Why Newt’s Victory Makes Me Happy
by lizard
During the first era of Newt, I didn’t really give a shit about politics. I was just your average privileged white male midwest suburban teenager maximizing my fun time during the ’94 Republican revolution and subsequent contract with America.
What does stick out quite vividly is the political and legal battle over what President Clinton did or did not do with his penis. It was around this time in my life that I started developing what would later become a serious allergy to “social conservative” family values.
Hate is too strong a word, but I really despise the social conservative, Focus-on-the-Family-type morality crusaders who stand against the simple dignity of legal rights for gay couples, which is why Newt Gingrich’s victory tonight makes me so happy.
Newt or Mitt, it ultimately doesn’t matter, social conservatives are going to be gagging to the polls either way, and that makes me smile. The tea party wave they’re still riding on is currently crashing; their political darlings don’t stand a chance. Now they must choose between the corporate Mormon vulture capitalist who incubated Obamacare in Massachusetts, or the serial monogamist/wannabe swinger (polygamist?) who was ousted as speaker on ethic charges and later pocketed cash lobbying for Fannie Mae.
If I was Axlerod I’d be tweeting smug sports analogies too. But instead of reproducing that tweet, I’d like to end with a tweet from Markos:
I don’t ever want to hear Republicans talk about “family values” ever again
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January 21, 2012 at 10:38 pm
Newt’s win makes me happy, too.
I was afraid that I overstocked on the popcorn but now the show will go on at least for a while.
January 21, 2012 at 10:53 pm
I’m beginning to think of this race as an early audition for the VP spot for whatever serious candidate team red will run in 2016.
January 21, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Polygamist? Hilarious and ironic. I love it.
January 21, 2012 at 11:43 pm
for the record I would like to state that, after watching several seasons of BIG LOVE, I totally support polygamy ;)
January 22, 2012 at 8:08 am
The picked the man who can’t keep his pants on over the man who wears magic underwear.
Ron Paul, the only guy who has talked about the out-of-control spending on the military industrial complex and the out-of-control Federal Reserve, got booed by the “fiscal conservatives.”
January 22, 2012 at 8:57 am
Newt’s win signifies two things.
MSM hatchet jobs will backfire.
And the power of Palin.
“[Mrs. Palin] told Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that if she was a South Carolinian, she would vote for Newt Gingrich. It wasn’t a straight endorsement, she stressed, but Palin simply believes the primary should be hard-fought and not easily handed to Mitt Romney on a silver platter.
“Iron sharpens iron, steel sharpens steel,” Palin said.
At RealClearPolitics, Palin-watcher Scott Conroy asked the Gingrich camp how significant they considered Mrs. Palin’s support to be? “Big,” was the answer of a top aide to the former speaker.”
January 22, 2012 at 11:28 am
Newt’s win signifies something, but not what you think.
Newt has just shown us how much populist traction the OWS message can get a Republican when he steals it and dresses it up a bit. using the vulture capitalist angle of attack bloodied Romney significantly, and Mitt played it terribly with his fumbling answers about his taxes.
and how did Newt deliver his message? Las Vegas cash and a super PAC, courtesy of Citizens United.
both Mitt and Newt, in this primary battle, are essentially laying out the blue prints for their respective impending losses at the hands of the billion dollar Obama machine.
January 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm
That’s rich.
Newt dressed up as a ninja.
http://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2012/01/occupy-eugene-protest-flyer-shows-ninja.html
January 22, 2012 at 9:54 am
Of course cable media really love this. It means the process will be prolongued and billions more can be made covering the “rooty-toot-toot of the less than astute” (old Pogo comic).
January 22, 2012 at 10:23 am
Palin’s endorsement and lots of Koch dough couldn’t get her guy in Alaska elected to the U.S. Senate. He barely beat the incumbent “R” in the primary but she walloped him as a write-in in the general which moved her a bit to the left after the party abandoned her.
The guy was a real whackjob, spectacularly self destructing in the final weeks.
Her endorsements cost the “R”s six seats or so in the Senate in 2010.
She backed Clint Didier in the Washington primary. He refused to back Dino Rossi, the party finalist, in the “first two past the post” general, actually continuing vicious attacks after the primary, and it just barely remained in “D” hands.
In California, she backed reactionary Carly Fiorina over Tom Campbell, a moderate. For all her dough, she swirled down the toilet. Despite Boxer’s vulnerability, she won by 10%.
In Colorado, she backed Ken Buck, over a more electable woman conservative, Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, in the primary. He was very anti woman but won by 4%. Narrow victory (1.7%) for the incumbent, Mike Bennett, who had replaced Ken Salazar.
In Delaware she backed Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell over a very well thought of congressman.
Of course there was her primary endorsement for Sharon Angle in Nevada where virtually any other Republican c
ould have beaten Harry Reid. It became increasingly clear that Sharon was even loopier than Christine.
