Newt for President?

[Rick Lee]

I saw Newt speak at the Nat. Press Club today and I have to say it was the best speech I've ever seen there. I was seated with a bunch of fellow right wing nuts and we all thought he crushed anything we'd seen Bush, Cheney or Rumsfeld give in a speech. He made no mention of running for president and no one even asked him about it in the Q&A. His address was about trying to reformat the presidential debates. He's on some commission with Mario Cuomo and they're releasing a recommendation in late Sept. to make each nominee agree to a 90 min. debate with no time limit on answers, no moderator, no set questions and do so every Sunday night bewteen the conventions and election. He spoke a lot about the Lincoln-Douglas debates and contrasted their bare-bones format to the 54 pages of legal docs. describing every single aspect of how everything had to be in the 2004 Bush-Kerry debates. He wants to take the news media out of it and let candidates say what they need to say without condensing it into 7 sec. soundbites.

He also spoke about how unprepared we are to compete with China and India with our failing public schools, touched on illegal immigration and terrorism too.

Most unforgettable soundbite for me was on civil liberties. He said something to the effect of, "If you think the war on terror has eroded our civil liberties, wait until the morning after an American city has been lost to a terrorist attack."
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[Rearden]

I'm always impressed when I see him speak on CSPAN. He's a man of ideas and a true historian. I'd consider voting for him, but I fear he has too much (perceived?) baggage to make it past his opponents' attacks.

[the]

He's a smart guy, lots of good politics, but he's way too much of "damaged goods" to run for president. He's also a bit too much of a bible thumper for me, but that's just me.

[Dantilla]

He has a brilliant mind. The one time I heard him extensively, I was very impressed.

[Rick Lee]

His latest wife was there today. She tried to sit at my table and I almost had to shoo her away, not knowing who she was. Luckily, a staffer guided her to the head table, where she belonged. She's maybe 40 yrs. old and looks well over 50. Yeah, he has some baggage. But man, would he crush anyone in a debate. He is truly a man of ideas and one of the few guys who'd have trouble finding advisors smarter and more creative than himself.

If anyone comes across today's speech on CSPAN, definitely check him out. Not a dull moment.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

he's a very smart and intelligent man. I question his motives and methods that same way I question Hillary's. he would make a good cabinet member, though not sure which one.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Rearden

I'm always impressed when I see him speak on CSPAN. He's a man of ideas and a true historian. I'd consider voting for him, but I fear he has too much (perceived?) baggage to make it past his opponents' attacks.

Perhaps it is time to vote on a basis of what a President will do with the future and not what they have done in the past.

Naw... that's just crazy talk!

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

he's a very smart and intelligent man. I question his motives and methods that same way I question Hillary's. he would make a good cabinet member, though not sure which one.

I am quite sure he'd be a difficult cabinet sec. choice. He has way too big an ego and mouth to answer to others. I don't think he's at all motivated by what motivates Hillary. Her goal is power at all costs. If that had been Newt's line, he'd have not resigned as speaker. He still hasn't announced for president. And he's the only one out there telling people what they don't want to hear because they need to hear it. You won'tever see Hillary Clinton stand up to teachers' unions or say a bad word about anything the government runs or lawyers or and on and on and on. Newt, while he sounded a tad cynical today, is a visionary. You may not like his vision, but he's got one. Clinton's vision is to be president no matter what and then to keep power.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I am quite sure he'd be a difficult cabinet sec. choice. He has way too big an ego and mouth to answer to others. I don't think he's at all motivated by what motivates Hillary. Her goal is power at all costs. If that had been Newt's line, he'd have not resigned as speaker. He still hasn't announced for president. And he's the only one out there telling people what they don't want to hear because they need to hear it. You won'tever see Hillary Clinton stand up to teachers' unions or say a bad word about anything the government runs or lawyers or and on and on and on. Newt, while he sounded a tad cynical today, is a visionary. You may not like his vision, but he's got one. Clinton's vision is to be president no matter what and then to keep power.

OK.

[carnutzzz]

Yep- I like him.

[Moneyguy1]

Some people are gifted speakers and what they say makes sense because it appeals to the emotions of the listener. That does not mean that, upon analysis, what is said is even rational. The comment about an American City is plain and simple fear mongering, meant to appeal to our basic instincts. It is the "scapegoat factor", used so successfully by A.H. I would rather a relatively limited speaker who was a doer than a brilliant orator. Lincoln comes to mind in that category. Most dictators fall into the silvered tounge crowd who bring down their cause and their nation.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Moneyguy1

Some people are gifted speakers and what they say makes sense because it appeals to the emotions of the listener. That does not mean that, upon analysis, what is said is even rational. The comment about an American City is plain and simple fear mongering, meant to appeal to our basic instincts. It is the "scapegoat factor", used so successfully by A.H. I would rather a relatively limited speaker who was a doer than a brilliant orator. Lincoln comes to mind in that category. Most dictators fall into the silvered tounge crowd who bring down their cause and their nation.

Wow, and all this time I thought that you didn't like President Bush

[Moneyguy1]

Sadly, the current President is neither a gifted speaker nor a doer, although I see where one could misinterpret what I posted.

I thought the same thing when I was typing the original response, and then thought that the atttributes do not necessarily go together. The rare individual can be both a brilliant speaker and a doer, or can be a lousy speaker and not a doer.

BTW..I neither like or dislike GWB. I do not know him personally. What I do not like are many of his policies.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Moneyguy1

Sadly, the current President is neither a gifted speaker nor a doer, although I see where one could misinterpret what I posted.

I thought the same thing when I was typing the original response, and then thought that the atttributes do not necessarily go together. The rare individual can be both a brilliant speaker and a doer, or can be a lousy speaker and not a doer.

BTW..I neither like or dislike GWB. I do not know him personally. What I do not like are many of his policies.

What do you mean, he did go after terrorist, something no one else has had the balls to do!!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Too much of a politician to be trustworthy, IMO.

Remember the "Contract with America"? What a crock. "Family values"? There's another one. How 'bout BlowjobGate? Yep - that was him too. All a bunch of politically-motivated crapola. If he were elected, it would be another four years of partisan bullhooey.

Might be an intelligent guy (and he is), but he's worst than CON-di Rice or Clinton or any of the other intelligent individuals that have taken up high posts in government only to let partisan bickering, rather than their minds, become their legacies.

More of the same-old. Sorry. Next.

[Moneyguy1]

Racer:

Going after the terrorists: Good.

Going after the terrorists without an intelligent plan: Not Good.

I applaud the motive but not the method.

Additionally, saying some other leader would not have gone after the bad guys is simply not provable and conjecture.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

What do you mean, he did go after terrorist, something no one else has had the balls to do!!

You don't know very much about this history of terrorism response in this country, do you?

[jyl]

Might as well dredge up Pat Buchanan while you're at it, and all the other old timers with their Winnebagos full of skeletons.

[nostatic]

we could run Nixon's head

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by nostatic

we could run Nixon's head

If we could just find a robot body to mount it on...

I like Newt, he won't run. He has done his time.