Gingrich/Palin In 2012?

Bonus points for watching every head explode on the Left! And the real irony is that you could probably structure the ticket either way. With a couple more years of seasoning, Palin/Gingrich could prove to be an interesting combination, though ego might get in the way in either case. Who really knows?

In serious conversations among Republicans since their election debacle Tuesday, what name is mentioned most often as the Moses, or Reagan, who could lead them out of the wilderness before 40 years?

To the consternation of many Republicans, it is none other than Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House.

Gingrich is far from a unanimous or even a consensus choice to run for president in 2012, but there is a strong feeling in Republican ranks that he is the only leader of their party who has shown the skill and energy to attempt a comeback quickly.

Comments

[jp]

The ticket of Michael Steele/Sarah Palin -or the other way around, sounds better to me.

[jharp]

Why does the GOP always have to go for the guys who abandon their wives when their health fails? Good old family values.

I think Gingrich/Palin is an awesome combination.

For the liberal democrats to stay in power.

[jharp]

I honestly can't believe the choices I see from the right wingers.

I say this is complete honesty. You'd better start looking for someone way more towards the middle if you want to have any chance.

Off the top of my head. Mitt Romney. Or Chuck Hagel. Or Richard Lugar types.

[4 Borders Pundit]

I think you mean Palin/Gingrich.

Except for the Gingrich.

[jharp]

I think you mean Palin/Gingrich.

Except for the Gingrich.

Posted by: 4 Borders Pundit | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 01:12 PM

This simply astounds me. By all means go for it.

[SilentWatcher]

Palin-Gingrich is an awesome combination. Newt has great ideas. He was the architect of the Conservative revolution of the '90s. His weakness? Newt wants to be liked; he'll buckle and come up with cockamamie things sometimes.

As for his family issues, he's human. He's never done coke. Loves America. Respects the flag. Has no terrorist pals. His life is an open book, warts and all. With Obama as president, Newt looks like a choirboy.

I think it's time that the GOP gets over this purer than the driven snow nonsense. The fact is, we're choosing men, not gods, to represent us. People screw up, sometimes badly. We, if appealed to, should not be holier than thou but should forgive—there but for the grace of God go I.

Palin-Gingrich is an ideas-action combination. Knowledgeable. Bright. Motivated. Both can articulate a Conservative vision and defend it. Palin is better at the top of the ticket cuz she's got pull with those who may not go for Newt, plus, she's the one with the management experience.

[Kitty]

Although he's p-o'd me many times, I'll always be grateful to him for galvenizing the base for the '94 victory. Gingrich has had his day; now is the time to clean house. Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindl have futures in the GOP. We need new blood in the party, and we now have the opportunity.

...

[Tom]

From all progressives: Please Newt, Run Run Run! We would love to have all the baggage Newt brings to the party. Family values? you betcha, don't ya know. You folks are a sight to behold. Can't any GOP'er keep it in their pants? Semms like, no. Run Newt, Run!!!!!!!

[jana]

I like the idea of Palin, Jindal, Michael Steele, and/or Mark Sanford... mix and match the ticket any way you like.

Gingrich is an awesome Conservative, and deserves credit for the 1994 victory and the subsequent Contract with America. I think he'd do better in a Cabinet/Staff position.

[Blacque Jacques Shellacque]

"You'd better start looking for someone way more towards the middle if you want to have any chance."

The one detail you left out - it was just tried and it didn't work.

[Fred Beloit]

"Granpapa", my grand children will say, "did you really know jharp the Great and his friends?" "Yes, in an internet sort of way, I knew all that bunch of lefty pioneers." "Oh, granpapa, will you tell us about them?" "Certainly my darlings."

