Newt Wages Viral Campaign for President

He's in! Once the GOP took back the House, the odds were there that Newton Leroy Gingrich would enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination. His anouncement was a video weirdly reminiscent of Christine O'Donnell's "I Am Not A Witch" ad.

It might just be me. But I remember when candidates declared their intention to run for President before a group of supporters. President Obama declared in Springfield, Illinois before a crowd. So far, none of the Republican candidates this year have announced before anyone who supports them. Mitt Romney announced via YouTube in New Hampshire all alone. Now Newt stands before a photographer's backdrop as if Richard Avedon is to take his official portrait.

There were a few clinkers in his announcement. Newt claims he worked with Ronald Reagan to bring back prosperity and end the Soviet Union. Having been there for that I don't remember Newt's role at all. I must be getting senile. Newt claims all the achievements of the Clinton Administration such as a balanced budget and an unemployment rate of 4%. It will be interesting to see how this sells on the campaign trail.

Newt promised full employment, an energy program, a better health care system, a balanced budget and a return of local government by backing the 10th Amendment. The last bothers me alot. House Republicans this week want to introduce a Constitutional Amendment whereby states can over-rule federal laws they don't agree with. We used to call this nullification, which led to the civil war. Newt clearly knows his constituency.

Currently, President Obama tops Newt by 52 to 38%. While 84% of Republicans recognize his name,he has,according to Gallup, a 11 Positive Intensity Score, while the average candidate has 13.

Now be sure you buy Calista's new children's book on how America is exceptional. This will be out with Newt's adult book on the same subject.

The New York Times profile of Newt claims his hero is Charles de Gaulle. The last President who had De Gaulle as his hero was Richard Nixon and that didn't turn out so well.

It'll be interesting to see someone Gingrich's age actually campaign. By November 2012, he will be the same age as Ronald Reagan when he was elected President. The clear difference is that Reagan was a swimmer,rode horses and worked out of doors. The tan in Newt's announcement will soon go pale white in a long campaign. Remember John McCain had to haul his own bed around the country in order to avoid physical collapse.

After today's announcement, the Donald is looking even better.