CNN - Paul a "contender"

[walt]

The campaigns of GOP presidential contenders Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani and Ron Paul were allowed to hand out literature.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/28/gingrich/

[libertythor]

Gingrich entering the race would be bad news!!!

[walt]

at least he'd be the last new entrant....

[Sematary]

Jesus, he's going to try and run?
And he wants $30 mil in 3 weeks? He's not asking for much, is he? You think he set the bar so high so that he could NOT run and say "eh, didn't get the money. Sorry"?

[Sematary]

Gingrich entering the race would be bad news!!!

Why bad? it would be great. It would dilute the field even further - which would be a bonus for RP.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

"The campaigns of GOP presidential contenders Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani and Ron Paul were allowed to hand out literature."

what does this mean? lol

[libertythor]

Gingrich isn't as neocon as the rest...plus he is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the GOP. It might be a ploy to try to drain support from Ron Paul!

[LizF]

Gingrich entering the race would be bad news!!!

Feh...let him enter and split the neocon prowar blowhard vote further. Moreover, his adultery, moral hypocrisy, and failed marriages won't help him among the religious base that would be most inclined to vote for him otherwise.

[Ozwest]

Gingrich isn't as neocon as the rest...plus he is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the GOP. It might be a ploy to try to drain support from Ron Paul!

He might claim to be a fiscal Conservative, but he'll lead America into World War III.

[speciallyblend]

newt is like the other 8 the same big goverment intrusive republicans RON PAUL STANDS ALONE

[OceanMachine7]

Gingrich isn't as neocon as the rest...plus he is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the GOP. It might be a ploy to try to drain support from Ron Paul!

Yes, it's a trap!

[JMann]

Feh...let him enter and split the neocon prowar blowhard vote further. Moreover, his adultery, moral hypocrisy, and failed marriages won't help him among the religious base that would be most inclined to vote for him otherwise.

I like Newt and Paul. I love Paul but I would consider voting for Newt if it looks like Paul is out of it by NC. The non radical fanatics that like Paul and aren't close minded type people very much may go with Newt over Paul. I would be careful what you wish for.

For many that like Paul, Newt could be a more reasonable alternative to the rest of the field. Newt isn't bring them home now but more this war was handled poorly and probably should of ended in the summer of 2003. This is probably an opinion held by far more primary voters than Paul's view.

[RJB]

Newt is CFR and has proposed bills to give some of our constitutional authority to the UN.

[belian78]

Let's not forget that Newt is also the guy who has stood up and said on a couple occasions that we need to curb our freedom of speech in times like these. do you really think anyone will vote for this guy? He wants to take away the first amendment.

[JMann]

Newt is CFR and has proposed bills to give some of our constitutional authority to the UN.

These statements mean nothing to 98 percent of Republican primary voters. They don't care. I am very much a Paul supporter but after that I want the best other Republican. Newt is that person.

[MsDoodahs]

The more warmongers in the race, the better for Dr. Paul, as it demonstrates yet again that he stands alone and above the rest of the field.

I can't help but laugh at the GOP frantic antics...

First they talk Keyes into entering in an effort to move voters away from Paul.

Now they prance Newt out?

lol..

I don't think Newt will drain from Dr. Paul nearly as much as he would be the nail in FT's coffin.

[DrNoZone]

Newt is also a rabid drug warrior. He favors the death penalty for drug dealers. Ron Paul on the other hand supports ending the Federal War on Some Drugs. This is just one issue where Newt stands to look like the neocon he is.

[LizF]

I like Newt and Paul. I love Paul but I would consider voting for Newt if it looks like Paul is out of it by NC. The non radical fanatics that like Paul and aren't close minded type people very much may go with Newt over Paul. I would be careful what you wish for.

For many that like Paul, Newt could be a more reasonable alternative to the rest of the field. Newt isn't bring them home now but more this war was handled poorly and probably should of ended in the summer of 2003. This is probably an opinion held by far more primary voters than Paul's view.

I'm not "wish[ing] for" Newt to enter the race; I just see no need for handwringing on our part.

Furthermore, I have no doubt that Newt would have been carrying the water for Bush & Cheney (in regards to the Iraq War) if he had been in the Congress. It's easy for him to try to position himself now as "critical" of the current administration's policy when he wasn't faced with the tough choices to make. Why didn't he speak out sooner against these policies if he was so concerned?

