Newt Gingrich is a smart guy. And he may have more media experience than anyone running or about to run for president. So how did he walk into this quote last weekend?
“I have two grandchildren — Maggie is 11, Robert is 9. I am convinced that if we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America, by the time they’re my age they will be in a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American.”
As much as John Stewart can be annoying, he, too, is a smart guy, and he didn’t let the opportunity to lampoon Gingrich pass last night. How can you have a secular atheist country dominated by radical Islamists?, Stewart pointedly asked. It’s a good question.
The better question, though, is “what on earth is Newt Gingrich doing talking about a radical Islamic takeover in America? Seriously? Is that really where he wants to go in his campaign? I know he has to appeal to lots of people, but I’m not sure the country can bear a campaign like right now.
There is a fatal condition in politics called being too smart by half, and Mr. Gingrich has on occasion demonstrated bouts of it. There must be something he can take for that. Otherwise, his long-calculated candidacy will be a brief one, and the country will be lesser for it.
Okay, I don’t mean to be difficult, but you give this guy way too much credit. From my vantage point, he has never struck me as especially smart and he has always appealed to the most base instincts of his political interests. To define conservative – “disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.” To define progressive -“favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters.” The reason that people are averse to change is a simple emotional reason and that is fear. The reason Obama used the motto that he did in his 2008 campaign is that hope is the opposite of fear and is emblematic of the progressive way of thinking. Newt is appealing to the fear of the base. Nothing more complicated than that. And I hate to be the one to break this to you, but he is not a real candidate, no more so than Trump or Palin, and the sooner he is out of the race the better it will be for your party.
I think I’m falling in love with Dwight…
You’re so sweet! We really do have to hang out some time soon. But Colleen, Billy and a gaggle of kids will be there too, just to keep us honest.
It’s a date(ish)! 🙂