August 18, 2007

Why not Newt?

By Bob Weir
Newt Gingrich is a possible late entrant into the 2008 presidential race. Recently, at a National Press Club appearance, the former Speaker spoke critically about the process that ultimately chooses a candidate. "We've invented a system where we've replaced big city machine bosses with consultant bosses. Read the newspaper coverage: ‘who's your pollster? What advertising firm did you hire? Who did you hire in Iowa? Who did you hire in South Carolina?' This is the new boss system. The job of the candidate is to raise the money to hire the consultants to do the focus groups to figure out the 30 second answers to be memorized by the candidates. This is stunningly dangerous." Mr. Gingrich went on to talk about the debate system (which he refers to as auditions) that supposedly helps the voters to select the best person for the job. "Then you combine the stultifying, exhausting, shrinking process with the way these auditions have occurred. These aren't debates! These...(Read Full Article)