Before he even got started, it seems that the Republican presidential campaign of Newt, the always-talking-never-thinking, Gingrich might be almost over. And the ones pushing on Newt to leave the race are not the expected political enemies in the Democratic party, oh nooo! The Republicans are the ones kicking Newt’s butt.
It all began when Newt appeared on Sunday’s Meet The Press and called the Republican Paul Ryan a radical, and suggested that Ryan’s budget plan will kill Medicare and transfer middle class wealth to the top 1%. Of course, Gingrich was right, but hearing one of their own speak the truth is not something the Republican party is accustomed to. So since Sunday, Mr. Gingrich has been thrown under the bus by Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and the congressional Republican leaders in Washington. Newt’s exact words when asked to describe his feelings about Ryan’s budget plan?
“I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering. I don’t think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.”
Appearing on Laura Ingram’s show the following day was the right winged radical himself – Paul Ryan. While explaining his excuse for a budget plan if elected, Ryan was asked to respond to Gingrich’s Meet The Press interview. “With allies like that, who needs the left?” Ryan fired back, and the ass-kicking officially began.
Limbaugh:
“I am not going to justify this. I am not going to explain it. “The attack on Paul Ryan, the support for an individual mandate in healthcare? Folks, don’t ask me to explain this. There is no explanation! What do you mean, ‘If I don’t explain it, who will?’ There is no explanation for it.
“First off, it cuts Paul Ryan off at the knees. It supports the Obama administration in the lawsuits that 26 states have filed over the mandate. I guess, what? Back in 1993, Newt supported an individual mandate, everybody should buy insurance. I am as befuddled as anyone else is what I’m telling you.”
And being the Republican leader that he is, the talking points were sent out immediately- Rush is against Newt, so Newt must be wrong. The word spread fast, as other conservative media outlets picked up on Limbaugh’s rantings. The story got out to their audience and they too began their attacks.
At a campaign stop in Iowa, Newt was greeted by one of his republican supporters;
IOWA REPUBLICAN: What you just did to Paul Ryan is unforgivable.
GINGRICH: I didn’t do anything to Paul Ryan.
IOWA REPUBLICAN: Yes, you did. You undercut him … you’re an embarrassment to our party.
GINGRICH: I’m sorry you feel that way.
IOWA REPUBLICAN: Why don’t you get out before you make a bigger fool of yourself?
The pressure was too much for Gringrich, so like any other potential commander-in-chief, like any other potential leader of the free world, like any other man vying for the job to be the most influential person on the face of the earth – the President Of The United States – Newt Gingrich flipped-flopped and tried to tell the nation that the words from his mouth must not be taken seriously. He really didn’t mean what he said and that was his final answer! He tells Greta Van Susteren of Fox News;
So, let me say on the record: any ad which quotes what I said Sunday is a falsehood and because I have said publicly, those words were inaccurate and unfortunate. And I’m prepared to stand up — when I make a mistake and I’m going to on occasion, I want to stand up and share with the American people, that was a mistake, because that way, we can have an honest conversation.
And with his supporters behind him, their shoes up the seat of his pants, Newt offered apologies to Paul Ryan and any other unnecessary GOPers who would give him the time of day.
Nikki Haley, the powerful Republican governor in South Carolina told CNN in a telephone interview just how disappointed she was in Gingrich;
“What he said was absolutely unfortunate. Here you’ve got Representative Ryan trying to bring common sense to this world of insanity, and Newt absolutely cut him off at the knees.
“When you have a conservative fighting for real change, the last thing we need is a presidential candidate cutting him off at the knees.”
Then this -popularl syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer suggests that Newt pack up and go home, telling Fox that Newt “didn’t have a big chance in the beginning, but now it’s over!”
Video–just a brief look in the life of a flip-flopping Gingrich. This is Newt – The man who wants to be The Commander-in-Chief!
