New Newt = Old Newt

Newt Gingrich has become a charicature of himself since his term as Speaker of the House ('95-'99), and it's never been more evident than with his opening bid for the GOP nomination. On May 11th, he released his official announcement video, and cemented his spot as the oldest running candidate. The video was a close-up of Gingrich's face, like a sustained glamour shot, while he reminded voters of his history of conservative success in both the Reagan and Clinton administrations; his championing of legislation that lowered unemployment under 5% and decreased national debt significantly. Of course, he doesn't mention that to do this they had to create the sub-prime market and deregulate financial institutions (and we all know how that turned out). At one point during his monologuing, he even insinuates that he may have been responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union. This pared-down approach was most likely intended to make him look frugal, but it just made him look old and obsolete. (Compare that to Tim Pawlenty's announcement video that seemed to look like a white conservative version of Obama's 2008 video.)

Gingrich, who is famous inside and outside of his party for saying controversial things off-the-cuff, found himself in hot water within the first week of officially entering the race. On Meet the Press May 15th, Gingrich remarked that fellow Republican Paul Ryan's proposed budget was "radical" and "right-wing social engineering". The comment inflamed Republicans across the country, and even reportedly cost Gingrich campaign donors. According to a May 18th Huffington Post article, a GOP insider said that a Gingrich associate had been planning a fundraiser in the South with 18 co-chairs. However, 24 hours after the remark 13 of the co-chairs had dropped out. The unfiltered candidate publicly apologized to Ryan shortly thereafter, having to tuck his tail mere days into the race. Though we won't know how his fundraising looks until the July 4th deadline for second-quarter reports, but Republican strategists have hinted that he may not even make it that far.

If the criticism from his own party and donor desertion weren't big enough issues, several high-publicity gaffes have added to the sense that Newt is more cartoon media fodder than viable candidate (the media is sure looking for someone to fill that role with the exit of Donald Trump). Politico reported last week that Gingrich owed $250,000 to $500,000 to Tiffany Co. for jewelry, further distancing himself from the "Joe Six-Pack" characterization of the American middle-class, of which Republicans are so fond. He was doused with glitter by a gay-marriage activist and a video of him being verbally accosted by a furious conservative Republican in a hotel lobby went viral.

Last Wednesday the calls for Gingrich's withdrawal grew louder as campaign spokesman Rick Tyler delivered a rant against "liberal media literati" and their "minions" unfairly skewing Gingrich's public perception. The rant read more like conspiracy theory (even paranoid schizophrenia) than sound criticism, and gave many of the pundits further fodder.

Less than a month into what will no doubt be a long, gritty race for the GOP nomination, the 67 yr. old political consultant and prolific conservative author is already hobbled. What Newt Gingrich is failing to understand is that his voting public is more fickle, and more influenced by sound-bites and hyperbole than ever. As epic as his ego appears to be, a fifteen year-old record of conservative policymaking and name-recognition (that has become more laughable than legend) is not enough to grab the nomination. I hesitate to count him out prematurely, but I don't see someone so out-of-touch with the new reactionary conservative voter going far in this political landscape.