"jharp was a person of imposing features. His jaw was like a pillow on a king-size bed. His tongue was like an adder's head. His eyes were like #2 buckshot and his nose was like a collection plate. What came out of it was like 10W-30 motor oil and his spittle was like brake fluid."
"But his most interesting parts were his brain mechanisms. He had a memory like a colander and senses like a bat from Austin, Tx., he could hear everything but see nothing. His logic was like a fencing foil, long, sharp and pointless. His ability to be unconvinced of an obvious truth was like Dick Butkus, nothing could get past it. He had a sense of humor like Othello, the gravitas of Red Skelton, the happy mood of King Lear, the friendliness of a gator, and the self-control of a drunk on the bowery. Oh but he was a charmer, a lover of the little guy, a protector of the environment, an a proponent of health care as long as it wouldn't cost him anything. Did I know him? Oh yes, my dears, I did.:

[jharp]

"You'd better start looking for someone way more towards the middle if you want to have any chance."

The one detail you left out - it was just tried and it didn't work.

Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 03:12 PM

1) Palin is a far right kook.
2) McCain ran as a far right kook
3) McCain running as a moderate kicked the ass of the wingnut primary candidates
4) I didn't say you could win. I said you'd have a chance.
5) Until the Palin pick, McCain had a chance.

[mary]

I think the party needs to choose whether or not they are moderate or conservative. Truthfully, they should veer towards conservative and plan like the dems did and then they should develop a data base of newly registered republicans and then poll everyone to develop a strategic candidate.

[mary]

I wasn't voting until he added Sarah Palin and there were many like me.

[scarshapedstar]

Uh... yeah. The Left's heads will explode with laughter, maybe, followed by aftershocks of schadenfreude. Gingrich is already washed up,a "compassionate conservative" who handed his cancer-stricken wife divorce papers while she was on the hospital bed. Sarah Quaylin - er, I mean, Palin - is already a human punchline.

Sounds like a real winning ticket.

[Blacque Jacques Shellacque]

"2) McCain ran as a far right kook"

Proof that the world of "jharp" doesn't quite mesh with the real world.

[jharp]

I wasn't voting until he added Sarah Palin and there were many like me.

Posted by: mary | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 03:34 PM

There were many many more who weren't like you. Those who abandoned McCain when he picked the redneck moron phony.

[jharp]

"2) McCain ran as a far right kook"

Proof that the world of "jharp" doesn't quite mesh with the real world.

Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 03:47 PM

Did you miss the debates, birdbrain?

Where McCain said "Again…just again, an example of the eloquence of Senator Obama, health (indicates air quotes) of the mother. You know that’s been stretched by the pro-abortion movement to mean almost anything."

This is a lunatic bible freak position. And McCain used it to try to win the election.

[Mr. Stuck]

I wasn't voting until he added Sarah Palin and there were many like me.

Well, not all that many

[jharp]

"I think the party needs to choose whether or not they are moderate or conservative."

The party will decide what is their best chance to win. Then roll out a conservative or moderate agenda. That's how things work in the real world.

And trust me, it ain't gonna be conservative. Conservatism is dead. it didn't work. Look at where it got us.

Quite a corner the GOP has painted themselves into, huh? They can't win with the bible freaks. And can't win without the bible freaks.

Quite. A. Dilemma.

[mj]

Go ahead and have Gingrich/Palin in 2012 and watch Obama win another 4 year term. Do you guys not get it? Here's a tip for you. Palin is unelectable. No matter how much YOU might like her, the rest of the country does not. Jindal is your key to success in the future. As a conservative Democrat, I like Jindal and would consider voting for him.

But please, by all means go ahead and run Palin out there again. What's the definition of insanity again? Doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting a different result every time.

[Fred]

The Right has to double down the bet:

Ultra-conservative black lesbian Islamist polygamists. That's an all-girl threesome, one President and two First Ladies. Make that one First Lady and one First-Lady-in-Waiting. Plus, one has to be trans-gender and another trans-race (surgically altered to be of a different race).

That'll show 'em.

Now that it's okay to vote on the basis of race, you can make one of the three girls actually be white, I guess.

And instead of a coke user, how about a coke dealer? Perfect for the party of free enterprise.

[Spartan112]

I wasn't voting until he added Sarah Palin and there were many like me.

Posted by: mary | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 03:34 PM

You just spent the last couple of weeks claiming to be undecided, so were you lying?

[BD57]

Always fun to hear from the party of love and tolerance, jharp.

