Sunday, December 04, 2011

Newt? NEWT???

"Start with the following two facts: Really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works. So they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday. They have no habit of staying all day. They have no habit of 'I do this and you give me cash' - unless it's illegal."

Newt Gingrich, December 1, 2011
as quoted yesterday in Charles Blow's New York Times column
(
I saw it on TV, too!)

Poor people don't work. Poor children only work at doing things that are illegal. Ya gotta love 'im. You just gotta!

It's official and unavoidable: My man Newt Gingrich is SURGING ahead in the polls! To make matters worse (or better - depending upon where you're coming from) since Herman Cain announced the end of his train wreck of a campaign yesterday, his supporters are now looking for a new home. Call it a silly hunch on my part, but methinks most of them will find a kindred soul in the Newtster. Has my luck really gotten this good? Eek Gads! This is too goo
d to be true. Thank you, fate!

Certain
people on "THE LEFT" went into a bit of a tantrum after hearing a comment made the other day by Bill Clinton. When asked why Gingrich's poll numbers were shooting up so rapidly, Clinton replied (and I'm paraphrasing) to the effect that Republican primary voters were merely reacting to Newt's "sensible" ideas. "What?" they cried out in unison, "Sensible ideas? Has Clinton lost his mind???" Sure he has. Old Bill is crazy - like a fox.

That's what
I love about Bubbah. The man is one smoooooth operator, baby! They didn't call the guy "Slick Willie" for nothing, that's for sure. If I were a more widely-read writer (Yeah, I'm barely a cult figure, I'll admit it) I would never say this out loud for fear of jinxing Newt's momentum. Here's what's happening, folks: Old Bill knows damned well that he's one of the most popular and admired ex-presidents in history. If he comes out and publicly states that Gingrich's ideas are not all that outrageous - but are, in fact, "sensible" a lot of the halfwits within the GOP's constituency will holler:

"Whoa! Lookie yonder, Martha! Even ol' Bill Clinton thinks Newt's a'barkin' up the right tree! He's got mah vote!"

He's one wily sum'bitch, that Bill Clinton!

Poor Mitt Romney. It's easy to feel sorry for the guy. Not that I would ever vote for him you understand. I would drink a cocktail of vodka and battery acid before I ever voted for the likes of Mitt Romney. Still, there is a certain....Oh, what's the word...."Pathos?"....in the spectacle of a man coming face-to-face with the ugly reality that even his own people can't stand him. It's obvious that he wanted to settle some old scores for no other reason than the honor of his late father. In the summer of 1968 Governor George Romney of Michigan was in a fight-to-the-death struggle with old Dick Nixon for the Republican nomination. At a campaign appearance somewhere, the senior Romney was asked how he had changed his position on the Vietnam war from that of staunch supporter to viciously opposed. His answer? "I was brainwashed."

Brainwashed?
A man seeking the presidency admits that he can be "brainwashed"? George Romney's campaign was as dead as a doornail from that moment on.

Mitt hasn't given up hope and for damned good reason. Poor old Newt has the nasty habit of flaming out just as things are starting to look up for him. It's only a matter of time before he foolishly blurts out something too weird even for the right wing extremists who are now the "norm" in that disgusting party. Or worse - he might say something thoughtful and intelligent - the kiss of death for any Republican candidate these days. That's what destroyed the Rick Perry campaign. When he claimed that anyone who would separate an illegal immigrant from his or her family "has no heart" his campaign was toast and jelly. It wasn't all of the idiotic things emanating from his mouth that killed his chances. It was one genuine moment of human compassion. That's what kind of party the Republicans have become.

It's oodles of fun these days to watch a moderately intelligent guy like Romney stumbling around the country saying all sorts of mind-jarringly stupid things. He knows that this is the only way to appeal to the chowderheads - particularly in the Deep South and Midwest - who vote in Republican primaries. Say what you want about Mitt Romney, unlike most of the contenders for the nomination the man knows what he's doing.

