Michael Tee · Dec 16, 2011 at 1:46pm

Not too long ago, the Editor at National Review asked Newt Gingrich to run for President. Not just personally; he wrote a whole article about it. The pull quote:

What thrills Republicans about Gingrich’s media appearances is the sense of intellectual mastery — that he has the arguments, along with the words, to beat all comers. And he hasn’t been shy about criticizing the Bush administration or the Republican Congress. This puts Gingrich in the enviable position of being a keen Beltway player, but one not associated with an unpopular GOP establishment.

As they say, read the whole thing yourself.

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Good Berean
Joined
Oct '10
Good Berean

Is this the same NRO that is flying the Romney flag?

Douglas
Joined
Mar '11
Douglas

Flip Flopper


Joined
Dec '11
Guruforhire
Douglas: Flip Flopper · Dec 15 at 8:06pm

He'll never be president.

Diane Ellis, Ed.

How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind.

Douglas
Joined
Mar '11
Douglas

Guruforhire

Douglas: Flip Flopper · Dec 15 at 8:06pm

He'll never be president. · Dec 15 at 8:08pm

Neither will Mitt Romney.

The Cloaked Gaijin
Joined
Nov '11
The Cloaked Gaijin
Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

Stockholm Syndrome?

Michael Tee
Joined
Jul '10
Michael Tee
Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

That would be a good explanation, indeed. I'd like to see him write an article about it, since his magazine (I no longer consider it WFB's magazine, as it died when he did) is four-square against Newt.

The Cloaked Gaijin
Joined
Nov '11
The Cloaked Gaijin

I read Jonah Goldberg's view of the Non-Gingrich endorsement which included a history of prior National Review endorsements.  However, the magazine's “tactical endorsement”, I believe that was what it was called, in favor of Pat Buchanan over President George H. W. Bush was omitted.  This was shortly after the publication of Bill Buckley's article “In Search of Anti-Semitism” which partially targeted Pat Buchanan.  This seemed to leave National Review editor John O'Sullivan sputtering, “we would not have endorsed Mr. Buchanan if we had believed him to be anti-Semitic.”

Douglas
Joined
Mar '11
Douglas
The Cloaked Gaijin: I read Jonah Goldberg's view of the Non-Gingrich endorsement which included a history of prior National Review endorsements.  However, the magazine's “tactical endorsement”, I believe that was what it was called, in favor of Pat Buchanan over President George H. W. Bush was omitted.  This was shortly after the publication of Bill Buckley's article “In Search of Anti-Semitism” which partially targeted Pat Buchanan.  This seemed to leave National Review editor John O'Sullivan sputtering, “we would not have endorsed Mr. Buchanan if we had believed him to be anti-Semitic.” · Dec 16 at 5:41am

What NR did was simply put, indefensible. Buckley would have called a lot of people on the carpet for that one. It was maybe the nastiest, most un-WFB thing I've ever seen at NR. Shame is well and truly called for here.

Duane Oyen
Joined
May '10
Duane Oyen
Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

It looks to me as though he wanted to initiate a "Stop McCain" debate.  Urging someone to run isn't necessarily the same as desiring him to win. 

Lucy Pevensie
Joined
Nov '10
Lucy Pevensie
Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

Main Feed for this post, Diane?  Of course, I'm not an editor so I don't really know.  It's just that I sort of think this is important, even if it's not creating a huge amount of buzz over here on the Member Feed. 

Lucy Pevensie
Joined
Nov '10
Lucy Pevensie

Duane Oyen

Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

It looks to me as though he wanted to initiate a "Stop McCain" debate.  Urging someone to run isn't necessarily the same as desiring him to win. 

Except that Romney was already in the race at that time.   He didn't need to urge Newt to run in order to oppose McCain, all he needed to do was to support Romney. Instead, he's singing Newt's praises in the same language that we've been hearing from his supporters on Ricochet:

What thrills Republicans about Gingrich’s media appearances is the sense of intellectual mastery — that he has the arguments, along with the words, to beat all comers.

Larry Koler
Joined
Jun '10
Larry Koler

What is going on over at NR? 


Joined
Apr '11
wmartin

About half of the new issue is devoted to taking down Newt, with Mark Steyn's cover story the most blistering (and funniest) hit piece on him that I have yet read.