[jharp]

I wasn't voting until he added Sarah Palin and there were many like me.

Posted by: mary | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 03:34 PM

You just spent the last couple of weeks claiming to be undecided, so were you lying?

Posted by: Spartan112 | Saturday, November 08, 2008 at 04:09 PM

Kind of difficult keeping track of lies, mary?

I suggest something that has worked for me for decades. Don't lie. Then you don't have to worry about keeping track of them.

[jana]

a. Investigated by Federal agents for stealing and using drugs
b. Arrested and charged with prescription drug fraud
c. Family values = Teenage pregnancy
d. Family values = Infidelity
e. Pro-life = killing 4,000 plus Americans
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN QUIZ - MATCH THE PEOPLE BELOW TO DESCRIPTIONS ABOVE
1. Bristol Palin
2. Rush Limbaugh
3. Newt Gingrich
4. George W Bush
5. Cindy McCain

[Mark_0454]

I think it's a mistake to start talking about personalities. Smaller gov't, lower taxes, strong defense. Let's start with the issues and then worry about the candidates later.

[kdavis]

The best way to really demonstrate the joys of democrat control of the legislative and executive is to just let the dems run wild. The people elected a socialist as president, so let socialism rip. Then, in 2 or 4 years, they should be more amenable to a small government, actual capitalist society. They don't seem to be able to grasp the idea from watching the misery that socialism brings everywhere it's been tried, so let them get a bellyfull.

[Eirik]

I like Gingrich, but his time has past. He also seemed to be better at the behind the scenes maneuvering rather than being the focus. I felt like he had something of a tin ear for how he'd be perceived. Having him as an adviser? I could see that.

As for 2012, I think who ends up running is going to depend on a number of factors. If Obama turns out to be a disaster, then you'll have a number of conservatives willing to run against him. There are certainly good possible candidates who are not going to want to risk their capital on an election they don't think they can win.

[templar knight]

I wish Republicans wouldn't worry right now about a 2012 ticket. You can all rest assured that the inexperienced idiots just elected will provide plenty of opportunities for the opposition. The two dumb asses elected to our highest offices will never be able to handle the challenges they are about to face. And their domestic energy policy will have us all subject to rolling blackouts if they are able to force their agenda on the American people. It will be fun to watch the clowns over the next four years. Dangerous for the nation, but fun to watch.

[Todd]

2012 is a long ways away. According to National Review Online in 2007, Newt wouldn't run in 2008 because of very high unfavorable ratings and they were right. He didn't run. 29% favorable, 49% unfavorable. So, he has plenty of work to do to improve his image before he has any chance of being an effective candidate in 2012.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZmM1MzU0OWI0NDg4YjI2ZGY4NzYwZmVhMTU2YjI5MjM=

[Mike]

As long as you're interested in irritating the Left than in winning elections, you'll see more 2006's and 2008's.

Good.

[scarshapedstar]

"As a conservative Democrat, I like Jindal and would consider voting for him. "

Booby Jindal is a creationist with a biology degree.

'Nuff said.

[davis,br]

Bobby Jindal is cleaning up the morass of Louisiana politics ...and they make Chicago look like untutored sophomoric pikers.

'Nuff said.

[WBestPresidentEver]

Why do liberals always bash people. For 8 years they bashed President Bush, and now that he is leaving office you have turned to Sarah Palin bashing.
What is up with that. Are you all such miserable people that when you bash someone it sends tingle up your leg ?

[mary]

Spartan, you know darn well I was undecided until the very last minute. I worked for Bo in the primaries. Contributed, made calls, went to the right cocktail parties, did it all. I did not/do not like McCain. I was a Guiliani fan. If you recall, I said I was thinking of not voting. Almost voted for Barr but a friend convinced me that was throwing away my vote. In the end I voted for McCain cause I liked Sarah Palin. this comes after my own analysis of my own little voting journey. My BO friends all asked "what happened?".

So it forced me to really tell them. In all my discussions lately I have found that a lot of people were not happy that the "immigration" issue was, from the perspective of the campaigns, a non issue. People were also angry like me that McCain was a hypocrite by voting for the bailout bill. I think that hurt him more than he can realize and he was so owned by BO on that one.