Too little, too late from another self-serving moral hypocrite looking for power.

[winston_blade]

I see Newt as the only person who could bring RP down. RP is right on the issues, but Newt will appear right and that is what matters most. Plus he has the name recognition going for him.

[paulitics]

Newt and Keyes are the 2 most likely to hurt Paul. They may throw McCain or even fred off the boat.

[erowe1]

Gingrich isn't as neocon as the rest...plus he is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the GOP. It might be a ploy to try to drain support from Ron Paul!

You're wrong on both counts. People mistake Gingrich for a conservative because he's grouchy. Like a lot of conservatives I do look back fondly on the 1994 congress, and I'm thankful for the role Gingrich had in bringing it about. But his own personal policies are not and never have been fiscally conservative. He, like all the other front runners, will go no farther than to say that he wants government to grow more slowly than the Democrats do. But perish the thought of actually cutting spending anywhere and eliminating whole agencies. And on foreign policy he definitely does advocate a policeman-of-the-world perspective. Whether he's a "neocon" or not is a red herring; the meaning of the word "neocon" is getting so flexible that, whereas I used to know what it meant and who it applied to, I don't even know anymore.

Bottom line, there is precious little to distinguish Gingrich's positions from those of Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, and McCain. If he enters the race now he may draw away some Paul supporters who mistake him for a small government conservative, but only for a short period of time before they find out his actual positions and realize he isn't one. In the end, the other poster was right, he'll just dilute the support of the candidates who are now polling higher than Paul, and would help more than hurt us.

[LizF]

I see Newt as the only person who could bring RP down. RP is right on the issues, but Newt will appear right and that is what matters most. Plus he has the name recognition going for him.

Newt has name recognition, but he's weak on personal morals (unlike RP)--which will hurt him with the base. He may talk "values" and such, but hasn't lived them, which is ironic for someone who was so critical of Bill Clinton's personal life.

His pompous demeanor won't help him much either.

[mconder]

Gingrich outlined what sounded like a campaign message when he called for "real change, not the same old stuff."

What a despicable liar this man is. This is exactly what he promised during the so-called Republican Revolution of 1994. All I can do is pray people will use their brains and remember this guy tried to pull this one over on the American people before.

[winston_blade]

Newt has name recognition, but he's weak on personal morals (unlike RP)--which will hurt him with the base. He may talk "values" and such, but hasn't lived them, which is ironic for someone who was so critical of Bill Clinton's personal life.

His pompous demeanor won't help him much either.

I agree with what you say, but here's what you don't understand (you actually might, but just don't want to admit it). It doesn't matter how he really is, it's all about perception. He will be perceived as the Conservative candidate. Is it true? NO! But most people are clueless when it comes to politics and they will believe what they are told by the media and other heads of the Republican Party (who are usually neocons).

You already knew that though, you're an RP supporter for goodness sake:)

[mconder]

Like a lot of conservatives I do look back fondly on the 1994 congress, and I'm thankful for the role Gingrich had in bringing it about.

Are you completely out of it? El Revolution of 1994 was one of the biggest shams in American history. What am I missing here?

[Drknows]

No this is good news! It will dilute the vote like others said! Ron Paul supporters wont walk away from Ron Paul even if Jesus entered the race.

[jj111]

Gingrich isn't as neocon as the rest...plus he is one of the few fiscal conservatives left in the GOP. It might be a ploy to try to drain support from Ron Paul!

Gingrich is a complete neocon, hypocrite, sell-out, liar, and authoritarian. He was promoting the idea of the death penatly for marijuana possession a couple decades ago. I would not trust Gingrich about anything for a millisecond.

[jj111]

Newt and Keyes are the 2 most likely to hurt Paul. They may throw McCain or even fred off the boat.

Keyes cannot do a thing to hurt Ron by being in the race.

[trispear]

No this is good news! It will dilute the vote like others said! Ron Paul supporters wont walk away from Ron Paul even if Jesus entered the race.

Actually I might if Jesus entered. But we all know Ron Paul would be his VicePresident;)

[RevolutionSD]

Nothing to see here. Newt is as much a polar opposite to Paul as Romney and the rest of the sad bunch. Hopefully, he steals votes away from the other "front runners".

