Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Joe Escalante ·
Nov 11, 2011 at 9:52pm
I've been slammed here quite severely for my support for Newt Gingrich. My point has always been that when all the baggage is exposed from all the candidates, his is workable. Since he's the smartest guy in the room, and he's asked for forgiveness for personal flaws, I'm a fan.
This new poll has me peering my head out of my hole I was put in a few months back. He's got many assets and he's persevered. If it's too late to get his staff put back together to take advantage of his momentum, do you think he's in line for a cabinet position?
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Oct '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
3 points:
1) It's Newt's turn now to be the anti-romney candidate. Will conservatives ditch bachmann, cain, and perry to rally around him?
2) Will he make a good VP?
3) if not VP then I'd like to see him as Secretary of Education.
Apr '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
When I first read of Newt's entrance into the primary I felt he was hoping to get picked up as the VP running mate. I stand by my prediction.
Edited on Nov 11, 2011 at 10:01pmAug '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Newt would be a headache for anyone's cabinet, especially as a VP. He's smart but undisciplined - not exactly a team player type. I imagine him as a smart Joe Biden.
Oct '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Then put him in a position where he can do the most damage to the liberal agenda--The Dept of Education.
He'd be a great advocate for School Choice and School Reforms-- issues that unite conservatives and moderate democrats.
Nov '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Yes, in a Cain administration. The two seem to get along famously, mutually respectful and admiring of each other's quite considerable, yet quite different, talents.
But instead of a job that merely administers domestic social/economic programs and regs in depts like Ed, HHS, DOE, Commerce, DOT, etc., i.e., positions that are more management roles than policy-shaping roles, I can conceive of Newt in a job that would make better use of his long-range strategic thinking and his historical perspective: State, or even Defense, or first one then the other.
Thinking about Cain's cabinet in general, I think Herman's the kind of properly self-assured fellow who would not be afraid to have "big" powerful personalities populating his cabinet.
Now, about Newt's role in a Romney admin--hmmm, that's something I'd rather not think about . . . . because I'd rather not think about a Romney admin at all. However, to prove I'm open-minded about Mitt, I can allow myself to contemplate a possible cabinet role for him in a Cain admin, say Postmaster General, or maybe even Agriculture. (Massachusetts is a farm state isn't it? Secy Cranberrie!)
Mar '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
I keep finding myself liking Newt. And then... I remember him sitting with Queen Nancy telling us that we need to triple our energy costs and destroy our economy to fix a problem that can't be fixed by tripling our energy costs and destroying our economy. Smartest guy in the room, indeed.
Oct '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Newt's the only guy qualified to not only unravel Obamacare but also put in place necessary reforms.
Apr '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
John Marzan
Then put him in a position where he can do the most damage to the liberal agenda--The Dept of Education.
He'd be a great advocate for School Choice and School Reforms-- issues that unite conservatives and moderate democrats. · Nov 11 at 10:13pm
They're also big Romney issues, going all the way back. I had been thinking press secretary, since I agree with the "our sides' Biden, but smarter" idea, and think that that would work well there, but I think that you've converted me to DoE.
Apr '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Newt and Mitt have the same problem of having endorsed mandates in the past, have both put significant work into coming up with better solutions, and have both ended up with fairly similar policies. I'm not saying that you shouldn't prefer Newt (knock yourself out!), but "qualified" seems like a threshold matter.
Mar '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
One of the disconcerting and unfortunate realities of life (is this what we mean today by that ugly neologism "adult conversation"?) is that sometimes a man with a very dissolute personal character is very far sighted in the affairs of state.
Whether Newt fulfills the later condition sufficiently enough to make up for some of the shortcomings of the former is, I suppose, for each of us to decide.
For me it has long been evident that while Newt has the capability to think through policy and its implications at a very high level, and while he possesses an above average political instinct, the second half of his speakership is not exactly a study in effective statesmanship. One might even observe that is was as clear a case of shortsightedness and opportunism as can be fathomed.
That legacy is one I cannot ignore, especially in a time of crisis.
So, all in all, I think having Newt offer his talents in the way most suited to him and most beneficial for us would be to have him as a member of the next administration somewhere, perhaps as a cabinet secretary.
