conservati
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James J. O'Donnell| 12.13.11 @ 2:04PM
It is clear that we conservatives should not be supporting RINO's. But we will and should until after we kick the democrat monkey ( Axelrods characterization of presidential contenders) out of the White House and install a Republican.
The next step will ge to throw out all of the RINO's, remake the rebulican party or disolve it and join let see... the Tea Party!
Paglia guy| 12.13.11 @ 2:09PM
Exactly right. I always had the impression Newt backed Dede because she was the CHOSEN party nominee. He wanted a party majority in 2010. Amazing, isn't it, that the more the "party leaders" degrade Newt the more us rank-n-file support him?
WL| 12.13.11 @ 2:17PM
Sounds like you are getting "on to them"....
If Reagan was to come back from the dead, they would start firing at him if we started wanting him in charge again...
No matter who we support...they attack 'em...
It almost makes you wonder...who they really are.
Dai Alanye | 12.13.11 @ 2:13PM
Politics are far more about the future than the past, but Newt has a singularly defining past, and since gaining the lead in polls has acted in accordance with it.
It would be wise to withhold enthusiastic support for Gingrich until we see a bit more of him. Will he prove to be the balanced, avuncular Newt of a few weeks back or the snarky, grandiose Newt of a few years back? The trend is towards the latter.
WL| 12.13.11 @ 2:19PM
You have a point...but don't fall into the "snarky, grandiose...." meme trap too far...
Newt just about single handedly won the first Majorities in 50 years for these losers...and had alot of concrete successes to go along with it...Ask Bill Clinton...he still claims that he Balanced the Budget...Welfare reform...etc.
Mitt has done what?
WL| 12.13.11 @ 2:14PM
Don't worry...Hillyer doesn't really care about whether Newt is conservative or not. That is just one of the little tidbits these hacks have been able to come up with on the imperfect Newtster...
One of the hacks have actually tried to blame Newtster for single handedly losing some Senate seats for keeping the house members in session for a few days before an election...
Now, was it a smart move...probably not...
But the point is this: These "allegations" of neglegence and loose cannonism are the best these guys can come up with....because they weren't prepared for NEWT...who is actually acting like a Democrat.
And what I mean by acting like a Democrat is THIS: HE FIGHTS.
These republican wound lickers have really soured all of us over the last few years.
WL| 12.13.11 @ 2:24PM
LAST COMMENT, I promise:
Mr. Lord...you want to see Hillyer REALLY get 'em wadded up in the crack????
Write a column on how you are siding with us "Hobbits" right about the time his "bosses" tell him it's time to whip us into supporting some phony deal with Obama!!!!
He'll start calling you names....faster than a Democrat will pick your pocket!!!
Jeff Powell| 12.13.11 @ 3:17PM
If I had to choose between Gingrich and Perry or Ryan or Rubio, then I would agree with Hillyer and NRO. But the current contest is Newt versus Romney. Newt has always been a good "party" man, and as SotH officiated as a conservative. He has committed his share of heresies, but is definitely preferable to Romney, who never governed as a conservative at any time while in Massachusetts and only donned a conservative mantle when running for President.
Jeff Perren| 12.13.11 @ 3:31PM
WL,
I disagree with Quin Hillyer on the choice of Romney v Gingrich (though I respect his reasons). It's a tough call since both are seriously flawed candidates, especially in this particular election.
What's not uncertain is that your characterization of Quin Hillyer bears no relation to the man. Agree or disagree, he's a man of integrity beholden to no party and uses evidence and reason to make his case.
Quin| 12.13.11 @ 3:41PM
I appreciate Jeff's comment very much. But to be clear, I have NEVER written what I think about the choice between Romney and Gingrich. Personally, I'm against them both. I favor another candidate, either Santorum or a draft of Ryan or Jindal.
florin| 12.13.11 @ 6:11PM
And if given a choice of a RINO with character, a good family man, or a RINO with no character, I'll take Romney, a RINO with character, who has been faithful to his wife...a man who cannot remain faithful to his marital vows, who treats women shabbily - Newt, will not be faithful to a commitment to his country.
Zack| 12.13.11 @ 7:30PM
+1. Well said.
Realdealtpa| 12.13.11 @ 4:42PM
I think this "Rino" tag is getting too played out. I suggest we should start using "Cino" (conservative in name only). After all Romney etal. are Republicans-beltway ones. Including so-called "conservative media" , and also including some of your guys.
Paul McGrath| 12.13.11 @ 9:46PM
"Because there isn't a soul out there who can make the grade."
Thanks, Jeff. This is the point I have been making all along, and which--at the moment--is tying the Republican Party in knots.
Everybody in the party thinks that because Ronald Reagan is not a candidate, all of the others must be George W. Bush.
But no. This is not the case. Romney, while no Reagan, is definitely more conservative than Bush, and as an added bonus, he actually knows how to put a sentence together in a public setting without making every conservative in the audience cringe in embarrassment.
Gingrich is even more conservative. Yeah, he shoots his mouth off all over the place, but again, he is far more conservative than Bush, and again, he can put two intelligent words together.
And here we are talking about Bush and Reagan. The real question is can either of them beat Obama. That is the issue. Obama must be defeated. And the constant nitpicking around here--whoever becomes the nominee--is not advancing the cause.