AP reports that Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, says he’s more inclined than not to run for President in 2012. Newt added that he’s been talking to friends and thinking about running, and he has come to believe that “it’s doable” but he won’t make a decision until February or March.
Gingrich also added in his interview with “Fox News Sunday” that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is probably the frontrunner because of his campaign structure and that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is the most popular of the would-be GOP presidential candidates. Gingrich says he’s competitive and somewhere in the bunch.
I didn’t make that up, dear readers, it came from Newt’s own mouth.
It reminds me of Mickey Rooney movies with Judy Garland when he’s being urged to run for school president or some such thing and he stammers and digs his shoes into the ground while he says, “Aw, shucks, if you really think I could win....”
Come on, Newt, you can do better than that, and the GOP deserves better. The Party doesn’t need a reluctant dragon. We’ve got enough problems with a divided Congress and a sitting President to beat. It’ll take guts and passion - not an “Aw, Shucks” attitude.
For some figures on where the potential candidates are with their fundraising :
Sarah Palin’s and Gingrich’s PACs both out-raised Mitt Romney in the mid-October to mid-November period. Palin raised $469,000 and Gingrich $314,000. Romney raised $285,000.
But, all these candidates have multiple fund-raising capabilities - Palin has her books and speaking tours, Romney has various state PACs and Gingrich has his American Solutions 527 group. These efforts have raised more than the PACs.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, also a popular potential candidate, has a PAC that raised $108,000.
The Republican Party has a lot of wannabes. Which one will get the nod and the nomination? It’s a sure bet that we won’t know that answer until the Iowa and New Hampshire
It was interesting that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, himself often mentioned as a possible candidate, said this weekend that Sarah Palin has a clear chance of becoming the candidate and has the attributes needed to be a great president. Sounds like he’s looking for the VP slot with Sarah, doesn’t it?
My vote for honesty, though, goes to Haley Barbour, who simply said that he won’t announce yet because he wants to see “if somebody has a better chance of winning than I do.” It’s not often that a politician, and one as savvy as Barbour, speaks so forthrightly.
That breath of fresh air might just make me an early fan of Barbour, who at least isn’t in the “Aw, Shucks” school.
No comments:
Post a Comment