Mar '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
John Marzan
Then put him in a position where he can do the most damage to the liberal agenda--The Dept of Education.
He'd be a great advocate for School Choice and School Reforms-- issues that unite conservatives and moderate democrats. · Nov 11 at 10:13pm
Anyplace except EPA!
Apr '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
As a long time supporter of Newt Gingrich - to the point I have a Newt 2012 sticker on the bumper of my car - I am well aware of Newt's deficiencies. Like America's Cup-winning yachtsman Dennis Connor, Newt is a brilliant tactician and a mediocre helmsman.
The optimum case might be a Head of State/ Head of Government partnership between Herman Cain and Newt, wherein Cain goes out and sells the business and Newt stays in the office and runs the business. With Newt in the number two slot, we'd still have a brake on some of his wilder enthusiasms.
But our times call for bold action and not just tinkering at the margins. We need a take-charge guy who can look you in the eye, describe the problem, propose a solution, and tick off on his fingers the steps we need to follow and the reasons why it's the right thing to do. Right now I only see one guy running for President who can do that: Newt Gingrich.
Mar '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Have any of you shaken Newt's hand? Limp fish is an understatement. I know it seems petty, but that worries me. Add that to his history of being a loose cannon, and I just don't feel safe with him at the top of the ticket, and I don't know any other candidate who would feel safe with him in their cabinet or as their VP. I've thought Press Secretary would be perfect for him from his entry into the race.
Jul '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Gingrich for Secretary of State? No. Newt for President!
May '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Bolton for SecState. The appointment alone would warn our adversaries that the US is back, and will be active in foreign policy. Newt may be a bright guy, but he's a name out of the past, who's already been in the driver's seat. We need fresh faces to convince Tea Party voters (like me) that this election is going to shake up the entire DC establishment, not just kick the Dems out of the White House and Senate majority.
Oct '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
I don't think Newt has much of an executive temperament judging by his failed tenure as speaker and intellectually undisciplined nature. He's a very sharp fellow who has seemingly thousands of ideas each day. Some of them are wretched and some of them are brilliant.
Ultimately, this is a fellow who has an academic and legislative temperament, but you've got to think that a sharp chief executive like, for example, Romney would be able to harness all that intellectual energy in some sort of substantial policy role.
I'm all for Newt being involved in a serious policy leadership position, but executive leadership just isn't his forte.
Sep '10
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
John Marzan: 3 points:
1) It's Newt's turn now to be the anti-romney candidate. Will conservatives ditch bachmann, cain, and perry to rally around him?
I don't know about ditching anyone. I'm still Cain first, Newt second. I can see Newt being Cain's VP. That would be cool.
Feb '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
Thank you Joe Escalante, or the editors of the site -- the photo illustration accompanying your post has relieved a mental itch for me -- I have been subconsciously wondering for months who Newt Gingrich reminded me of. I should have just looked down at all the Legos strewn across my playroom floor.
Jan '11
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
You say you're a long-term Newt supporter, yet your question reveals a weakness in conviction and commitment. This isn't a time for thinking it's too good to be true. Now is the time for thinking it's about time for the truth. Newt is the only candidate who, by dint of experience and intelligence can influence non-committed (independent) voters in debates with Obama - he'll wipe the floor with him. Anyone doubt that? More importantly, he has the will to govern strongly and with well deserved confidence. Check his political record.
Newt's personal faults count only if you ignore the others' faults: Let he who is without...etc.
Newt for VP? Sure, but only if you're willing to settle for second best as president.
Re: Newt Gingrich: Secretary of State?
I'm just being realistic. I'd love to see Newt as President. Tim Pawlenty / Mitch Daniels as V.P.
Anon: You say you're a long-term Newt supporter, yet your question reveals a weakness in conviction and commitment. This isn't a time for thinking it's too good to be true. Now is the time for thinking it's about time for the truth. Newt is the only candidate who, by dint of experience and intelligence can influence non-committed (independent) voters in debates with Obama - he'll wipe the floor with him. Anyone doubt that? More importantly, he has the will to govern strongly and with well deserved confidence. Check his political record.
Newt's personal faults count only if you ignore the others' faults: Let he who is without...etc.
Newt for VP? Sure, but only if you're willing to settle for second best as president. · Nov 12 at 8:20am