Why Is The Tea Party Backing Newt Gingrich?
64More and more Tea Party groups and members are now backing Newt Gingrich as the Republican Presidential nominee. Why is the Tea Party backing Gingrich?
I ask this question because I am really stumped. I thought I understood the Tea Party to a certain extent, but now that many Tea Party groups are backing Newt Gingrich I am starting to second guess myself.
Full disclosure. I like Gingrich. I would vote for Gingrich if he were the nominee (though I would prefer Romney). I appreciate his tenacity and brashness. Most importantly I appreciate his willingness to work with the other side of the aisle to bring about real solutions.
That brings me to the question: Why is the Tea Party backing Newt Gingrich? Based on his many past positions, it would seem that Gingrich is exactly what the Tea Party would NOT want. Yet many more are starting to back him and Gingrich has been gaining steam in the polls.
While this is happening, Tea Party favorites such as Michele Bachmann and Rand Paul are coming out full swing against Gingrich. We can put Bachmann aside since she has a pretty obvious conflict of interest, but what about Rand Paul (yes his father is running against Gingrich too so that could be his conflict)?
Rand Paul was very specific in his reasoning why the Tea Party should not support Newt Gingrich when he wrote an op-ed in The Des Moines Register. Paul explains it very well that Gingrich supported programs such as TARP, the individual mandate for healthcare, cap-and-trade, funding for planned parenthood, etc... Yet the Tea Party still backs Gingrich.
In fact, many Tea Party leaders have come out swinging against Rand Paul. Tea Party Express Chairmen Amy Kremer said that "she or any individual shouldn't dictate who people in the movement ought to vote for." At the same time, Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips said, "Newt Gingrich is not perfect, but he is head and shoulders above the best candidate in the field right now."
One of the most vocal people coming out against Newt Gingrich is Glenn Beck. Beck had an interview with Gingrich where he asked him some very tough questions concerning his past positions. Afterwards, Beck came out fully against Gingrich in every way. He has been very vocal about how Gingrich is a 'right-wing progressive' and exactly the problem with America today (his view, not mine). Beck has even said that he might consider Ron Paul as a third party candidate if Gingrich were the Republican nominee.
One statement that Gingrich made about how, "The Four Freedoms still work.," really stood out to Glenn Beck. If you are not familiar with the Four Freedoms, it was part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union speech where he said everyone in the world should have the freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Beck said that the first two were fine, but that the last two were, "progressive lies that lead you to a reversal of the Constitution."
And now Gingrich is on a rampage attacking Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital. Gingrich is claiming that what he did there destroyed jobs and should not be what we want in a capitalist system. Yet, what Bain did is part of capitalism! Now the attacks against Gingrich are coming from all fronts. I almost wonder if this is part of the reasoning why the Tea Party is backing Gingrich, preferring the underdog that is willing to fight. But why back the candidate that seems to be against what you stand for?
This brings us back to my original question: Why is the Tea Party backing Newt Gingrich? Are you a Tea Party member? Do you back Gingrich? If you do back Gingrich, why? Can anyone explain this to me?
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I can honestly say I belong to no Political party, but do have conservative ideals. I have never actually figured out what the Tea Party claims to stand on. I could probably do some reading and find out for myself, but have not been that interested.
Of all the Republican candidates, I think Gingrich stands the best chance of survival in that sea of sharks we call Washington. To put someone in there with no knowledge of how the game is really played would be a disaster. Yes, Gingrich has some baggage, but which of them don't. Put any of them under the microscope and none will come out clean. We all have baggage to some degree and they are only humans.
For a newly elected President to spend his first term in office learning how to ward off shark attacks means an entire wasted first term. At least Gingrich has already learned this lesson.
I'm not at all sure that having the support of the Tea Party would be a good thing for any candidate. I would have to bone up on who they really are before I could form an opinion on this.
Interesting and well written hub.
@Poolman I can understand the thought that Gingrich will be able to survive in the 'sea of sharks' in Washington. Of course, that ignores the fact that he was pushed out by his own party during the Clinton years.
I just want to know why the Tea Party backs him because the reasons why I would back him (other than his matter-of-fact take it to them approach) are the exact reasons why I would expect the Tea Party to be against him.
You are correct, I would assume he would be the last one the Tea Party would support.
I am also confused by this.
I believe parties get overtaken by the same people.They have to in order to keep control. That is why there wasn't supposed to be any organization of the tea parties. The tea party in our area has a new/old leader. Same old same old.
Newt Gingrich is a big Government Progressive. The exact opposite of what I thought the TEA party was about. Apparently it has been coopted. If Newt is the Nominee I will vote third party. Character matters! I choose Principles over party.
@Jason
That is what I don't get. Newt doesn't match the Tea Party mantra, yet 7 of 10 Tea Party members voted for him in South Carolina. Doesn't make sense...
In truth, all of the candidates in any election are nothing but actors in a really big show. What they say, and who they are, can be entirely different things. Campaign promises are nothing but fairy tales that may or may not come true. While many have good intentions, none are really held accountable for making any of these promises come true. All they have to tell us is those guys on the other side of the aisle prevented them from keeping their word. It is a show where the best liar with the most gold wins the prize.
Its because they are FAKE tea parties started in 2009 as GOP PACS. I predicted they would shove establishment candidates down our throats.
The real tea party of which RAND speaks, started in 2007 and is for a real conservative RON PAUL.
Watch the video:
http://www.nhteapartycoalition.org/tea/about-join/
I hope this proves to you that Judson Phillips, Amy Kremer, Jenny Martin, Marck Meckler and Sal Russo are FAKES!!!!! (TPN, TPP, TPE)
Phillips even put out a bogus voter guide with incorrect information on the other candidates.
BarefootFoodie 5 months ago
I have noticed that political parties tend to evolve over the years. Perhaps, in an attempt to gain a broader following, the Tea Party has become a little less severe (I could be totally wrong on this though). They may view Gingrich as the most likely to win the nomination, and are trying to jump on the bandwagon of the popular candidate. Is this selling out? Probably. I am not a Tea Party Supporter, or even a Republican, but of all the candidates out there, Gingrich is one of the least crazy. He also has experience in Washington; having served as Speaker during the Clinton administration.
That's my opinion on the matter anyway.