June 9, 2011

Gingrich implodes.

"Newt Gingrich’s top staff quit en masse Thursday...."
Gingrich was intent on using technology and standing out at debates to get traction while his advisers believed he needed to run a campaign that incorporated both traditional, grassroots techniques as well as new ideas.

One official said the last straw came when Gingrich went forward with taking a long-planned cruise with his wife last week in the Greek isles....
IN THE COMMENTS: EDH said: "Here's Calista Gingrich to tell us what she thinks":



ADDED: Roger L. Simon writes:
Two of the key operatives who just left Gingrich’s staff -Dave Carney and Rob Johnson – have been major advisers to Gov. Rick Perry. Does this mean Perry is about to jump in the presidential race? Sure looks like it.

AND: Callista was the problem! So says Fred Barnes:
Aides to Newt Gingrich have resigned from his presidential campaign in protest of what they felt was a takeover by Callista Gingrich, the candidate’s wife since 2000.

62 comments:

Scott M said...

What took him so long? Did anyone really give this guy any chance whatsoever at getting the nomination?

Hopefully, this will put a fork in him for any other office. The guy is a has-been.

Hoosier Daddy said...

That's a damn shame.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

It's time for Newt to recognize that he hasn't got a crawdad's chance at a Cajun picnic. I'm not sure what he hoped to accomplish, but the Republican nomination was never reasonably within reach.

edutcher said...

Newt was never realistically in it. He never had any constituency or base. Being treated as an eminence grise at Fox just fed his ego.

And sharing a couch with Pelosi Galore was the last straw.

Well, the RINOs are dropping faster than The Weiner's wiener.

virgil xenophon said...

Great idea man but a Typhoid Mary on the campaign trail. Newt had so many skeletons in his past--both personal & professional--that he had to build an addition onto his home just so he'd have enough closets to put 'em all in..

Anonymous said...

It sounds like he wanted to use the new technology as an excuse to bypass any real work of on-the-ground campaigning. While new technology certainly has its place, it can't replace actually getting out and talking to the voters...

Unknown said...

He did the same thing as he did in 1995 when the Republicans took Congress. He got all involved in his $5 million book deal. Robert Novak was scathing in his discussion of Gingrich in his book. Somebody said of Newt that he had 100 ideas a minute, one of which was a good one.

Known Unknown said...

Gringrich?

Is there a Mexican version of Newt running around?

virgil xenophon said...

Tyrone/

Louisianians (I IS one 6 mos of the yr.) call 'em "crawfish" NOT "crawdads." The latter is what we called 'em growing up in Illinois--turn in your Cajun Union Card! (but you're right about the picnic! :) )

MadisonMan said...

I thought they were called mudbugs.

test said...

Now that he's dead watch for the slew of Democrats praising him. They like to pretend they believe in issues rather than simply hating everyoune outside the mind-hive.

Roger J. said...

re crawdads--I dont suck the heads

re gingrich--good riddance to bad garbage

Celia Hayes said...

People in Louisiana commonly eat critters that people in Texas call the Orkin man for... 8-)

traditionalguy said...

Last week Herman Cain beat Newt 2 to 1 in a poll of the Georgia Republicans who know both men well. I assume Newt is only in this to get facetime on TV to promote his future book sales, and he could not fool his staff.

roesch-voltaire said...

Maybe Newt could team up with Wiener to use that new technology to keep his face in the limelight-- at least this time his philandering will be only virtual.

Bayoneteer said...

Good riddance. Why is that Dems don't have these kinda clown candidates in there primaries ever? Sharpton and Kucinich are the worst they have and bad as they are there are just the two of 'em. But the Reps have/had/may have Trump, Cain, Gingrich, Palin, Bachman and Santorum.

Joaquin said...

Who cares! Newt had zero chance.
Once he declares that it's over, he will be the darling du jour of the MSM.

Peter Hoh said...

Celia, if you have crawfish in your house, you've got bigger problems than the Orkin man can handle.

Ron said...

Greek Isles? He could say he was just researching what a bankrupt America would look like....Greeks first!

He was shocked to find Greece nothing like his old college frat...lied to again!

Anonymous said...

He would have been useful to drive the debate.

Revenant said...

