Newt

[RecycleMichael]

It usually boils down to the candidate that disgusts you the least. 

That is so sad. Often true, but still sad.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Neither of us wants kids working in sweat shops 60 hours a week.  What would be wrong with offering the opportunity to a Jr High kid to push a broom a few hours a week to earn some spending money?  I guess you would rather have them (continue to) sell drugs to their friends.  I haven't kept up with the laws on child labor since I don't have any kids.  When I was a teen, I had to get a work permit to join the local volunteer fire company at age 16.  That's OK, there was some potential danger involved although volunteers under age 18 were not allowed to enter a burning building.  We could work salvage,  pull fire hoses etc.  I would see no problem in allowing, not requiring, teenagers at 14 or 15 to perform janitorial duties such as floor sweeping, window washing (not requiring ladders etc). 

Junior high is mostly 12, 13, 14.  Ages of newspaper delivery.  Not factory labor.  But given the history of the country - right up until and even AFTER those "unwarranted government intrusions" in the form of those "evil" government REGULATIONS - the sweat shops would be right back as soon as possible.  Just like they are in other parts of the world - those parts where we buy so much of our clothing from.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Newt is just another child molestation victim.  I keep waiting for his campaign to trot that out as a defense for the mental problems he has displayed.  Except that he married his molester for quite a few years after that....

[Red Arrow]

Junior high is mostly 12, 13, 14.  Ages of newspaper delivery.  Not factory labor.  But given the history of the country - right up until and even AFTER those "unwarranted government intrusions" in the form of those "evil" government REGULATIONS - the sweat shops would be right back as soon as possible.  Just like they are in other parts of the world - those parts where we buy so much of our clothing from.

Did I write anything favoring a return to sweatshops and factory work for kids?  Are you equating some light janitorial work for factory sweat shop labor?   I think you're letting high school English teacher down, again.  You are adding thoughts and words to suit your contrariness.  You are extrapolating beyond the permitted range.

[AquaMan]

I get your point. But has Gingrich been to 57 states yet?  In a debate, Newt would crush Obama--and I am not totally on board with him.

Cute. I never have considered Obama as unerring, certainly he is generally unflappable, but just as capable of flubbing as anyone else.

Newt may not come off as well in debates as people think. Like Nixon, he could win the points and still lose. Smart guys often come off looking like smart asses.

He has so much baggage. 

[Red Arrow]

Smart guys often come off looking like smart asses.

I don't think anyone really thinks Obama is stupid.  Well, maybe a few do but they don't recognize the difference between stupid and doing things you really disagree with.  Arrogance is another potential side affect of being "smart". 

[Ed W]

Newt...has so much baggage. 

Newt resigned from his position as Speaker due to ethics complaints.  Put delicately, he's had a checkered history with his wives.  Finally, his senior staff resigned last summer because he was focused on his business interests rather than running for President.  They were being used to hawk his products rather than run a campaign, so they resigned en masse. 

While we can have our various opinions of his character and suitability as a candidate, those senior staffers were closer to the action than any of us can ever hope to be, and that very closeness gives their action greater import. 

I don't think Gingrich is electable.  He's the flavor of the week for the anybody-but-Mitt crowd.  Eventually the Republicans will realize that Romney is the only potentially electable candidate.  The rest are merely a sideshow.

[nathanm]

The rest are merely a sideshow.

VP tryouts?

[carltonplace]

Newt is doing us all a favor, he understands american politics better than anyone and he is smarter than everyone else. We should stand awed and grateful for his magnanimity.

[Conan71]

Newt is doing us all a favor, he understands american politics better than anyone and he is smarter than everyone else. We should stand awed and grateful for his magnanimity.

Well, remember the sacrifices he's made too.  He was so passionate about our country it led him to cheat on his wife.

[Hoss]

Well, remember the sacrifices he's made too.  He was so passionate about our country it led him to cheat on his wife.

I LOL'd.  Thanks, and happy late birthday to you.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Newt resigned from his position as Speaker due to ethics complaints.  Put delicately, he's had a checkered history with his wives.  Finally, his senior staff resigned last summer because he was focused on his business interests rather than running for President.  They were being used to hawk his products rather than run a campaign, so they resigned en masse. 

That alone settles it - Newt is the preeminent candidate for the job!  We must have someone with the ethics of an alley cat, or at least no better than a slime mold.  The more sordid the better, with massive quantities of titillating facts and figures as grist for the mill.

You predicted yourself as next President - sadly, I got a REALLY bad feeling about this one; that Newt will be next President.

[Conan71]

That alone settles it - Newt is the preeminent candidate for the job!  We must have someone with the ethics of an alley cat, or at least no better than a slime mold.  The more sordid the better, with massive quantities of titillating facts and figures as grist for the mill.

You predicted yourself as next President - sadly, I got a REALLY bad feeling about this one; that Newt will be next President.

He would be a "hold my nose, shudder, and pull the lever" candidate for me.

[heironymouspasparagus]

He would be a "hold my nose, shudder, and pull the lever" candidate for me.

It it is between Obama or Newt, I would vote for either Hillary, or preferably Romney.

[Conan71]

It it is between Obama or Newt, I would vote for either Hillary, or preferably Romney.

Iowa is still 5 weeks away and the convention about 9 months.  Romney still has plenty of time, but I honestly never saw Newt becoming a front-runner after the bungling of his campaign early on.