I'm starting to think this race will come down to Ron Paul and Mitt Romney. Giuliani is way too unlikeable, McCain was done months ago, and Thompson's campaign is still not really off the ground despite what the MSM wants us to think. Gingrich is no conservative and will not get anywhere except compete for 3rd place.

[JMann]

Newt has name recognition, but he's weak on personal morals (unlike RP)--which will hurt him with the base. He may talk "values" and such, but hasn't lived them, which is ironic for someone who was so critical of Bill Clinton's personal life.

His pompous demeanor won't help him much either.

I could care less about a politicians 'morals'. If he has ethics I good with that. Morals are relative so there are no people with good or bad morals.

[JMann]

Gingrich is a complete neocon, hypocrite, sell-out, liar, and authoritarian. He was promoting the idea of the death penatly for marijuana possession a couple decades ago. I would not trust Gingrich about anything for a millisecond.

He has my vote if Paul stumbles.

[RevolutionSD]

He has my vote if Paul stumbles.

Why?

You want war & big government? Why does gingrich make any more sense than Rudy McRomneyson or any of the democrats for that matter?

Keep in mind that Gingrich is a CFR member which means he keeps the military-industrial complex alive and we become the North America Union under his watch.

How is any of that good for America?

[LizF]

I could care less about a politicians 'morals'. If he has ethics I good with that. Morals are relative so there are no people with good or bad morals.

You may feel that way, but among the current GOP base--the ones who haven't defected--morality matters, like it or not. I think it may matter more because he attacked Clinton publicly for something he himself was doing privately.

I agree that a politician's ethics are important too. It seems, however, that Gingrich has some weak points there as well:

"Ethics sanctions

Gingrich was first accused of unethical behavior when he accepted an advance as part of a book deal as well as numerous other counts. Eighty-four ethics charges were filed against Speaker Gingrich during his term, including claiming tax-exempt status for a college course run for political purposes and using the GOPAC political action committee as a slush fund; see Joseph Gaylord. Gingrich retained former U.S. Representative Edwin Bethune of Arkansas, a Washington, D.C., lawyer and lobbyist, to represent him.

Following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee, Gingrich admitted that he had violated House rules and accepted the house committee's recommendation for punishment.[23][24] Gingrich was sanctioned for $300,000[25] after the House Ethics Committee concluded that his use of tax-deductible money for political purposes and inaccurate information supplied to investigators represented "intentional or . . . reckless" disregard of House rules.[26] Special Counsel James M. Cole concluded that Gingrich violated federal tax law and had lied to the ethics panel in an effort to force the committee to dismiss the complaint against him.[27]"


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt_Gingrich

[LizF]

Why?

You want war & big government? Why does gingrich make any more sense than Rudy McRomneyson or any of the democrats for that matter?

Keep in mind that Gingrich is a CFR member which means he keeps the military-industrial complex alive and we become the North America Union under his watch.

How is any of that good for America?


Indeed. Ron Paul will be getting my vote even if I have to write his name in.

I imagine many other supporters will do the same. For us, no other candidate is acceptable.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

He has my vote if Paul stumbles.

no one has my vote if Ron Paul stumbles.... I'd rather vote for my cat

[ARealConservative]

This is not good news.

Young people might think so, but Newt is popular with my demographic. I even like the SOB - although my support for Paul is unwavering.

Still his expectations are too high - he wont raise the money he is looking for.

[SwordOfShannarah]

Let's not forget that Newt is also the guy who has stood up and said on a couple occasions that we need to curb our freedom of speech in times like these. do you really think anyone will vote for this guy? He wants to take away the first amendment.

Exactly- he was berated for that in the news and he will never get past it. His speech was as Orwellian as it comes- no exaggeration. He wants to destroy America and what we stand for.

[saku39]

Gingrich is terrible. His track record speaks for itself. Just another politician.

If he comes in the race, he's just going to suck away support from Frudy McRomson, which I don't mind.

Ron Paul is the only one that is making sense. And it shows. Nobody else is attracting people from both sides of the political spectrum. Nobody else is attracting new voters. Nobody else has fanatics out in the street putting up signs, distributing campaign literature, putting up websites, youtube videos, driving out of state to give support and going out to vote in straw polls.