Joined
Apr '11
wmartin

Lucy Pevensie

Duane Oyen

Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

It looks to me as though he wanted to initiate a "Stop McCain" debate.  Urging someone to run isn't necessarily the same as desiring him to win. 

Except that Romney was already in the race at that time.   He didn't need to urge Newt to run in order to oppose McCain, all he needed to do was to support Romney. Instead, he's singing Newt's praises in the same language that we've been hearing from his supporters on Ricochet:

What thrills Republicans about Gingrich’s media appearances is the sense of intellectual mastery — that he has the arguments, along with the words, to beat all comers.

Dec 16 at 11:59am

I think Lowry was just playing around with an idea then. Now he is faced with the horror of a Newt nomination and landslide defeat in the general, and is reacting accordingly.

Duane Oyen
Joined
May '10
Duane Oyen

Lucy Pevensie

Duane Oyen

Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

It looks to me as though he wanted to initiate a "Stop McCain" debate.  Urging someone to run isn't necessarily the same as desiring him to win. 

Except that Romney was already in the race at that time.   He didn't need to urge Newt to run in order to oppose McCain, all he needed to do was to support Romney. Instead, he's singing Newt's praises in the same language that we've been hearing from his supporters on Ricochet:

What thrills Republicans about Gingrich’s media appearances is the sense of intellectual mastery — that he has the arguments, along with the words, to beat all comers.

Dec 16 at 11:59am

That is consistent, I think, Lucy- I suspect Rich believed that Newt would use the gloves on McCain and get him out.  Whoever won the nomination after that was irrelevant compared with derailing The Straight Talk Express.

Michael Tee
Joined
Jul '10
Michael Tee

Michael Tee: Not too long ago, the Editor at National Review asked Newt Gingrich to run for President. Not just personally; he wrote a whole article about it. The pull quote:

 

 This puts Gingrich in the enviable position of being a keen Beltway player, but one not associated with an unpopular GOP establishment.

 

One thing I thought was National Review went from outside the GOP establishment to inside the GOP establishment. At least that's how the Wall Street Journal views the magazine.

What's more, I found this Facebook post of all things, troubling.:

National Review's endorsement of Romney & Huntsman proves only that this is no longer the magazine of William F. Buckley Jr. My uncle would be appalled.

The author? Brent Bozell.

Edited on Dec 16, 2011 at 2:41pm
Paul A. Rahe

wmartin

Lucy Pevensie

Duane Oyen

Diane Ellis, Ed.: How....bizarre. I wonder what changed in Rich Lowry's mind. · Dec 15 at 8:21pm

It looks to me as though he wanted to initiate a "Stop McCain" debate.  Urging someone to run isn't necessarily the same as desiring him to win. 

Except that Romney was already in the race at that time.   He didn't need to urge Newt to run in order to oppose McCain, all he needed to do was to support Romney. Instead, he's singing Newt's praises in the same language that we've been hearing from his supporters on Ricochet:

What thrills Republicans about Gingrich’s media appearances is the sense of intellectual mastery — that he has the arguments, along with the words, to beat all comers.

Dec 16 at 11:59am

I think Lowry was just playing around with an idea then. Now he is faced with the horror of a Newt nomination and landslide defeat in the general, and is reacting accordingly. · Dec 16 at 1:55pm

Landslide defeat? I wonder. Gingrich has won a lot more elections than Mitt Romney.


Joined
Dec '10
das_motorhead

I'm a big fan of both NR and Newt, and I'm still not convinced that this is the epitome of betrayal some are making it out to be. Sure, I'd love to know why Lowry changed his mind.

In the editorial, they present him (if not explicitly) as a smart guy who is erratic. Fair enough. I don't see that taking him to task for his major flaws is wrong - he's got plenty of them.

I'm also not convinced by the "NR loves Romney" argument. They're leaning towards Mitt because they don't trust Newt's judgement and Huntsman and Santorum have flaws, too. Mitt is far from ideal, but he is still an extremely accomplished individual who reasonable conservatives can legitimately vote for. It's not like we have many options.

NR didn't handle the editorial particularly well, but I still think we should avoid assigning bad motive to people who criticize our favorite candidate (and again, Newt is mine...I think). Let's save that for the MSM in the general, 'cuz it's coming no matter who get's the nomination.


Joined
Dec '10
BKelley14

I think this election is too critical to risk a Newt run. I think that's what Rich Lowry is thinking, and it's what a lot of prominent conservatives are thinking. 


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