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October 26, 2009

Our House Intellectual

Newt Gingrich has endorsed the liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava in her three way-race for the House of Representatives in New York's 23rd District.

Scozzafava is probably more liberal than her Democrat opponent Bill Owens, and Sarah Palin has endorsed Scozzafava's Conservative Party opponent, Doug Hoffman.

Gingrich said his reasons, among others, were to promote party "unity". Personally, I don't care what the ideologically gelatinous Gingrich does or says, because when he decided to be a political gadfly, he surrendered his sword as a Conservative thinker.

Party unity is the interest of a man mired in some lost Politburo of the mind, a man for whom process is more important than ideas. Pile the heads of Trent Lott, Bob Dole, John McCain, Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich atop one another and you have a totem pole for the Honorable Republican Cult of Perpetual Losers.

23 comments:

Opus #6 said...

That kind of unity is what put Obama into the White House. We need conservatives. Not liberal Republicans.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans move awkwardly downcourt. They dribble with one hand and pass the ball in an ancient two-handed bounce style. Their lack of imagination is mind-numbing. Newt flips the ball to Scozzafava who lumbers toward the hoop.

There is only one way to change the GOP's arcane strategy. The American people must fill the lane, leap skyward and slap Scozzafava's layup into the second deck. Somebody's gotta send these Repubweenies a strong message.

Timeshare Jake said...

All this unity talk within the party is creating a divide with the people who really care about the party.

Rhod said...

Only a few of them care, Nickie. Newt left politics with the intent of devoting time and energy to advancing conservative ideas. See how far he got?

The only guy still spellbound by Newt's magic is Hannity, who continues to yammer about a new Contract With America, and who insists upon Republicans "getting back to their principles".

If they had "principles", they wouldn't be in a place which required "getting back" to them. This goes for Gingrich, too.

Unknown said...

The Republican party is not the solution. It is a part of the problem. It is time for a new party.

Hoping the Blind Will See said...

As I say to whomever will listen - the Republican Party is now the right-wing arm of the progressive movement. Forget the party labels, vote ideology - Conservatism!

Doom said...

"Pile the heads of Trent Lott, Bob Dole, John McCain, Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich atop one another..."

You do have a way with words. Thanks for the headcheese mental picture. *click* Saving that one.

RightKlik said...

My respect for Newt has gone from an 8 to a 1. His chance of beating Obama in 2012 has gone down from 0.1% to 0.001%

Anonymous said...

I'm with Arby and Hoping. The GOP are about to go the way of the Whigs. They are bombarded with political opportunities and they haven't the energy to pursue them.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's disappointing. I've always liked Newt and still do. He's wrong here, though. Momentum appears to be building for Hoffman, as well.

Arby ... your new party will let you down, too. Just give 'em time. Time for conservatives to decide if we really believe that our answers are not in govt. as we say we believe.

And Blind/Hoping ... I know you think that's a mantra, or a soda jingle or something, but (NY-23 notwithstanding), but if you vote for the most conservative candidate in every race you are voting Republican a lot (I know, I know ... the Libertarians or "Party of Legalized Weed" might deserve a look in some folks' book but bear with me here). Otherwise, I guess you are going to be voting with the Constitution party kooks, etc. There's some interesting stuff under those rocks.

I understand the frustration (we could list a few more folks to be disappointed in, as well, besides Newt), but we also need to resist the urge to burn at the stake the latest one of us we've found to be ideologically, or even strategically, or even tactically impure.

Anonymous said...

Oh, come on, Nick. Let's see how this thing shakes out. There are other battles, too. A conservative Republican is about to be elected governor in VA. Have faith, man.

Every Republican in the Senate (including the Maine sisters, cross your heart) is holding firm against the public option.

Best way to attack party problems is in the primaries, i.e., the Fla Senate race, where Rubio is gaining on Crist. The answer to Republican problems is new blood.

Watch Sarah Palin ...

Rhod said...

If the answer to Republican problems is new blood, DC, then why endorse a blood clot like Dede?

Extending the reach of liberalism with someone like Scazzy is preposterous. Newt would have been sensible if he just shut up on this race.

Anonymous said...

Rhod, I completly agree. Newt is wrong on this issue. I am hardly saying that the new blood is the lib Republican in this race.

