Gingrich Needs His Clock Cleaned
Last night’s GOP Florida debate caused a gnashing of my teeth. Not only is there a dearth of viable Republican candidates, but Newt Gingrich has become the most adept at deflecting questions from the media he has described as “elite.” He also tap-dances around important issues and seems to be given a pass, at least in the South, where he took a strong stance for States Rights when it came to the issue of flying the Confederate flag. That flag, by the way, waves proudly in South Carolina where they still seem to be fighting the Civil War. He tosses about not-so-subliminal racial epithets like calling President Obama the “food stamp president,” and he plays to his audience, filling their gullets with whatever the appetite may be in any given debate.
Yesterday Gingrich released one of his contracts with Freddie Mac. It was from 2006 and covers just one of his many years of service as a “consultant,” not a historian as Gingrich had previously claimed. In that time Gingrich earned $300,000 of the $1.6 million he received overall from Freddie Mac, and this was at a time when Floridians were suffering from housing crises that many blame on the government-backed mortgage giant. Where are the rest of the contracts, going back to 1999? Susan Meyers, a spokesperson for the Gingrich campaign, stated that officials can’t find them. I reached for an antacid, but Romney shot back.
Romney stated, “Newt’s influence-peddling with Freddie Mac needs to be revealed.” Newt countered in what has become his usual style, “It’s such baloney. It used to be pious baloney, now it’s desperate baloney.” Romney’s communications director, Eric Fehrnstrom said that all Gingrich contracts with Freddie Mac should be released, going back to 1999. Gingrich is a savvy player and will release those documents when it suits him, probably after the Florida primary.
Romney went on to goad the Speaker to produce records of ethics violations that resulted in a $300,000 fine and a reprimand. He charged Gingrich as being an “influence-peddler” who had resigned in disgrace. Newt’s response was that Romney’s charges were “the worst kind of trivial politics.” Gingrich later stated that he “would not spend the evening trying to chase Governor Romney’s misinformation.” He deflected again, and as I reached for another antacid, Ron Paul stepped in. “He didn’t have the votes of GOP lawmakers! That’s what happened,” Paul stated.
I am not a Republican, but I am an American citizen who believes that this country, after all it has suffered in the past ten years, deserves the truth from those running for the office of president. Scoundrels, liars, thieves, and players are the choices the Republicans have given the American public. Romney is too white-bread and cannot connect on a personal level. Santorum wants a theocracy. Ron Paul wants complete isolationism and the depletion of the federal government, while Newt Gingrich wants the power and the glory forever and ever, amen. Out of all these players, it is Gingrich who disturbs me the most. Please pass me another antacid, would you.
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Posted by Cher Duncombe
on January 24, 2012. Filed under Cher Duncombe, Columns, Politics, USA.
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About Cher DuncombeSomeone once told me, “Used-to-be’s don’t count.” I have pondered this often and find that they do count. We are the sum of our life experiences.
I used to be an English and Speech teacher. There will always be a part of me that wants to teach. I used to be an Investigator, first for the government and later in my own private investigations business.
I will always probe beneath the surface of issues and people, looking for the gem-like quality hidden in the text of words and personae. Today I am a writer and all of the used-to-be’s are part of the continuum of this journey.
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“Scoundrels, liars, thieves, and players are the choices the Republicans have given the American public.” Well put. Cher! I agree that Newt is the real lizard in the bunch. Some describe his as tough, but he is not tough, he is mean.
The tough survive hardship and pain, but the mean inflict hardship and pain. Newt is the apotheosis of the duplicitous, miserly, scapegoating sham the Republican Party has become. As to South Carolina, this state precipitated the nullification crisis of 1820, it launched the most treasonous action ever undertaken by thousands of Americans, it was the birthplace of Dixiecrat [States Rights Democratic Party]which in 1948 had a platform that declared: “We stand for the segregation of the races and the racial integrity of each race; the constitutional right to choose one’s associates; to accept private employment without governmental interference, and to learn one’s living in any lawful way. We oppose the elimination of segregation, the repeal of miscegenation statutes, the control of private employment by Federal bureaucrats called for by the misnamed civil rights program. We favor home-rule, local self-government and a minimum interference with individual rights.” The presidential candidate of the Dixiecrat Party was J. Strom Thurmond, governor of South Carolina.
Thus, South Carolina has a history of divisiveness and disloyalty unmatched by any state. Newt Gingrich, the self-proclaimed historian, knows or should know this and he consciously chose to play to the worst aspects of South Carolinian history.
I too am an American citizen who believes in this country, but I do not believe in South Carolina and I definitely do not believe in Newt the Deceiver.
Larry, you are completely right that Gingrich knows exactly what he is doing, and he knows the audience to whom he is playing. He is grittingly toxic and boils my blood every time I hear him speak. How terribly sad that he has even made it this far. Thanks so much for your insightful (and blustering!) comment. I loved it!
Cher, you have all of the players pegged. I look at Newts picture and a big round red nose appears in my head. The guy is the hypocrite King, and it amazes me that people buy into his BS.
Oh Dan, what are people thinking? He is full of malice, not service. That’s why his nose is so red! It’s what poker players call a “tell.”
Cher, are there any sane minded Republicans, their policies alway seem to go against a progressive peaceful world. They seem to hate anyone who does not conform to the model image of people shown on 50s family sitcoms and as far distribution of wealth, they want it all, it’s theirs by right and they will exploit everyone else to get it. I can’t believe that they have such a huge following from people who will benefit least from supporting them. Actually with Fox News’ brainwashing, yeah I can believe it.
Garry, I am so astonished that people don’t see through the rhetoric. There may be “sane” Republicans, but not in the America I see. You are right about the TV role model of the ’50′s! They would send us all straight back there if they could. They are Silas Marners, war-mongers, and hate-mongers, with thinly-veiled racist remarks. If that’s what this country gets, we are doomed.
Great piece, Cher. Gingrich annoys the crap out of me. He’s full of hubris and full of, well, you know what. Gingrich appeals to those in America who are angry with their own lives and are looking for someone to blame it on, usually immigrants, liberals, feminists, pro-choicers, etc. The thing that gets me the most is that those who support him are usually those who aren’t wealthy, but middle class or lower middle class people who are scared to death of a changing world. They feel their “white, christian” world vanishing and they need someone to blame for it. The funny thing is that he is for policies that won’t help them in the least, but they will support him anyway because he appeals to their fear -- and that’s what reactionaries feed on. Fear. I don’t THINK he can win a general election -- but people are just dumb enough to go along with him, especially those who are freaked out by a black man in the White House with the African name. I still hold out hope that Americans will exercise good judgment, but you never know. But as I always say, if you make the bed, be prepared to lie in it.
“They feel their ‘white, christian’ world vanishing and they need someone to blame for it.” Julian, with this statement and the way you tied it together with the fear factor, you have summed up perfectly why Gingrich has a flock, a voting flock. Gingrich, as well as the other candidates, are playing upon base fears. The fears are valid; the reactions to Gingrich and the rest are anything but cerebral. I agree with you. They better be careful what they wish for. Thanks so much, Julian.
The whole Freddie Mac thing is ‘trivial politics’? Puh-leeze! I just can’t stomach that man.
How many people have lost their homes or are so terribly under water on their mortgages that they may never recover financially. If that is trivial, I am cheering your righteous indignation, Janene. And Gingrich was a Freddie Mac CONSULTANT during all of it. Care for an antacid?
The Advantages Of Background Check
Scott, certainly background checks on Gingrich would be useful. Americans have short attention spans and selective memory.