See Newt, see Newt Hustle

I'm sure you won't mind if I post a chunk of his blather here; I find it revealing:





(I've noticed a kind of "Today" formula, and for what it's worth, I only get to see usually 20 minutes of the show before I'm off to work, but they do this thing, show a clip about the Obama administration, interview a right-wing hack. Seriously, in the first 20 minutes of the show. It can't be just me. Does it really balance out to: See, Democratic Administration in the clip, Republican in the interview chair=totally fair? Because, um, clips can't rebut. They might've done "Bush Admin. clip", Democratic analysis, but damn. I might not have noticed. But again--NEWT!)

Why have I inflicted Newt upon my occasional readers? Because he's inflicted on me. I've noted that he's been on the chat shows more often lately, and I think I know why--

That's right. 2012.

But why am I showing a dull nonsense empty gripe about a handshake where Newt acts like all of Central America will totally disrespect the US because Obama, was like, not rude?

Because I am posting a warning. That's the actual depth you will ever get from Newt Gingrich, ever, in any venue. He just makes it look serious. But he's not. He's kind of dumb.

When he mentioned North Korea and "doing nothing", he was referring to not using ""lasers"" or an EMP to knock out Kim Jong Il's little toy from two weeks back. (Oh, I believe what he said a couple weeks ago was, he could think of a "few ways" to take out the missile. I'm amazed no one asked for more choices. Robots may have been involved.) Not at all considering that an EMP wouldn't take out the several thousands of folks in the North Korean army along the DMZ that wouldn't be affected by the ""laser"" or an EMP. Who would outnumber what we had there and cause bloody unnecessary violence. In the meantime, the missile NK fired was as much a fail as the couple they shot off during Bush's administration when Bush did nothing--because Kim Jong Il is kind of a drama queen. What's there really to do? The ailing leader of that nasty little dictatorship has shown bad faith and not really helped himself in negotiations by showing he's not ready to have them--i.e.--Obama doesn't have to do anything.

He also Twittered just last week about how some sort of action needed to take place regarding the pirates. Grrr. Avast, ye, Cap'n Newt would've taken them on, not like lubberly Obama....oh snap. The pirates were all defeated because Obama did act aggressively, and prudently, so as not to lose the life of the kidnapped captain.

Gingrich is asked around to these chat shows because he was somebody, but it's been since the '90's that Newt was in elected office. He was kind of forced out of his leadership role back when. It's been all PACs and think tanks since. In other words--deeply unserious business.

And he still is deeply unserious. You just have to listen.

Handshakes. Oh noes.

(Note: I'm of the long-standing opinion that the relationship of the US to Central America has been pretty much dumb throughout the 20th century. See how Daniel Ortega is the current president of Nicaragua? See where Central America seems to be headed in general? 20-25 years ago, the Reagan-Bush guys were paternalistic. They might have thought they were against Communism, but they really were obliquely against democracy. I've seen our relationship with Cuba the last nearly fifty years as wasted opportunity. If capitalism is as good as wee say it is, and our freedoms so worthwhile--wouldn't keeping a door open to "corrupt" their ideology with our good stuff make more sense after all these years? If you ask me, all these little shows of goodwill and fair-dealing are a step in the right direction. Fostering bad will abroad--in your own hemisphere? Really. Only a Republican would fail to see the advantage. Or not see the Nixon to China/Gipper and Gorby parallels.)