Candidate Profile Eleven: Newt Gingrich

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is nothing if not smart. He has timed his will-he-or-won't-he-run press offensive to coincide nicely with the release of his new book, Winning the Future: a 21st Century Contract With America. The subtitle's reference, of course, is to Newt's famous Contract with America during the heyday of his congressional reign, about midway through Bill Clinton's First term. The first contract was remarkably successful in defining the terms of political debate and as a vehicle for moving legislation, and Gingrich deserves a lot of credit. His downfall was his criticism of Bill Clinton's family values while demonstrating his lack of same.

Newton Leroy Gingrich - Official Home Page

Gingrich 2008 website

Resume - former Speaker of the House of Representatives; former U. S. Representative from Georgia's Sixth District; Time's 1995 Man of the Year; fundraiser; entrepreneur; Fellow at numerous thinktanks

This one's all about publicity. Newt Gingrich has no more chance of winning the Republican nomination than my beagle (my beagle's current odds: 150 - 1). Newt is an intelligent man, but he's not appealing as a candidate. Vast amounts of the public revile him (perhaps unjustly), and his previously mentioned callous treatment of his wives is not in line with the image the Republican Party likes to maintain. I recently saw a Jim Hightower piece in which his drool practically flew off the page with the thought that Newt might be our candidate. Relax, Jim, it ain't gonna happen (oh, and Jim - the fact that someone announces that he's receptive to the idea of a candidacy doesn't make him a serious candidate - in fact, if I may, I'd like to take this opportunity to announce to the thousands of Decision '08 faithful that I, myself, am open to talk about a 2008 presidential run. I'm putting my own odds at 900-1, but then again, I'm a little biased).

Let me reiterate, the man has some good ideas. I'm not saying don't listen to him. Anyone who badmouths the U.N. gets some points in my book; and Gingrich does have some supporters (though most of them can only be found on his website - hmmm). There are numerous obstacles, too numerous, in fact, to overcome, to a Gingrich candidacy; I bet he sells a lot of books, though.

Current Odds: 150 - 1

UPDATE 07/24/2005 10:56 p.m.:

CURRENT ODDS: 125-1: see here...