Gingrich was politically dead in June of this year. Professionals were leaving his staff. Pundits wrote Gingrich off. Gingrich seemed too old, too Washington, too brainy for the GOP. After all, politics has become the only profession in America were having the least experience and being the least knowledgeable is an asset. It resulted in our past two elected Presidents, President George W. Bush, who had a little over five years as Governor of Texas, and President Obama, who had yet to serve a full term in the United States Senate.
But, with two wars and a sagging economy, perhaps America is changing. Maybe Americans, even Republicans, want someone who knows how to get things done in Washington. At least that is what Gingrich is hoping for.
But, the road to the GOP nomination and the White House for Gingrich has a big road block named Mitt Romney. Romney is a private business man, whose only political experience is one term as a moderate Governor of Massachusetts and a stint heading up the Winter Olympic Games. But, Romney has been running for President for five years now.
There is not doubt that since the Herman Cain scandals, America has become Newt Land. Gingrich is surging in the polls, on television, making news. But, his baggage still remains. Will Gingrich be just another failed alternative to Romney of will Gingrich get the nomination?
Remember the previous alternatives to Romney. Michelle Bachman had people all fired up, then America learned she was on prescription mood altering drugs. Rick Perry came in with big money and then he came across as just flat dumb. Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 plan captured the GOP nation's attention until woman after woman emerged and Cain was dubbed "Spermin' Herman" by comedians.
Now there is Newt Gingrich. Gingrich is the smartest man in the room when GOP candidates meet. So was Richard Nixon. Will Gingrich's personal baggage catch up with him?
Gingrich's two road blocks to the White House, Romney and the President of the United States, have sterling personal lives. And, both are smart and accused of being computer like as Gingrich.
Then, there are intangibles. Romney is polished, fit, comes across as the local tv news anchor with a picture perfect family. President Obama still has some of that rock star status that elected him in the first place. And, even as the President seems inept at times, people like him, his wife and daughters. Gingrich, full of ideas, still comes across as the chubby old college professor that made us think in the classroom. Gingrich is a guy you might turn to for advice on something, but Romney and the President are the guys people are more likely to choose to see everyday on television.
It is said that President Obama was a law school professor who got elected President. But, in reality, the last professional academic who was a professor and academic solely for his living that was elected President was Woodrow Wilson in 1912. Wilson benefited from former President Theodore Roosevelt dividing the vote with President Taft.
There has never been a former Speaker of the House elected President. Thus, an academic like Newt Gingrich has to know that history is against him.
But, history was against a black man with the name Barack Hussein Obama being elected President of the United States. So, who knows?
Gingrich has showed the intelligence to embrace the 21st Century in his campaign and dwells on issues. It is re-mindful of how Richard Nixon tapped into the fears of a nation tired of war in 1968 and tired of protests in 1972. But, Nixon never had to deal with the instant visual and informational world we live in today.
In the end, VUI believes that will end the quest for Newt Land. Romney will win the GOP nomination and then be narrowly defeated by President Obama. If somehow Gingrich is the GOP nominee, it will be good for the country, because those debates with President Obama will ones for the ages. But, Obama still wins a close one.
The GOP has to ask, Jeb Bush, where are you when we need you? Bush would win Florida and have a big bank roll, and that would give him the win.