Newt Gingrich can win the Iowa caucuses later this month very handily if he plays his deck-full-of-jokers right. After that it's onto New Hampshire where the rabidly right wing paper, the Manchester Union Leader, endorsed his candidacy last week. This was an embarrassment from which Mitt has yet to recover. He is, after all, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts. If Newt is able to take New Hampshire, the next major contest is in South Carolina, where Romney hasn't the chance of tadpole in boiling water. By then the Gingrich Express will be an out-of-control, unstoppable freight train. George Romney must be doing somersaults in his grave.

Ain't politics fun?

From "The Rant" March 16, 2011:

"It isn't very often that one happens upon a politician as delightfully sleazy as Newt Gingrich. The man is a walking, talking caricature. Thomas Nast - the legendary nineteenth-century political cartoonist most famous for his drawings of New York's corrupt Boss Tweed - would have loved the Newtster! This is the same guy who had eighty-four ethics charges filed against him during the four years he served as speaker of the House of Representatives."

And it's not merely his questionable past when it comes to the tricky subject of ethics that he'll be dealing with. Overt corruption seems not to mean a damned thing to a lot of conservative voters. What he does have to worry about will be the fact that he's been married three times - which is not likely to play too well with your average Tea partier - trust me on this one, boys and girls. To quote the great Cuban conga player and band leader Ricky Ricardo, Newt has "got some "splaining to do".

Here is a guy who served his first wife with divorce papers while she was layiug in a hospital bed recuperating from cancer surgery! Although the poor gal did not die (and is still very much alive I'm happy to say) for all Newt or anybody else knew, she might very well have been on her death bed - cancer being such an iffy thing. But wait, it gets worse - or, for my purposes - better:

In 1998, while he was leading the charge to remove Bill Clinton from office for lying about having an affair with a half-witted intern, Newt himself was was cheating on his second wife - whom he would eventually divorce before marrying the woman he was having the fling with. Class act that Newt Gingrich, huh?

And with Newt Gingrich as their nominee, how would it look to the family values mob, knowing that their potential First Lady was just some damned common hussy who had fooled around with a married man? This act might not play too well down in Dixie - but you never know with this bunch. They are drooling so to get this Socialist/Kenyan/Negro out of the White House, they'd probably forgive Newt if it was revealed to them that he was a member of the North American Man/Boy Love Association.

Barack Obama is the luckiest politician in all recorded human history. I envy the man. Think about it: First, fate generously places as his opponent for the senate a genuine headcase like Alan Keyes. Then a few short years later he makes a try for the presidency and has the good fortune to be faced against befuddled John McCain and Fascist Barbie. And now, four years later....I mean, just look at these people!

This is gonna be as easy as shooting a school of half-witted fish in a leaky barrel. President Obama is the luckiest man on the face of the earth. Lou Gehrig must be smiling, I just know it.

I am looking forward to the campaign of 2012 like a seven-year-old kid looks forward to Christmas morning. All my bets are on Obama. The GOP nominee will be Newt or Mitt. Gingrich will scare the bejeezus out of moderates and Romney will not - under any circumstances - inspire "the base" to come out en masse. The religious bigots who have hijacked that party hate the idea of a Mormon in the White House almost as much as they do the idea of a black guy living there. Also there is the fact that Romney is viewed by these clowns as - WAIT FOR IT - a "liberal". It doesn't get much stupider than this. It really doesn't.

This morning on CBS's Face The Nation, Bob Schieffer referred to to this comical mess as the "wackiest Republican primary ever". He wasn't exaggerating. For someone that makes his or her name commenting on the masterpiece of stupidity and incompetence that American politicians now embody, these are grand days indeed to be alive. When George W. Bush was wrecking havoc upon the land, I never dreamed that things could ever again get as weird as that. I'm am happy to tell you that the current crop of mediocrities seeking the highest office this side of the Milky Way have proven me wrong. In fact, I'm not just happy to tell you this, I'm downright giddy about the whole thing.

Somebody pinch me please.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

SUGGESTED READING:

Here is a link to a very cool Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Republican-Bigotry-Hate-Fear-Lies-and-Distortion/174612345903369?sk=wall&filter=1/"

Here is a link to Charles Blow's column on Newt quoted above:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/blow-newts-war-on-poor-children.html?_r=1

Have a grand week, everyone!

