2010-01-15
Newt Gingrich floats 2012 Presidential Run
There's nothing quite like a failing first term President to bring candidates out of the woodwork early. This time, former Speaker of the House and mastermind of the Republican "Contract With America" Newt Gingrich is throwing his name out there as a possible challenger.
From the LA Times:
"I think I'm probably on a list of seven or eight possible candidates at this stage," Gingrich said. "We have a lot of people around the country who would like to have somebody who represents a commitment to replace the current failed programs and to develop a set of solutions that are practical and workable."
Gingrich listed several current and former goverors who he thinks might enter the race. They include former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He said he will discuss his possible candidacy with his wife early next year before making a decision about whether to run.
I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but did any of you catch how Gingrich told the press that he's going to discuss this possibility with his wife early next year (a.k.a. "... in a year")? It just seems strange that he's discussing it with the press a year before he discusses it with his wife. The wording of that could have been a little bit better.
Silly gaffes aside, I actually like Newt Gingrich a lot. He's a lot like a less attractive, more masculine Sarah Palin without the idiot gene that her and Sean Hannity seem to have in common. If the election were held tomorrow and it were between Newt and President Obama, Newt would have my support. With that said, there are some down sides to a Newt 2012 candidacy. Most specifically, age.
Think about this. If Newt Gingrich wins the Republican nomination in 2012, the Republican Party will have nominated men over the age of 65 in 8 out of the last 11 Presidential Elections. The exceptions being Bush 1988 (age 64), Bush 2000, and Bush 2004. With the exception of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984, the Republican Party has consistently lost with the 65+ candidates. To put this in perspective, on Election Day 2012, it will have been 28 years since a Republican over the age of 65 has won the Presidency and 32 years since we a 65+ candidate has oust a Democratic incumbent.
In 2007, my biggest concern about Newt Gingrich was that he wouldn't be able to beat Hillary Clinton in the General Election and, in the process of running, more damage would be done to the GOP because of his past transgressions than I would really find acceptable. And to be honest, I believe Newt Gingrich made the decision not to run for President in 2008 using that precise logic. Of course, Hillary Clinton imploded after coming in 3rd in the Iowa and Newt could have been our candidate without the same consequences. Hindsight is 20/20, I suppose.
Now, as much as I like Newt, my other concern with him as our candidate is that not everyone likes Newt. In fact, he's managed to cross a lot of people the wrong way; and not just liberals, but the religious right, too. We'll have to see who else runs, but although I would certainly support Newt against President Obama, I'm not sure if he's the most electable conservative we can nominate.
Granted, if he's the only conservative in the field with enough brain cells to rub together, he'll have my joyful backing.
