Looking ahead at 2012: Newt Gingrich

Steffi Badanes and Audrey Piehl
Blogs Editor and Arts & Entertainment Editor

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has officially declared himself as a Republican candidate for the upcoming 2012 presidential election. He has sparked controversy throughout the past few days, so we examine his policies and the stories that accompany his name.

Steffi: We finally have someone new putting their name into the hat for the Republican presidential candidacy. What’s unfortunate is that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s campaign is going to quickly crash and burn.

Personally I’m definitely not a supporter of Gingrich, but that’s not because of his “patriotic” affair with a staffer (personal lives and relationships outside of politics are completely irrelevant to service in the government). I will never stand up for someone who says, “The secular socialist machine represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did.” Comparing anyone to the Nazis is beyond disgusting and hateful. I think Gingrich needs to be reminded of the first amendment rights of Americans to have the freedom of religion. America is not a Christian nation, yet he is referring to someone who is not a Christian as the enemy? That’s just un-American.

But what has become quite interesting is the fact that many members of the GOP have also lost their support for Newt Gingrich as well. The fact that Gingrich has been married three times is more likely to be a factor in losing Republican support. But Gingrich has gotten himself involved with friendly fire within his own party. He came out against Congressman Paul Ryan’s proposed budget deal to slash government funding for Medicare and create a voucher system for senior citizens. This did not sit well at all with the numerous amounts of Paul Ryan supporters that make up the GOP. Gingrich needs a reality check to see how the Republican party has dramatically become much more radical since the time he caused the government shut down of 1995/1996.

So basically, Newt Gingrich is pleasing no one right now. He never had my support or the support of the rest of the Democratic Party since we are apparently part of the “secular-socialist left” that is threatening America’s way of life. He lost the support of his fellow Republicans simply by sensibly saying that Congressman Ryan’s budget proposal was too radical. I guess at this point, forget crashing and burning. This campaign has barely left the ground.

Video by jackohoft

Audrey: Pennsylvania born Republican Newt Gingrich has recently announced his run for the presidency in 2012. He was the 58th Speaker of the House (presiding from 1995 to 1999), and at the time represented the most opposition to Democrat Bill Clinton. In the last decade he has taken stands in Health Care, including intensive work towards Alzheimer’s and proposing the 21st Century Health Information Act which sought a transition from “old-fashioned” paperwork to electronic networks. He has also voiced opinion on foreign policy, most recently criticizing Obama for not intervening in the Libyan conflict, then after the NATO bombing saying he would not have intervened (Um what?).

Yes, Gingrich has accomplished much in politics over the years and remains a strong Republican figure. But these scattered victories will not keep him from becoming SNL fodder. He is now on his third wife, the first being his geometry teacher (he was allegedly 18 and she 25), the second the woman he divorced the first for, and the current his mistress during the Lewinsky scandal no less. Now 68, the “devout Catholic” has kept his conservative religious followers at bay by partially blaming infidelity on passion derived from love for his country.

Well that’s repulsive, and also a bit concerning since he wants to be president. Does he really mean it when he says he’s going to repent for his wrongdoings, or is it all just a bunch of BS to keep voters happy? I wouldn’t be surprised if it were a mixture of both. It has also been reported the Ethics Committee fine in 1997 had a severe effect on his mentality. He apparently was more akin to yell, something had nothing done before, and attacked certain activities with a certain “manic” attitude.

I can’t say I want Newt Gingrich as president. A cheating old white guy just doesn’t seem like somebody I’d want to vote for. Many consider the GOP to be having a candidate drought, but that’s not entirely true. Republicans such as Chris Christie and Tim Pawlenty are all highly anticipated runners capable of campaigning against Obama. But for now, all we can do is wait.

Do you think Newt Gingrich would make a good president? Join the discussion.