23 Comments:

At 4:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi. I just discovered your fun blog by link from your NYT comment on Chas. Blow's column. Good stuff - but fact-check the Romney papa name. By my recollection, it was George, not Gene.

 
At 4:26 PM, Blogger Tom Degan said...

You're absolutely correct. It was George Romney. Thank you so much for keeping me on my toes. The corrections have been made. I must have gotten him confused with Gene McCarthy - another of 1968's bright stars that flamed out in the summer of that year. Thanks again and keep coming by!

Sincerely,

Tom Degan

 
At 6:42 PM, Blogger charles moore said...

Tom, the GOP carnival has become so crazy that I have lost interest in trying to keep up with the loonies. Wake me when they come up with a candidate.

 
At 9:05 PM, Blogger Cirze said...

Neither will be the nominee, Tom.

And your prose tells why. They are stoopid, but not entirely idiotic. And the xtians hate them both.

My money is on Jebbie. Or someone along the same criminal but not entirely stoopid trail.

Guess we'll wait and see.

And Dumbya's weirdness? He set the standard and those following his lead are merely trying to attain the same level.

And they're succeeding!

Love ya,

S

When George W. Bush was wrecking havoc upon the land, I never dreamed that things could ever again get as weird as that.
______________

 
At 11:29 PM, Anonymous Ron Baldwin said...

Shouldn't it be "wreaking" havoc?

Wrecking hacoc would be breaking havoc. "Wreak" is to inflict.

If my high school English teacher could see me now. A CPA with a BS and MBA, and a graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program for senior executives. She advised my mother that my going to college would be a waste of money. To be fair, I thought she was the biggest twit I ever met.

 
At 10:42 AM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

Will you still be laughing if Newt wins the presidency too? Don't ever overestimate the voting brains of the American people. They elected GW Bush twice on their belief that he'd be a fun guy to have a beer. I wanted a good choice on the Republican side who although I'd disagree with the person's stands on issues, I'd consider them not a disaster if Americans voted for them. That isn't going to happen no matter who gets the nomination but being able to ridicule someone like Newt, and he provides plenty for that, is no compensation if he wins in 2012 and once he's the nominee, he could. It's not like we can do anything about it but I certainly am taking no joy in it :(

 
At 10:48 AM, Blogger Tom Degan said...

Good point, Rain.

I don't think that Newt's history of marriage infidelity will inspire the base to come out for him. I hope like heck that I'm not wrong.

All the best,

Tom

 
At 11:45 AM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

Yeah, except he got religion. As of 2009 he became a pious man which wipes clean all that came before. That's the problem with religious voters and how they think.

What I think is funny, and yes it is, is that Cain will endorse him and Clinton said such nice things and he's likely to get Trump-- so he has the philanderers vote. Where the religious believe in forgiveness wiping out sins, I just don't know and the thought of having to watch that badger for possibly the next 5 years is quite depressing along with his choir singing wife who didn't mind snaring a married man for her own husband. The wonders of religion though is what has to be taken into consideration as most of us would say a he is who he is still inside but they won't see it that way. They would only hold it against him if he was still doing it which I doubt-- for now.

 
At 11:53 AM, Blogger B. F. Koch said...

It's numbskulls all the way down!
http://itstrueitellya.blogspot.com/2011/11/brief-inventory-of-intellectual.html

 
At 12:06 PM, Blogger Tom Degan said...

B.F. Koch:

Nice site! And I concur with what you have written here:

"Forget global warming, the critical mass of mind numbing stupidity in this nation is rapidly increasing to the point when it will soon cause the planet to break free of its orbit and fly off into space."

Mind-numbing stupidity indeed.

Did you ever think this one-great nation would sink this low?

All the best,

Tom Degan

 
At 1:26 PM, Anonymous boltok said...

It may not be their fault, but Newt is right about no work ethic in the inner city. Could have even expanded to bloggers with calluses on their asses, and the occupants of at least half of public sector jobs.

I hope he wins the nomination. Newt v Teleprompter debates will be nothing short of fantastic television.

