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Tue. Aug 07, 2007

What Kind of Gingrich Is Newt Smoking?

I’m beginning to wonder if someone should check Newt Gingrich’s water supply and/or pipe tobacco pouch. I’m not sure what they should be checking for, but whatever it is seems to be amplifying hitherto unheard voices within his head.

“None of you should believe we are winning this war. There is no evidence that we are winning this war,” the ex-Georgian told a group of about 300 students attending a conference for collegiate conservatives.

He reserved his most pointed criticism for the administration’s handling of the global campaign against terrorist groups.

“We’ve been engaged in a phony war,” said Gingrich. “The only people who have been taking this seriously are the combat military.”

“We have to take this seriously,” said Gingrich.

“We used to be a serious country. When we got attacked at Pearl Harbor, we took on Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany,” he said, referring to World War II.

“We beat all three in less than four years. We’re about to enter the seventh year of this phony war against … [terrorist groups], and we’re losing.”

AJC: Gingrich says war on terror ‘phony’

And more:

“How can we tolerate systems more likely to send young Americans to prison than college?” asked Gingrich. “Republicans have this maniacally dumb idea of red versus blue. They say Detroit is a blue place, so we’re not going to go there.”

And he was just getting started.

“Republican political doctrine has been a failure,” Gingrich said. “Look at New Orleans. How can you say that was a success? Look at Baghdad … We’ve been in charge for six years and I don’t think you can look around and say that was a great success.

“We have got to get beyond this political bologna. I’m not allowed to say anything positive about Hillary Clinton because then I’m not a loyal Republican, and she’s not allowed to say anything positive about me because then she’s not a loyal Democrat. What a stupid way to run a country.” This last line he nearly spat out, expressing what seemed like genuine outrage.

Salon: War Room: Political News, Politics News

And still more:

“The odds are fairly significant that that the left will win next year. My personal bet is that it’ll be a Clinton-Obama ticket. I think they have a very high likelihood of winning,” Gingrich told business leaders at a gathering of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce.

The Republican strategist singled out what he called President Bush’s inability to communicate with the public about Iraq.

“We cannot get him to master the art that Reagan had and that Lincoln had, of talking to the American people in a form in which they are comfortable,” Gingrich said.

“So my first advice to the President was, ‘Don’t say anything anymore. Keep quiet.’ Let General [David] Petraeus and [Iraq] Ambassador [Ryan] Crocker to speak for the country.”

Political Insider: Says Newt: ‘Odds are significant’ the Democrats win the White House

He thinks the we are not serious about our phony terror war, he thinks the best thing the President can do is keep his mouth shut, he thinks Republican political doctrine is a failure, and our next president is going to be Hillary Clinton.

As Herb Tarlek used to say when faced with a hard surreality … “Oh-Kay-Fine.”

The Political Insider also notes “politicians chomping at the bit to run have three things in common: A slimmed-down figure, a tan suitable for TV cameras, and well-coiffed hair [...] Perhaps it was the 7 a.m. hour, but Gingrich had none of these.”

However, I think maybe Newt is angling for a new job. Some kind of talk show on radio or TV where he can continue with his contrarian rants, and get paid for them.

Yeah, that’s got to be the source of these, um, unexpected expressions.