But new blood is coming. Come down here where we have Republicans. Look up Michael Williams, (a real conservative who happens to be black) who is running for Senate. Oh, never mind ... he's got a picture of Newt on his web page. I jest, but I think you see where this sort of stuff goes. I am sure Newt has his reasons, but I don't see them. But his appear to be better than Huckabee's.

Keep in mind that NY 23 is in NY, after all. The problem at its core is they don't have enough conservatives. Maintaining a viable Republican Party in the NE is going to be tough. Down here, moderate Republicans don't do well. Why? We have conservatives and they drive the Republican Party.

Keep in mind, too, that Newt is not even in the House any more. Guys like Cantor, Ryan, McClintock in the House are the new generation of House leadership.

This just in ... Tim Pawlenty (he that has been as pure on his conservatism as the wind-driven snow and was the guy McCain really wanted for his running mate) just endorsed Hoffman. So, Pawlenty is now the conservative and Newt is not? Pawlenty is right on this issue, but I wouldn't put him to the right of Newt just yet. Or probably ever.

Politics is a strange and dirty business.

Anonymous said...

DC, I'll hold my breath while holding my nose and delay judgment for a while.

New blood, huh?

Anonymous said...

St. Nick, you needn't delay judgment. Just recall, my old friend, that our judgments in the political arena are all multiple choice, not essay. There will be an answer that is found to be "correct" by the graders/vote-counters. It may not be perfect, but we are required to make our best ones, lest we fail.

When conservatives vote "D" (i.e., none of the above, libertarian, Free-Reefer Party, Anti-Israel Isolationist Party, Proof of the Number of Angels on the Head of a Pin (I swear) Party, etc., all of which are the same thing in practice), we get the Demos' "A", which is Obama and his ilk.

Know this, Kemosabe ... and you are on your way to a good judgment indeed.

Rhod said...

I'll follow Nickie on this.

Maybe this is reaching too far into theory, but NY and the rest of the Northeast has evolved out any serious consideration of candidates other than Democrats.

Every statehouse, every union, all the social networks, all the boardrooms and charities, educational hothouses, land trusts, law enforcement fraternal organizations and other takers are in hock to the Donks. It will only end like the Soviet Union, when all the contradictions lead to disaster.

The genetic strain that would even produce any energetic opposition is gone. The Republican near-dead running against Chris Dodd removed their embalming syringes just long enough to declare against him, and then died.

If you can't raise up someone who can hose Dodd out of the Senate at this stage of his personal rot, then it's hopeless.

Maybe Newt knows this, and believed that an (R) in the House was one step closer to a majority and the end of Pelosi's insane bitchfest. That would be enough reason to endorse Scozzy.

Anonymous said...

"If you can't raise up someone who can hose Dodd out of the Senate at this stage of his personal rot, then it's hopeless."

Classic Rhod. Very funny, insightful, a bit dark, but we are laughing so we know there is some hope ... somewhere.

I think you might have hit upon it, Rhod. Only problem is that Hoffman could certainly caucus with the Republicans (like Lieberman does with the Demos) and vote to oust Pelosi. But your larger point, I think, is right. I think there are some sort of political considerations involved. It's a dirty business, for sure.

Looks like Hoffman is doing pretty well. I suspect that's why the hard-core rightwinger Pawlenty (insert "BS" disguised as a cough) is on board now.

Rhod said...

DC, Newt's grand and brilliant strategy of 1994, which is still valid today, is to "de-fund The Left".

Remove its lifeblood, and it dies.

For that idea, I'm forever grateful to Newt Gingrich.

Woodsterman (Odie) said...

Amen Rhod, Not one in the list in the last paragraph has heard a word a majority of the American people have said.

WE DON"T WANT YOU TO GET ALONG ! GET IN THERE AND GET DONE WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED YOU TO DO THAT HIRED YOU !

Rhod said...

Woodie, I forgot Lindsey Graham. He goes on the top, so his bug eyes will scare demons away.

A - said...

Fred Thompson has something to say. `Member Fred?

A - said...

oops, forgot the link

cate said...

This is ridiculous, conservatives shouldn't be divorcing themselves from Republicans, they should be taking advantage of them. Republicans are just a different degree of conservative, and without them the "conservative" party will become as influential as the green party. Not to mention, if Sarah Palin publicly endorsed me, I'd take my name off the ballot.