She backed John Raese in the primary in West Virginia to fill the rest of Robert Byrd’s term, and Rep. Shelly Capito then back out of the race. Manchin creamed Raese.
The only two states where her picks may have won because of her endorsements were Wisconsin, where Russ Feingold lost by 5% to a guy who spent $8 million on his own campaign, and Pennsylvania, where Pat Toomey beat Joe Sestak by 2% and Pennsylvania. In New Hampshire, she backed Kelly Ayotte who couldn’t have lost if Sarah had back the “D.”
January 22, 2012 at 10:55 am
All ancient history in a political sense. Had voters wakened to the reality of a Obongo adm. two years ago?
I think not.
January 22, 2012 at 11:39 am
ancient history? Pancho hit your lob out of the park, and that’s all you got?
January 22, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Really Liz?
3 different primaries 3 different winners? In the matter of a few weeks?
Turns on a dime.
January 23, 2012 at 11:42 am
So lets get this straight, Inge. You are backing the guy who agrees that global warming is a man made phenomena and who thinks venture capitalism is evil and destroys jobs?
i’m backing him too! Welcome aboard.
It’s good to see that Palin also agrees with us on these issues. Now maybe we can pass some legislation to limit CO2 emissions to slow global warming and to better regulate vulture capitalism to better spread the wealth.
Yes!
Go Newt!
January 23, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Right after he expedites XL, Otter Creek, Powder River R&R, open back up uranium mining in AZ, throws outs the mercury limits, and cancels the firetrap Volts.
January 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm
And I’m sure Newt wouldn’t be offering loans to Brazil to develop off shore oil wells so they can sell crude to China.
Yahoo News story.
“COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama has suffered the second embarrassment over oil imports within the space of a week. Brazil, whose offshore deposits of oil were sought by the Obama administration, has signed contracts with China for the product.
According to the Washington Times, Brazilian offshore crude may number about 38 billion barrels. Obama went to Brazil last month to put in a bid for the oil, offering loans and other support to develop the oil in an “environmentally responsible matter,” The Hill reported at the time. Republicans criticized that initiative, pointing out Obama has placed roadblocks in the way of domestic development of oil and gas reserves.”
January 23, 2012 at 3:47 pm
How would he expedite that stuff you attribute to him as wanting to expedite?
Take away states rights and trample on local rights?
Go Newt!!!
So you support him not just because he publicly stated that global warming is man made, and not just because he’s against venture capitalism but because he’s also for screwing states rights?
Gosh, he’s dreamy isn’t he? no wonder the chicks (like Palin) can’t leave him alone.
Go Newt!
I’m so glad he won.
I’d send him money if I were you, Inge.
January 22, 2012 at 10:53 am
South Carolina’s republican primary is notorious for the 2000 Bush v McCain primary where the Senator’s adopted child and wife were the subject of vicious attacks by Ralph Reed’s contingent of “holier but less moral than thou” types.
This time the Westboro types voted against Romney just as they did against McCain. South Carolina really was the end of the “Compassionate Conservative” that George W began his campaign trying to be.
If you add up the numbers, there is no way to escape the conclusion that the social conservatives will coalesce around a candidate and beat Romney. That will re-elect Obama.
Who will have then beaten the moderate Democrat (Clinton), the moderate Republican organ grinder with the monkey, (McCain) and Newtor Santorum.
I’m not sure any of that makes me happy. Also, “prolonging the circus” isn’t necessary. There will be plenty of circus in Montana between all the candidates for Governor and the Senate race.
It was a fun read, though. I liked Pancho’s analysis too. Good sunday morning read on a day when it’s clear that the local newspaper continues to dwindle.
January 22, 2012 at 6:23 pm
I don’t get the Gingrich appeal. At all. He’s comes off to me as slimy as they come.
I also can’t understand how anyone – any female, at least – accepts his philandering ways. It’s one thing to be divorced in this day and age, but this guy is a serial not only cheater, but one without a conscience.
Yuck.
Women are 50% of the vote. I’m off to see how that vote of his broke down in SC on a male/female basis…..
January 22, 2012 at 8:28 pm
“I also can’t understand how anyone – any female, at least – accepts his philandering ways. It’s one thing to be divorced in this day and age, but this guy is a serial not only cheater, but one without a conscience. Yuck.”
Philandering ways (and worse) doesn’t seem to have hurt Billl Clinton’s support among Democrats and liberal women, jhwyGirl.
Impeachment, fines, 5 year suspension of his law license in Arkansas and disbarment from trying cases in front of the US Supreme Court for lying under oath about his sexual harrassment of a state employee, accusations of rape by one Democratic supporter and sexual harrassment of a number of other women and no real remorse about any of it.
January 22, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Democrats don’t usually pander to social conservatives who want to reserve the right to fuck up a marriage for only heterosexuals.
