Overview for newt-gingrich

Don't Blame Romney for Ballot Trouble

The Republican Party of Virginia is on the verge of the appearance of a significant scandal. Allegations , fueled by a post by Richard Winger at Ballot Access News , are swirling, suggesting that the Virginia GOP changed the rules for the validation of signatures in October 2011: But what has …

Written by Fred Bauer on Tuesday December 27, 2011

Gingrich Finds Judicial Review Inconvenient

Newt Gingrich claims to be an historian (rather than, heaven forbid, a lobbyist), who was paid over a million dollars by Freddie Mac. Taking the former House Speaker at his word—if only temporarily—one has to assume that the giant, federally-protected home mortgage security company wanted …

Written by Les Francis on Monday December 19, 2011

Only One Can Rule the Galaxy

While reading Maureen Dowd’s New York Times column about Newt Gingrich, we learn that the former Speaker of the House is a big fan of the science fiction novels of Isaac Asimov, and not in a good way : Speaker Gingrich told me that he became a historian because he read Isaac Asimov’s …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday December 15, 2011

Newt is Confused by Democracy

Newt Gingrich believes in much more democracy than the founding fathers. They believed the U.S. House should consist of representatives elected by white male property owners. Voting at the time was a public act. On election day the voters would show up at a public place, usually a county seat, …

Written by Howard Foster on Monday December 12, 2011

The '90s Make a Comeback

The holidays are always a time for nostalgia, and this year has seen a growing outbreak of nostalgia for one decade in particular. Democrats are ranking Bill Clinton (who left office ranked by most historians in the 25-30 range of our forty-odd Presidents) now tied with JFK (and well ahead …

Written by Telly Davidson on Saturday December 10, 2011

It's 3AM, Do You Trust Newt Gingrich?

David Brooks makes a great point in his column today about Newt Gingrich's temperament: But how you believe something is as important as what you believe. It doesn’t matter if a person shares your overall philosophy. If that person doesn’t have the right temperament and character, stay away. …

Written by David Frum on Friday December 9, 2011

I Love the 90's

David Frum is concerned that a Newt Gingrich revival will bring back memories of the Clinton impeachment scandal, but what if the real danger is the return of one of the most popular children's action-adventure shows? I of course refer to the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. I had heard …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday December 8, 2011

The Coming GOP Gingrich Freakout

Today's question is: will the Gingrich balloon deflate like all the previous Not Mitt balloons? The answer is: yes of course--but given that these balloons take typically 6-8 weeks to shrivel, the impending Gingrich bust may not arrive soon enough to save Romney. No question though, it will …

Written by David Frum on Thursday December 8, 2011

If the GOP Nominates Gingrich

It is volunteering to spend 2012 re-arguing the Clinton impeachment. Who thinks that's a good idea?

Written by David Frum on Wednesday December 7, 2011

John Bolton as Secretary of State

Newt Gingrich's suggestion that he'd offer the top diplomatic job to the famously rough-edged Bolton reminds me of the shrewd English definition of a gentleman: one who never gives offense unintentionally.

Written by David Frum on Wednesday December 7, 2011

Will Newt Win? Lets Ask President Giuliani!

Though Newt Gingrich seems to be styling himself as the inevitable nominee, a look back at the polling in during the Republican primary race in late 2007 suggests that Gingrich's camp should not get too confident yet. In December 2007, no polls seemed to show McCain as the frontrunner. …

Written by Fred Bauer on Wednesday December 7, 2011

Signs of Hope, Part 5

Make sure to read previous entries in the 'Signs of Hope' series: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 . As Newt Gingrich surges in the polls in Iowa and other early primary states, several leading conservative columnists are explaining why Gingrich should be rejected by Republicans voters. …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Tuesday December 6, 2011

Your Morning Newt Basket

John Podhoretz on Gingrich in the New York Post today . "[Republican primary voters] know him mainly from Fox News." From a funny story in Politico that I missed while traveling: "He’s going to blow up at some point, and I’m just hoping it comes before he gets the nomination,” said one …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday December 6, 2011

Newt, Your Ad With Pelosi Wasn't Dumb

Newt Gingrich recently described his 2008 appearance in a 30-second ad with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “ the dumbest single thing I’ve done. ” Many conservatives share a negative view of it. Ron Paul, for instance, cites the ad as an example of Newt’s “serial hypocrisy.” Curious, I took a …

Written by Kenneth Silber on Monday December 5, 2011

Only Yesterday

Newt Gingrich endorsed Harriet Miers . Conservatives should feel confident with the selection of Harriet Miers to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court for a simple reason: George W. Bush selected her.

Written by David Frum on Monday December 5, 2011

President Romney Won't End Conservatism

In an interview with Laura Ingraham, George Will despairs of the choice between Gingrich and Romney as GOP frontrunners: Ask yourself this: Suppose Gingrich or Romney become president and gets re-elected – suppose you had eight years of this...What would the conservative movement be? How …

Written by Fred Bauer on Monday December 5, 2011

Gingrich Knows Illegals Break the Law

Recent comments by Newt Gingrich to the effect that illegal immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for 25 years, “obey the rules, have children and belong to a church” should be allowed to remain here are deliberately deceptive. His premise is that an illegal immigrant can somehow live and work in …

Written by Howard Foster on Friday December 2, 2011

The Wrong Way to Attack Gingrich

The American Spectator has decided to attack Newt Gingrich’s position on healthcare because he once praised the work of Dr. Donald Berwick’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement. I must say, as someone who has pretty consistently thought that Obamacare was a terrible way to go about reforming …

Written by Stanley Goldfarb on Wednesday November 30, 2011

Gingrich Passes a Very Low Bar

Newt Gingrich has a voluminous history of misdeeds as a public figure. But since he is now emerging as the consensus alternative to Mitt Romney, we should pause to appreciate how he is succeeding where others have failed in auditioning for that role. I write this not as a Newt Gingrich fan, …

Written by Jay Gatsby on Tuesday November 29, 2011

On Immigration: Romney is Right, Gingrich is Wrong

In my column for CNN, I explain why K street lobbyists will like Newt Gingrich's immigration plan: Immigration is the only issue where a political candidate can totally do the bidding of the K Street lobbyists and still be hailed as compassionate and humane. At CNN's Republican National …

Written by David Frum on Monday November 28, 2011