What really bothered me about BO was that he kept changing his website. He would hear a good idea from Hillary and then McCain and suddenly it was his idea. I was totally annoyed that the McCain campaign never realized this. All they had to do was put up the screen shots and show how he was changing. That bothered me a lot but I suspect it is going to be here to stay as technology is impacting the campaigns in ways no one could have predicted.

Spartan, on election day I almost didn't vote. I found out that a local candidate needed my vote and that is more the reason why I voted. I was conflicted up until the night before and in speaking to people I have found out that I was not the only one.

[mary]

jharp, go back and read my posts. You will witness my little journey to my vote. I actually told my BO friend to come here to read. It's funny, I was fully in their camp for the primaries and then it started to change. They all analyze so much it is almost like they need to know. Was thinking though that this need to analyze and know may be how they won their campaign.

[WBestPresidentEver]

And another thing...
Speaking of Palin: To Fox News’ Carl Cameron (shame on him) and the McCain campaign punks who are dissing Palin, you dingleberries are truly pathetic. What’s next? Are you going to spray-paint old people at the mall? Drown some kittens? Pull the legs off spiders? All of you are a disgrace and are not worthy enough to unlatch Palin’s pumps.

[Warren]

Newt/Sarah

Oh yeah. Dream ticket for '12.

I would like to see some serious efforts to make this happen.

[Spartan112]

Mary there was nothing about any of your posts that truly suggested you were undecided. You spent the majority of the last few weeks promoting every smear campaign you could about Barack Obama and personally insult Michelle Obama's physical appearance. You also talked about this mysterious cadre of friends that you have that you always seemed to be hanging out with when something regarding their particular minority group came up.

You're a liar. No biggie, most of us have come to expect it here.

[el gordo]

Sarah Palin represents the middle, despite all the attempts to smear her as a loony wingnut. The middle being defined as people who work, as opposed to deadbeats or elitists. Moderate social conservatism paired with third way economic policies (aka compassionate conservatism - see her stance on immigration) is a winner. After all, even Obama had to run as "Bush light" towards the end.

Newt Gingrich is a brilliant ideas man, but he cannot get elected. VP maybe, president never. Not his fault, he is just too much of a policy wonk, too little of a politician. I do like him to be around though.

[Spartan112]

Palin is not in "the middle" as you put it. She's far right religiously, supports no exceptions to abortion and was picked to stir up the ase. The base is not the middle.

[mary]

spartan, I am an honest person and from what I've been reading I was not alone. A lot of people decided at the last minute. But, if you want to call me a liar, then I won't respond to any of your future posts and you needn't respond to mine. It will be interesting watching you react. Since you assumed you would have a landslide and you didn't have one.

[Spartan112]

Actually I never assumed a landslide though it will be entertaining for you to dig through the archives to try and find me saying that.

That said, it was an electoral landslide and the house and senate have shifted even more to the left.

It was pretty obvious you were schilling for Palin all along, there was nothing undecided about you.

[templar knight]

Good point about Jindal clearing up the mess made by the previous Democratic governor of Louisiana, davis. And it was quite a mess, I might add. He will be one of the up and comers in the Republican Party, no doubt. Of course, right away you see the liberals hate him for being a "creationist". They could care less they he has demonstrated himself to be quite competant. His handling of the hurricanes this summer provided ample avidence of that. I was amazed at his ability to process the amount of information given to him. He was quite impressive, to say the least.

Because he is a minority, though, they won't be able to attack him like they did Sarah Palin, as they will subject themselves to being called racist, which in fact many of them are. They just don't want anyone else to know, as much of their self-esteem radiates from their support of agrieved minorities, whether that be black people or gays, just so long as these minorities are liberal. If the people in question happen to be conservative, then their racism and hate shines through. Strange people, these liberals.

[Tennwriter]

I can see the point to focusing on principles rather than personalities, but in truth, we need to do both. Some people think that Obama is going to be forced by events to be reasonable, and to take the obvious rational actions, but remember Jimmy Carter and the Helicopter Fiasco in the dessert. Eventually, he got forced to do what he probably didn't want to do, and it was too late, too little, and poorly executed.