January 22, 2012 at 11:59 am
it will be interesting to see, after this primary stuff shakes out, if there will be any effective lines of attack against Obama from the right.
a shitty economy solely the result of Obama is what they want to run on, but Romney is even screwing that up, a result of a question from Laura Ingraham
OF COURSE THE ECONOMY IS GETTING BETTER! says Mitt.
geez, they’re not even going to make Obama work for it.
January 22, 2012 at 11:59 am
“I cannot endorse a view of the First Amendment that subjects citizens of this Nation to death threats, ruined careers, damaged or defaced property, or pre-emptive and threatening warning letters as the price for engaging in “core political speech, the ‘primary object of First Amendment protection.’ ” Clarence Thomas
Just a note of “good on ya” to a website contributed to by at least three anonymous bloggers..lizard19, jc, and something about a highway. I understand your reticence. This post is not totally without “hidden agenda,” which is my recommendation of Mr Natelson’s observations today on ECW, good website contributors.
I doubt Clarence Thomas or Professor Natelson are your favorites, but you will find much to think about as the blogosphere becomes more a tool of overheated partisan politics and less a way to honestly discuss the issues of the day without retribution. I could see a day when websites have enforced disclosures, claimed as a “fairness” or “transparency” issue, but really just retributive.
Sorry to hijack the starship. I may need to start writing a blog instead. Wont hurt my feelings if you remove it.
January 22, 2012 at 10:57 pm
I have lots of agendas, Mark. one of them is to promote poetry, which I do every week (until the consequence becomes jail time).
another part of my not-hidden agenda is criticizing the imperial deployment of US forces under the bullshit auspices of the war on “terror”, which often puts me at odds with more practical Democratic supporters (though oddly not with many Ron Paul supporters).
another part of my agenda is pointing out how the political spectrum that exists in actual people cannot be served by our systemically corrupt two party system.
I’ll use my own political contradictions as an example: if we’re talking health care, I’m a socialist who supports single payer, but if we’re talking the creeping police state and the drug war, then I’m a libertarian who supports knocking that shit off.
it’s political schizophrenia. same thing goes for saner fiscal conservatives who have to tolerate good Christian-American theocrats pushing Federally enforced condemnation of unruly wombs and homo-sex.
which sorta brings me back to my delight at Newt’s victory. such obvious political hypocrisy to convey a feeling of tantrum-like anger against Richy-Rich Romney further proves how inadequate the two parties have become.
January 22, 2012 at 1:03 pm
If there is anyone who gets the dead tree Bozeman Daily Chronicle, reading this site, you might double check the big, bold, black headline, “Gingrinch wins GOP Primary”.
He’ll blacken your Christmas, he’ll piss on your floor, you’ll cry for mercy, but still there’ll be more.
How’s that for your “bad headline, Dr Seuss, Classic rock lyric” reference of the day?
Otherwise, for non boomers:
The Grinch: One man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri.
[Max barks]
The Grinch: I don’t know, it’s some kind of soup.
January 23, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Really? That was the headline? Priceless: a Freudian slip if ever I saw one.
January 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm
You guys are missing the point – I and lots of other conservatives couldn’t care less who the GOP nominee is, because we’re simply waiting for the process to be over. I’m on the “Anybody but Obama” bandwagon.
When there is a nominee – you will be surprised at how soon the various camps come together to oust The Great Leader, Obama the Most Merciful. And have you seen any of the “Yes We Can” enthusiasm this time around for Obama ? I haven’t.
January 23, 2012 at 4:29 pm
You are delusional Goobs. Im no big fan of BO but you better get used to the fact you’re going to get 4 more years. This one was mailed in a long time ago.
January 23, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Anyone, Eric?
How thoughtful, patriotic, and caring.
Oh wait – you just said you don’t care. That should be a real winner for you.
If that’s what conservatives have become, the anyone but Obama party, then you really deserve to lose.
January 25, 2012 at 11:08 am
Any of the Republican candidates would be a vast improvement over The Great Leader.
And after there is a candidate, the campaign starts.
Nobody has enumerated the Obama failures yet, but I assure you, they will be enumerated, and none of the countries problems are the fault of whoever the GOP nominates.
5 trillion dollars in Obama debt, millions of people losing their homes, millions more underwater, millions unemployed, millions more no longer counted as employed or underemployed, a failed stimulus, government ownership in auto companies that has taxpayers on the hook for billions, yes – those are things The Great Leader will not be campaigning on.
And when the high court tosses out Obamacare, and the hidden details are made public, watch how fast Jon Tester (Obamas minion) backpedals. Of course, he’s already doing that, as his campaign has told Obama to stay away.
November will be great.
January 25, 2012 at 12:07 pm
That’s exactly my point, Eric
Blaming Obama only appeals to a very small and self-focused group.
Most people are looking for solutions, not for anybody but Obama.
You represent the party that is widely seen and perceived as the nattering nabobs of negativism.
And your post only reinforces that perception. My prediction is that Obama is reelected. And when he is, I will expect you to say, “Wow, November is great!”
Of course if you didn’t say that it would be par for the course. All talk and little action.