All you fools love Clinton, but hate his catalyst.

 
At 3:49 PM, Anonymous Just the Facts! said...

Tom,

Are you afraid the base will support Newt because you have an issue with his marriage record or you disagree with his policy positions?
From a position standpoint I feel he can out debate President Obama any time, any place, any polical subject.

Moving on.

I find it very strange that you and others bring up Newt's personal history so all may see and know about. Yet I have never found one post on any liberal/progressive blog that was the least bit curious about interviewing one of Prof. Obama's students. Or one of his class mates, or one of his room mates, or anyone who worked with him on the Harvard Law Review. From his career as a Community Organizer, have we ever seen one paycheck stub, or one interview with anyone who had any kind of interaction with Obama in that position?

Amazing how we know how much Bush made in the Natl Guard, how many hours he flew, what his grades were at Yale, what his driving record was. But no one, not one single liberal that I can find has ever even questioned anything about Obama's past. He is the most non vetted President in history.

 
At 5:25 PM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

Just the facts-- how do you know Obama was not vetted? He ran against the Clintons. You have noticed they shy away from fighting tough? He ran against McCain who is such a humble man would never think of using investigators or exploring if an opponent had something that could cost them the race? What if Obama was vetted and there simply wasn't anything that interesting and with the possible bit there was, like he knew a guy who has a shady side but no proof Obama did anything shady, simply wouldn't go anywhere. The assumption that there has to be fire somewhere simply isn't valid. Some people do live lives that didn't get into anything shady-- even if they know people who did. If Obama did, then go find the evidence as suggestions with no facts just don't cut it. It's rather like the birther people for how that works out.

What got me on Newt is how he replied to Pelosi by saying she can't really reveal anything against him as the records are sealed. He's counting on the good ol' boy network, which is in both parties, to protect his secrets. That kind of thing might protect democrats and republicans but not the American people. Why should any public hearing like that ever have the results sealed?

 
At 5:57 PM, Anonymous Just the Facts! said...

Rain,
Was Obama vetted like GWB, or Bill Clinton or John Kerry? Do you know any of the answers to the questions I asked about Obama? Have you ever seen them asked on a progressive/liberals blog? If so, what are the answers?
The focus has been on the stupid birth certificate question, not stuff that is asked of any other candidate, like grades, etc.

Did the Clinton's ask Obama those questions, where are the answers?

But to answer your question "how do you know Obama was not vetted". I know that if he was vetted, the results have never been released on any conservative or liberal news site, or blog, or any type of network. Until I find different I stand by my question asking why was he not vetted?

 
At 6:20 PM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

Well I don't know he was either but I do know that if the Clintons found out something to his disadvantage, you really think they'd have not used it? I have definitely not spent a lot of time looking for any of those kinds of things because I didn't care that Perry got a C in college or what Obama's grades were. I care what they stand for today, their positions on the issues, what they are saying they will do if elected. Now if they got caught in proven ethics violations sufficient to cost them their career, now that I'd like to know what it was. That matters... and as for pay stubs from being a community organizer... and your concern is that he didn't do it? I don't think my husband has his pay stubs from various jobs he has had if they weren't recent. How many people do? How do you see that kind of question important or do you think he doesn't really exist and is some kind of spy out to sabotage our government??? Not to say you do, but some have implied he's been put in place to ruin our country and he didn't exist before he ran for office. Is that where you are going with this? If so, I don't have more to say here as it's obviously not going to be a logical discussion... If not, I'd like to know why a pay stub matters? I am beginning to have a bad feeling about this conversation ;)

 
At 6:49 PM, Anonymous James said...

I followed the elections very closely in 2000 and 2004. I read dozens of articles about the massive election fraud perpetrated by Republicans in many states, not only in Florida and Ohio. They wanted Bush in no matter what it took and they were successful two times.

In 2008 I expected the same efforts against Obama but try as I might, I found almost no stories of election fraud. After Obama has failed just about every Liberal litmus test he was given, I see why there was no resistance against him by the GOP.

 
At 10:10 PM, Anonymous Just the Facts! said...

