Newt Gingrich

So Newt casts a pebble on the water to suggest that he may very well run for president. I still think that he is just making noises to get more attention. He is prone to that sort of political titilation to pump up his public image.

As far as I'm concerned Newt had his chance and he blew it. He showed that he was great as a political strategist to achieve power but he really wasn't successful, in this day of rabid partisanship and fierce media attention, wielding that power. The Republican Congress accomplished some notable things with Welfare reform and balancing the budget. But when it got to the point that his political allies were begging him to get off the TV because he was hurting their cause that should be an indication that the guy doesn't have a political future as a presidential candidate. Part of it wasn't his fault - he was quite unfairly mischaracterized and demonized by the press and the Democrats. But he made his own mistakes and misjudgments. And then you add in his messy private life at the exact time that he was leading the impeachment efforts against Bill Clinton and you have a toxic mix.

Just because there is a portion of the Republican electorate that still admires for Newt Gingrich and his ideas doesn't mean that he should be the Republican nominee. I suspect that one of his first contributors would be James Carville. The Clintons must be sitting back and cheering "Run, Newt, run." Newt would be better advised to comfort himself with the renewed public attention he's getting now and use that spotlight to offer his own policy and political recommendations to the GOP. But, sorry Newt, this is one second act that the Republicans don't need.