Lead In
The GOP Presidential candidate of the week, of course, by virtue of the scope and volume of political media coverage without doubt is Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives.
Newt surged in the polls this week. That raises the question whether is he is now positioned to break away from the pack, and to take the GOP nomination for President?
Newt’s surge came about just in time to capture and dominate the media coverage this weekend on the Sunday Talk TV Shows. The hosts were interviewed by POLITICO on VIDEO this week to talk about and share their views about Newt and likely success of his candidacy. That VIDEO is uploaded under MJB News VIDEOS, Sidebar, Title: “11-18: NEWT Rises-Sunday TV hosts talk about it.”
His surge also is in time for the CNN GOP Debate scheduled next week on 11-22-11, one day before the anniversary of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Debate will focus on national security and the economy.
And, in the segment of the Journal Editorial Report TV show entitled: “Is Newt the Real Deal?” a panel of journalists from the Wall Street Journal have a lively roundtable discussion about Newt and his candidacy. The show is a featured program of FOX News. The VIDEO of that panel discussion is uploaded under MJB News VIDEOS, Sidebar, Title: “Newt’s Poll Numbers Surge.”
The media coverage in the coming news cycle for next week is likely to be intense, something that Newt is well aware of and is likely to play into.
MJB’s collaborative partner, X9TV, uploaded in the first module on its site a FOX News VIDEO featuring a 6 minute clip of a FOX News Watch panel talking about media bias and coverage with respect the Newt’s campaign. See VIDEO: at X9TV.COM Also click: tab for X9TV on the Menu Bar of this Blog.
Media Quote
Newt Gingrich calls it giving advice. Most people would call it cashing in on his prominent name.
The former House speaker has raked in millions of dollars since leaving office more than a decade ago. Now as a rising GOP presidential candidate he’s facing renewed scrutiny of the intricate network of consulting firms, advocacy organizations and other businesses that, taken together, some have called Newt Inc.
“I do no lobbying of any kind. I never have. A very important point I want to make. I have never done lobbying of any kind,” Gingrich told Fox News Channel this week, defending himself over questions about his time since he left the speaker’s office under a political cloud in January 1999.
Source + Read: HUFFINGTON POST
MJB’s Take
Newt Gingrich is now taking his turn being in the limelight as the putative front-runner for the GOP Presidential nomination. And, it seems that unlike the other contenders, including Mitt Romney, he’s ready for it, but more importantly, he relishes it.
Newt knows that his government affairs work as a “strategist” will be controversial.
The difference between a lobbyist and a strategist for most voters is a distinction without significance. As far as the court of public opinion is concerned, Newt is no more and no less than a high paid lobbyist who became rich by exploiting the honor and prestige of high office, Speaker of the House, to line his pocket with millions of dollars, irrespective of the history lessons and other consultations on politics and policy he has provided to clients.
Controversy fuels media coverage. And, it is that coverage which draws interest, which Newt is getting in spades, and attracts viewers, political money and votes. Newt loves it.
So he’s getting all the ego stoking attention he wants. If his calculations and projections are correct, in the end he will be the only GOP Presidential candidate having an image of a take charge leader who can assume the reigns of leadership as President on day one.
Newt has packaged himself as a “true conservative.” That’s music to the ears of the multi-billionaire conservatives who are prepared to unleash a torrent of political money, in the billions of dollars, to fund and fuel his campaign for President.
As for now, it’s clear that Newt may be the only true conservative who has the potential of breaking away from Romney and the other contenders, and then dominate and lead the field until the Republican National Convention to take the nomination for President.
That’s our take on it.
Leave a comment, and let us know what you think.
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