I’m sure by now most people have seen the news that Newt Gingrich is running for president, or, as he put it:

“I am not ‘running’ for president. I am seeking to create a movement to win the future by offering a series of solutions so compelling that if the American people say I have to be president, it will happen.”

I think his entrance in the race, or at least him being the picture, is a huge positive because it will force a serious debate on a number of important issues, especially his favorite topics: energy independence, health care reform and national security. It’s hard to imagine him overcoming the stigma attached to him from the 1990s and actually appealing to a broad enough coalition to get elected, but his mere presence makes it far more likely that the primary season will feauture engaging debates about ideas. While it’s way too early to know how his entrance will affect the primaries, there are a few possible scenarios that come to mind. In one sense, he can hamper Romney’s ability to position himself as the conservative alternative. On the oither hand, he could take national security votes away from McCain and especially Giuliani. Either way, it’ll be fun to watch.