And this connects principle to people. Without the right people, the right principles will suffer an enormous handicap. McCain was problematic with extensive virtues and vices in his style, and generally just not a conservative. So even if Conservatives had forced him to do the right thing, it would have been beset with difficulties.

So, the Standard Conservatives (good on values, national defense, and fiscal responsibility) need to take over the Party. Gingrich is good on issues mostly, but he has committed a significant personal sin which bespeaks poor judgment and restraint. However, we all do evil, and repentance is available to all. I think he's admitted to such, and so should be accepted back.

This would have a number of virtues. One, it would demonstrate the right way to deal with error. Two, it would show party loyalty. Gingrich has been loyal, and was destroyed for it. We need to reinstate him to reward his loyalty. its said that R's eat their own...this is the opposite of that.

However, I agree that he's probably not the face of the party. RNC Chairman sounds about right to me. This has the advantage of making sure that RINO libs don't stack the deck against conservative candidates again like in the last election. And it gives him due honor and power.

I would agree with Spartan. Palin is not the middle, although she's pretty close. What the base needs to do is forge from its principles a message that can be understood by the middle. You do not go to the mountain, you get the mountain to come to you.

Dan, I would say that I like to read your blog on occasion, but I rarely read the comments as they are infested by trolls. I'd consider hiring the Three Goats...

[scarshapedstar]

Davis,

Uh, sorry. As the holder of a biology degree, this may be my pet hobby horse, but I consider America's general lead in science to be our sole remaining strength as a nation. If you can think of any other field in which we are #1, I'd like to hear it. Aside, of course, from Neal Stephenson's famous "music, movies, microcode, and high-speed pizza delivery". Jindal insists that we teach our schoolchildren that evolution may be an illusion (which must come to a great shock to the dedicated epidemiologists who have to produce new vaccines year after year) which means that genetics simply doesn't work, which also means that the laws of organic chemistry must be a little "fuzzy" when it comes to joining nucleotides together, which calls into question the basic laws of physics, which makes me wonder how this dumb SOB passed a single class. Seriously, there is no way that a THINKING person can go through an entire biology curriculum in this day and age and say "well, that's all a lie."

But then again, he's a Republican.

[templar knight]

Ah, well, scar, I suppose you have no respect for your President-elect, either, as he is a Christian who believes in heaven and hell, or at least that is what he said. I'll take him at his word. Your hate is selective, of course, and if that person just happens to be liberal, no problem, eh?

Jindal has proven himself to be competant, has not forced his personal views on anyone I am aware of, and has not caused the god of evolution to be thrown out of Louisiana schools. You hate the guy because he is a conservative Christian. Admit it.

[templar knight]

And one other thing, scar. I have a geology degree, and I've made a good living in the oil and gas industry using this degree. Graduated Magna Cum Laude, but I also believe in God. Knowing and believing that the "processes that exist today existed in the past" has not trumped my faith in God.

I don't take the Biblical timeline literally, and I know many people, some of them scientists, who believe in God who don't as well, and to say that Jindal has rejected science just because he believes in creation is silly. I've never heard the man say the things you accuse him of, nor have I ever heard him say that creation is the only idea that should be taught in schools.

[scarshapedstar]

TK,

Bwaaaamp, wrong answer. Jindal was born and raised Catholic like myself, and he should know that even the Church (!) has stated that it finds no fault with evolution. (Don't see what Obama has to do with it, but he's about to lift Bush's undemocratic executive order banning stem cell research, so he's fine by me.)

So Jindal not only knows better than the entire scientific establishment that gave him his degree, he knows better than the Pope. Doesn't sound particularly conservative at all to me! His justification is that creationism contains many "facts and theories" (which no one has yet been able to elaborate) and so our already pitiful educational system will be vastly improved by sticking "...and then a miracle happened" next to every real-world example of allopatric or sympatric speciation.

Hold on a sec, TK... "god of evolution"... you're not a creationist, are you?