Motley News

After the crash of the Cain Train, Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is now the front-runner in the polls.  Yesterday, on CNN, Pete King was interviewed on his thoughts of Newt as President.

Congressman Peter T. King, a Republican, is serving his tenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives.  He is Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and also serves on the Financial Services Committee and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

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In this interview, King does give Newt several kudos, but overall, feels that Newt Gingrich “would be a terrible nominee” for POTUS.  When King was asked if he was happy to see these polls with Newt in the lead, Peter responded:

“No, I’m really not.  I mean, you have to give Newt credit… the Republican took back the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years because of Newt.  He’s a very good revolutionary, he’s able to mobilize forces but as far as governing.  As far as being a leader, he’s too erratic.  He’s too self-centered.  The time he was Speaker, it was one crisis after another, and they were almost all self-inflicted.  He puts himself in the center of everything.  It’s was impossible to stick with a game plan, and Bill Clinton constantly out-maneuvered him.”

Peter mentions several incidences including the recent statement by Newt in regards to child labor laws and follows up with:

“He makes these remarks, and then he goes on defense.  He’s really almost incapable of laying out his reasons first.  Instead he makes these inflammatory statements; these apocalyptic statements, you know… the worst corruption in the history of the world; the hypocritical thing in the history of mankind.  All that type.  Armageddon language wears people out after a while.”

CNN then asks if there will be “buyers remorse” should he be picked as a nominee.  King answers:

“Yeah, it has to happen.  You don’t change when you’re 68-years-old.  That is Newt… the good and the bad.  He’s a tremendously inspirational person as far as rallying troops.  But as far as governing, I think he doesn’t have the discipline.  He doesn’t have the capacity to control himself.  And he can’t stay focused.”

Then Peter King mentions one of my favorite infamous events created by Newt… the government shutdown under Bill Clinton:

“The reason the Republican lost the government shutdown debate with President Clinton in 1995 because Newt gave the impression it was all about him being made to get off the back of Air Force One.  I mean, that’s how he puts himself at the center of everything.”

When Peter was asked if it was Newt versus Obama for the office of President, Newt replied:

“Oh, I would vote for the nominee of the party.”

This truly is a sad state of out government when a front-runner is clearly and openly not supported by members of his own party.  I firmly do not believe that members of our parties have to necessarily agree with one another entirely – I would prefer some opposing views within each party.  However, this is not a matter of opposing views.  Peter simply feels that the candidate currently leading the polls is incapable of being President of the United States.

I’d love to hear his thoughts on Michele Bachmann…. especially when she was photographed “spying” from behind the bushes at a GLBT rally….