Well, the RINOs are dropping faster than The Weiner's wiener.

The last Republican to actually do something about out-of-control federal government growth is being called a "RINO" now? Eesh.

Anyway, "implodes" seems like strong language for a guy with 10% voter support. "Fizzles", maybe?

Wince said...

Here's Calista Gingrich to tell us what she thinks.

traditionalguy said...

EDH...LOL. That was cruel.

ricpic said...

What's the point of serving the people if you can't do it from the Greek isles?

ricpic said...

You aren't worthy to wipe the soles of Bachmann's shoes, KenK.

Phil 314 said...

This from the WSJ:

David Carney, the longtime political adviser to Texas Gov. Rick Perry who signed up to assist the Gingrich campaign, said the resignations came after "the professional team came to the realization that the direction of the campaign they sought and Newt's vision for the campaign were incompatible." Mr. Carney has also resigned.

So I guess Newt has decided to run an "unprofessional" campaign.

No argument here.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

@virgil xenophon

My Missouri-raised Dad called 'em crawdads. I confess to being a born-and-raised Californian who has never been to Louisiana, but the proverbial snowball and its infernal chances were just a tad worn out.

Anonymous said...

so long, fat boy

Fred4Pres said...

Weiner's staff is abandoning him too...see any connection?

Newt: Stop embarassing yourself! Give it up.

Fred4Pres said...

Newt: You will always have Scozzafava.

Carol_Herman said...

NOPE. Trump has an article about him up at The Hill. Trump claims (and I agree), that the GOP has a death wish.

Gingrich is glad to accommodate them and get the heck out of the way!

And, yes. I expect an Independent run! I expect Palin and Trump hook up.

And, then? I expect the GOP would come in 3rd.

Ralph L said...

Didn't McCain fire or lose his top staffers in 2007?

Strelnikov said...

I thought Perry might be a keeper but if Gingrich's top (read: totally inept) guy's headed over there, I don't know. If this group stuck with him and probably approved of his roll out - that should end all their careers

Anonymous said...

I hope they didn't quit because of the cruise. I hope it was more substantial than that. I think it's ridiculous that things start so early. It's like watching an NBA game. Who cares what happens in the first half? It's entirely meaningless. The Iowa caucuses should be in April or May or June. That's plenty soon enough. Obama should be required by law to spend at least one full year concentrating on governing instead of running for office. It would be interesting for the novelty factor alone.

yashu said...

Good riddance. For me, it was that that infamous Meet the Press performance & clueless aftermath that sealed it. The damage Gingrich inflicted on an already steep uphill budget battle, aiding & abetting (intentionally or not) the barrage of Dem-MSM demagoguery against Ryan's plan: ugh. Gong, get off the stage.

Meanwhile, looks like Giuliani & Rick Perry are in. Pawlenty, Perry, Giuliani, tough outsiders like Cain (& a libertarian long-shot like Gary Johnson) to keep the candidates on their toes (making them pay for namby-pamby MSM-pandering), not to mention [rolling eyes] Romney…

I've been crossing my fingers for Ryan or Christie, but even without them, I don't care what people say, this is now, as is, a very strong roster of candidates. IMO certainly good enough to beat Obama.

Phil 314 said...

Trump has an article about him up at The Hill. Trump claims (and I agree), that the GOP has a death wish.

Why is anyone listening to Trump anymore? Trump is about Trump, controversy and viewership.

Phil 314 said...

Well, the RINOs are dropping faster than The Weiner's wiener.

Was Newt a RINO? Has "RINO" become the new "racist", a pejorative term drained of all meaning?

yashu said...

Agree with Phil re Trump (even though I enjoyed much of his Obama-needling). Actually, Palin's meeting with Trump-- thereby lending him some conservative cred-- made me think less of her.

Phil 314 said...

And, yes. I expect an Independent run! I expect Palin and Trump hook up.

And, then? I expect the GOP would come in 3rd.


Seriously!?

Get out more; talk to some independents, visits sites that aren't "amen choirs"...you might change your mind.

Phil 314 said...

Mars Attack

Boy that was a bad movie. epic fail from Tim Burton.

Chef Mojo said...

Gingrich came out of the gate totally isolated, tone-deaf and rather full of himself.

