Decision ‘08

The Gingrich Will Not Steal Christmas

After months of on-again, off-again speculation, and just before what was billed as a major fund raising effort, Newt has (wisely) pulled the plug on his presidential bid:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) decided Saturday morning not to run for president just as his staff was preparing to launch a website to seek $30 million in pledges, his spokesman told Politico.

Gingrich had planned to seek pledges as part of a three-week exploration without making any formal declaration of candidacy for the Republican nomination — an approach that several Republican leaders said was legally questionable.

The decision will bolster the contention of several key Republicans that Gingrich’s repeated flirtation with a presidential run was a publicity stunt designed to keep him in the news and sell his books.

These Republicans said Gingrich has a loyal following and lots of good ideas, but contended that what one called his “on-again, off-again” approach had undermined the seriousness of a potential candidacy.

Rick Tyler, Gingrich’s spokesman, said lawyers told Gingrich that dabbling in a presidential campaign could endanger the non-profit status of his group, American Solutions for Winning the Future, which is holding a workshop in Cobb County, Ga., on Saturday.

“He had to make a choice between being a citizen-activist, raising the challenges America faces and finding solution to America’s problems, or exploring a potential candidacy,” Tyler said.

“It’s legally impermissible to do both. It was the necessary choice. It was the only choice.”

I’d have to agree with that - despite his personal foibles, Gingrich has always been an idea man. His best contributions to the party at this stage can only come from behind the scenes - he carries FAR too much baggage to be an effective candidate…

2 Responses to “The Gingrich Will Not Steal Christmas”

1 Aaron Says:
September 30th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Newt for Chairman of the RNC!(?)
2 Gulf Coast Bandit Says:
September 30th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Baggage is the word of the century for Newt. In any event, he’s setting himself up for 2012.