Gingrich tries to get cute in London, and guess who nails him?

DFW

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Fri Jun-22-07 03:05 AM
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Gingrich tries to get cute in London, and guess who nails him?

The conservative Financial Times of London had Newt Gingrich write
a guest editorial headlined "A French lesson for America's Grand Old
Party."

It was full of convoluted "logic," explaining that the Republicans
could hold onto the White House by being the bold party of change,
using Sarkozy as an example. He totally ignored that Sarkozy intended
to keep intact the French system of universal access to education and
health care that would send US politicians to screaming "socialism!"
He also ignored that Sarkozy really was for change, whereas US Republicans,
including Gingrich, keep idolizing Reagan. Sarkozy did not get elected
by bowing down to a statue of De Gaulle.

Gingrich then went on to equate the Democrats with the French Socialists
with the tired line that "much like the US Democratic party, it is trapped
by its commitment to big labor, big bureaucracy, high taxes, and social values
people do not believe in." Like his party has reduced bureaucracy? Or the
many marriages of men like Rudy Giuliani, Bill Bennett, or, come to think of it,
Newt Gingrich, are values people believe in?

Anyway, the article was a bunch of crap, and even though I know the Financial
Times is a conservative publication, I always thought they tried to be sensible,
restricting heated arguments to areas of serious debate on subjective economic
issues. On the train down to Paris last week, there was a copy with Gingrich's
mug on the cover, and so I read his guest column. It's a 4 hour ride down to
Paris and the FT was the only English-language paper laying around that I hadn't
yet read.

I never write to conservative publications, as I usually consider it a waste of
time I could put to better use, like napping or watching paint dry. But this one
so riled me, that when I got to the office in Paris, I took a half hour and
composed a rebuttal to Gingrich's nonsense, saying that the only contest in
today's crop of Republican candidates was who could scream "Reagan!" the loudest,
and that at any rate, anyone like Sarkozy would be hounded out of the Republican
party anyway ("to their credit," I added).

Well, whaddya know? The Financial Times ran my letter unedited (it was long-ish),
and at the top of their letters page a few days later!!!!!

I was preaching to the converted, I realize, but I never expected to get such
a letter published in the Financial Times. That is one paper that is read and
taken seriously around the world. For some reason, there were no favorable
responses from the radical right, but I got notes of appreciation from Helen
Thomas and Howard Dean, and somehow, I treasure them just a wee bit more.

The moral of the story, besides, "hey, I get to toot my own horn on DU!" is
to write letters, comments, whatever, as much as you can or want, and to as
many publications as you can or choose to. No matter HOW unlikely you think
it is you might get published (or even read), WE are the vox populi, and we
only eliminate our chances of being heard if we shut up entirely. Be clear, be
sane, and you never know who might decide you have a worthwhile point to make.

To be fair and balanced, it is likely that Newt Gingrich might not agree that I
had a worthwhile point to make, but then, I don't think he had one either.