In other words, he was his own damn self.

Gingrich has a habit of imploding. I hope this is the coup de grace that slips him below the waves, never to bother us again with his fetid drops of wisdom.

Patrick said...

Best news of the day.

Joanna said...

re crawdads--I dont suck the heads
re gingrich--good riddance to bad garbage


RE: Gingrich. I don't suck the heads.

somefeller said...

I told you to keep your eye on Rick Perry! And his rich, lustrous hair.

Revenant said...

Was Newt a RINO? Has "RINO" become the new "racist", a pejorative term drained of all meaning?

No, it has a definite meaning: "not Sarah Palin".

The political world is divided into three groups: Democrats, Sarah Palin, and RINOs.

Bruce Hayden said...

Gingrich has a habit of imploding. I hope this is the coup de grace that slips him below the waves, never to bother us again with his fetid drops of wisdom.

I don't think that likely. He is too much fun to listen to.

I do love the guy, and think that he did some good as Speaker. But, as President? Scary. Not scary enough to stay home in November of 2012 if he were the Republican nominee, but close.

I would have loved the debates between Gingrich and Obama. Both professorially opining about this and that. But, I am sure that Gingrich is the one guy who could talk down to Obama and survive. Except that in a debate, he would also be talking up to him too (given the disparity in their respective heights).

Peter Hoh said...

I'm sure that Gingrich was still paying his staff, but top staffers need more than a paycheck. They want the chance to work for someone who has a realistic chance of winning. None of these staffers wanted Gingrich '12 on their resumes any more.

Methadras said...

Meh. He was completely underwhelming. First he criticizes Ryan's economic plan, then apologizes for that criticism and it took some spectator that he was an embarrassment to the party and to get out of the race. Then he runs and hides on a cruise. So long.

Phil 314 said...

The political world is divided into three groups: Democrats, Sarah Palin, and RINOs.

Such is the stuff primaries are made of.

David said...

Could not happen to a more deserving guy.

mariner said...

Phil 3:14,
Was Newt a RINO?

No, he wasn't. That's why conservatives liked him.

Now he is, and that's why conservatives despise him.

Bayoneteer said...

@ricpic
Maybe. But you ain't good enough to wipe mine.

Toad Trend said...

Gingrich implodes?

So 90's...

Phil 314 said...

No, he wasn't. That's why conservatives liked him.

Now he is, and that's why conservatives despise him.


These RINO's seem to a moving target!

Revenant said...

They want the chance to work for someone who has a realistic chance of winning.

Is that really true? People like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich don't seem to have trouble hanging on to their campaign staff.

Peter Hoh said...

My guess is that Kucinich and Paul are not getting top flight staff -- i.e. people who could get jobs with other candidates.

I mean, even the Washington Generals have a bench full of players.

Of course, Kucinich and Paul are likely to hire people who are "true believers." This is not a quality shared by most upper-level political operatives.

veni vidi vici said...

Newt Gingrich : Juice Newton
Juice Newton : Douche Newton

Ergo,

Newt Gingrich = "Douche Newton" Gingrich

That is all.

veni vidi vici said...

That's the free-associative thinking version of what my elementary school math teachers used to call "showing one's work", by the way.

Thought you'd all appreciate the long-division format of disclosure of the thought process leading to the conclusion, obvious as the conclusion may have been all along.

Shanna said...

Mars Attack
Boy that was a bad movie. epic fail from Tim Burton.
.

Wasn’t that the one where the hippies and the government came up to the aliens all “we come in peace” and then the aliens killed them all? Because I thought that part was awesome.

The political world is divided into three groups: Democrats, Sarah Palin, and RINOs.

Seems like, doesn’t it?

Scott M said...

Mars Attack
Boy that was a bad movie. epic fail from Tim Burton.


Mars Attacks was not a great movie. But it has plenty of excellent little nuggets of goodness that keep it from being "epic fail".

raf said...

Running for President can actually be quite lucrative, if you can do the fund-raising. You get to pay a lot of people, including yourself, a lot of salary, and have your living expenses pretty much paid for while you are "running". How else are we to explain Dennis Kucinich, among others?

gerry said...

Newt has no moral compass. He's fluff and bluster.

Thank heaven he's probably done.