Rain
Pay stub was from GWB's pay check in Air Natl Guard, and was used by some to question if he was charging for time flying when he was not.

Now that being vetted!

 
At 10:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just the Facts, your argument really makes no sense. On the one hand you claim that it is the liberals digging up dirt on Gingrich and not digging up dirt on Obama. Do you not think that the conservatives should be the ones looking for dirt on Obama rather than the liberals? Is the vetting process of both parties to be done only by liberals? Can you say that you do not believe that if the Clintons or McCain had found dirt on Obama they would not have hesitated to use it? Sorry dude, no dirt there.

 
At 12:03 AM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

I thought the whole thing about Bush was foolishness too. I won't defend it. The issue is what they stand for now. The only reason it mattered with Bush was a chicken hawk. If it hadn't been that, it'd have not mattered at all to anybody. The issue though with Gingrich is now and it's amazing how so many want to try and twist it to something out of the past for obvious reasons...

 
At 6:06 AM, Anonymous RoughAcres said...

Fat lady hasn't sung yet....

hope she finishes soon... she's REALLY off-key.

 
At 8:33 AM, Anonymous Just the Facts! said...

Didn't know digging up dirt and vetting were the same thing.
But since there is no dirt on Obama, would you please provide the interviews with his students, co workers, employees, etc to support this? What type of boss was he, what were his grades to support the claim that he is the smartest man in the room?
We know just almost zero about the Presidents past based on the vetting process. Zero. I feel that is not an accident.
I have not claimed that it is liberals digging up dirt about Gingrich. His past is public record, as was both Clintons, Kerry, Dole, Carter, Reagan, both Bushs.
Is there no curiosity in who his friends were and what common interest they shared?

Rain,
I can agree with your view that were the person stands now is more important than their past, but only if their past is known. This, as I said is not digging up dirt. I want to know as much about the total person I'm voting to put into the White House as I can find, not just their campaign promises and speeches.
P.S. not to be noisy, but I looked at your websites and really enjoyed your art work. Do you spend much time at your cabin in AZ in-the summer? Reason, didn't see any sign of a/c and it gets plenty hot there.

 
At 10:20 AM, Blogger Rain Trueax said...

Well, jtf, I wonder if anybody even wondered about pay stubs for the rest. I think the reason they went looking for GW Bush is he eagerly rushed us into a war and there had been a lot of rumors about his drinking and driving, being a very irresponsible young man, and that his own military service had been covered up by his powerful father's friends. Otherwise though did people care? Remember he had a lot of other things like how he got the money to buy the Rangers and that stadium he authorized as governor (or something like that) which many many suspected weren't ethical at the least but nothing came of that (Palin had a like issue with cheaper price for her home due to a crony type deal). I just think that the fact that those who went to school with Obama don't care to talk about it wouldn't be regarded as significant with anybody else and can't imagine where the argument goes that gets it into something that should be of concern for voters. Frankly though if Obama didn't run again this time, it wouldn't break my heart. We supported him but I tend to think like many others have said-- he's been more helpful to right wing issues than those of lefties.

And glad you stopped by my sites and yes, I am there when I can be there although this year I was there in May. My favorite month is August. I love the monsoon season there and the big lightning and thunder storms that blast their way up the valley. You have to hike in the mornings before they start but otherwise I really like summers there-- less people. There is no way to enjoy the summer there without a/c. At first it was a window unit to at least cool the bedroom for sleeping but that's not great in the monsoon season as all kinds of weird bugs come out then and it lets them in; so then the money was reluctantly put out for a full house a/c unit which is on the roof. It's been replaced once since then. If you look at the photos of the house, you will see all heat and cooling is in vents on the wall near the ceiling. You do need a/c as during the monsoons and prior to their arrival, it is no longer a dry heat and a swamp cooler doesn't do anything but move around air that is way too hot.

 
At 12:14 PM, Anonymous diane clare said...

have you ever taken a good look at those repub polls? Okay so the Newtoid is at 37% today, how magical, when you consider that around 40% of those polled are what? undecided? voting Democrat? 37% out of the 60% or so left is hardly a marker of the wind blowing from republicans.

 

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