Newt Wins The Nomination--Phew!

So we have been spared the gruelling prospect of watching more GOP debates now that Newt has proclaimed he will be the nominee. Rasmussen reports have Newt sky-rocketing in the polls and PPP, the Democratic polling firm has Newt pulling even with Mitt in New Hampshire, leading by large margins in South Carolina, Florida and Montana. However, for whatever reasons, Newt failed to make the deadline for Missouri.

So that's it. It would mean we won't have to watch the debate sponsored by Donald Trump and Newsmax in Iowa. That really deserves some comment but I can even put my mind around it.

Newt and his lovely bride Callista raise alot of interesting political science issues if he became the nominee. Richard Nixon lost the governorship of California and made a comeback by reinventing himself. But what do you make of a man who had to resign as Speaker of The House, second in line to the Presidency, was fined $300,000 for ethics violations, has had three marriages and numerous affairs, lobbied for the hated health industry and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and is notorious for being disorganized and a rhetorical bomb-thrower? Could such a person actually become President?

I get conservative e-mails all the time that Newt will whip President Obama in debates. Newt even joked he would allow Barack Obama the use of teleprompters--this being the lame right-wing meme that Obama can only recite what's written for him. For reasons best known to the Right, they always neglect when Obama showed up to talk to the House Republicans and on national television more than held his own on a range of subjects without notes or teleprompters. Or how about the open healthcare debate with Republicans at the White House? Three hours without a note in front of him and he routed the Republicans who came loaded for bear.

Newt has proposed six Lincoln-Douglas debates because Newt has nothing else to do and President Obama actually has to run a country. But this has excited conservatives who suddenly want to back an "intellectual" against someone who "pretends" to be one.

The Washngton Post today ran a piece that describes a Newt White House as one of ideas. But ideas can really be awful. Take Newt's idea to eliminate school janitors and get the kids to clean up. Or his idea to eliminate child labor laws before poor children don't know how to work and any money they get is from illegal activities. Or his idea that children should clean school toilets. I think he was channelling his early days in the orphanage with that one.

But the Newt campaign raises real questions. Can a political figure be so beaten up by scandal and corruption that he is immuned to any further damage? Newt's sudden rise as the anti-Mitt has taxed his campaign organization, the first group of whom quit during the summer. Now if you see his campaign schedule, it consists of book-signings and showings of films with his wife. Have we now moved into the realm where retail politicking is unnecessary?

From what I can gather Washington conservatives, especially older ones, remember the glory days of Newt taking over the House. In fact, his base is senior citizens. What these people want is someone who will beat up on President Obama and they believe that Newt is that person. That Newt was for climate change, cap and trade, individual mandates for health care and for Medicare Part D is irrelevant. They firmly believe that if the GOP nominee just attacks Barack Obama, the American people will come to their senses and defeat him. Of course, no one has started to figure out what then would come next.