January 12, 2005
BAYHAM ON THE BAYOU: Newt 2008: Don't Believe the Hype
by Mike Bayham
Huntington News Network Columnist
Louisiana (HNN) — Earlier this month marked the ten-year anniversary of one of the most significant political upheavals in American history, though any public recognition of this august event has escaped the notice of the media.
In January of 1995 Newt Gingrich gaveled in the first Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives since the Eisenhower administration, an impressive feat that required a confident visionary like himself at the top, as is GOP was not going to retake the Congress under the guidance of Bob Michel.And though Gingrich's last days in power were inauspicious with his photo appearing on the cover of Newsweek with the word "LOSER" as the headline, the Georgia politician's contribution to the dramatic shift in the nation's political alignment cannot be dismissed.
Now in 2005, the Congressional conqueror has attempted to emerge from the shadows of news-analyst into newsmaker by taking issue with President Bush's Iraq policy and finding fault with America's intelligence apparatus.
Gingrich further whetted the appetite of the media by coyly putting out that he could very well make a bid for president in 2008, speculation reinforced by scheduled high-profile appearances in the all important early states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
With that said, I would like to chime in my own two cents: don't you believe it.
For all of his public relations faults, Gingrich is a brilliant strategist but his latest grand scheme has less about taking a stab at the White House and more to do with hawking his latest book, Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America.
The cerebral Gingrich realizes the best two ways to garner media attention (and sales) for his latest release is to snap at President Bush (a tactic patented by Sen. John McCain) and to drop hints about a possible presidential run.
You might remember Gingrich played this game with journalists throughout a good bit of 1995, as veteran reports would trip over their cameras in the rush to record the Speaker's latest public pronouncement, hoping to scoop his announcement of candidacy.
Gingrich's 1995 debate in New Hampshire with President Clinton, who was only too happy to help elevate the status of the Arkansan's dream opponent, in addition to the Speaker's "moose watching" trips to the home of the first primary created a frenzy that gave Bob Dole many unnecessary alka-seltzer moments.
Despite being played for fools previously, the media's pavlovian reaction to Newt's latest teasing has shown they have gotten none the wiser since Gingrich's apogee.
How confident am I in that Gingrich will not run in 2008? Enough to make a solemn pledge that would have made the late great Buddy Diliberto proud: If Newt Gingrich qualifies for the New Hampshire ballot I will jump, while wearing a full set of clothes, into a Manchester, NH hotel swimming pool two days prior to the election.
Newt's best chance of becoming president was in 1996 when he could have easily yanked the rug out from under Dole but chose not to because of the enormity of the odds against him. Gingrich's numbers were never good nationally for sundry reasons back then and are not going to improve any now that he is on his third marriage, which followed a messy divorce.
Gingrich is not the first person to employ "presidential hype" as a tool in selling books. Television personality and famed casino mismanager Donald Trump pulled the same thing in 2000 on the advent of the release the newest edition in the library of self-glorifying books "penned" by the Atlantic City publicity hound.
This harsh column notwithstanding, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Gingrich's ability and intelligence. Newt Gingrich was one of the two people (the other being Rush Limbaugh) primarily responsible for the rebirth of the GOP out of the smoldering ruins of 41's "kindler, gentler, wishy-washy" party model.
However, I think a man whose estimation in history will be greater than the deference he receives from his contemporaries should not be manipulating a presidential field that I believe he has no intention of joining in order to make a few bucks.
When I pack to revisit New Hampshire in January 2008, I think I'll leave my swimming goggles in Chalmette.
Though Mike Bayham will not be running for president in 2008, he is author of Right From The Bayou: The Opinions of a Conservative Cajun, which is available at iUniverse.com.