OPINION:
Now that Newt Gingrich has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the Republican presidential nomination, the knives are out. Many on the right are complaining that the former House speaker spends too much time off the reservation to be seriously considered for the job. They need a history lesson.
In 1994, the Republican Party was little more than a hollow shell. The GOP had not held the House of Representatives since the 80th Congress in 1947. Its members believed they were a permanent minority, and they acted like it. Mr. Gingrich was one of the few who refused to accept the defeatist mentality and set out a different vision for the country: the Contract with America. It worked for 10 years, until voters noticed the elephants ran out of ideas.
To retake the White House in 2012, Republicans will need a new strategy. The former history professor from Georgia might be controversial, but he can hold his own when it comes to devising creative solutions for America’s problems. Mr. Gingrich is the first to admit this strength frequently gets him in trouble. “One of my great weaknesses is that part of me is a teacher-analyst and part of me is a political leader,” he said Sunday on “Meet the Press.” “The person to whom you’re entrusting the leadership of the United States had better think long and hard before they say things. I think that’s a fair criticism of me.”
On the same program, Mr. Gingrich angered congressional Republicans by labeling House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s plan to shore up Medicare “right-wing social engineering.” In context, Mr. Gingrich’s statement was an attempt to promote an alternative that would save a claimed $1 trillion in entitlement spending over a decade. While it’s unfortunate that the left will exploit Mr. Gingrich’s remarks, having a discussion of different reform options is good for the country - especially since Democrats are afraid to come up with any of their own.
Although he’s branded himself as a “center-right” candidate, the former speaker is hardly shy in serving up red meat to the party faithful. Mr. Gingrich isn’t hesitant to identify “conflict with radical Islamists” as America’s most pressing foreign-policy issue and contrast his stance with that of President Obama. “He gives a speech to the National Defense University on Libya in which he cites the United Nations and the Arab League eight times and the U.S. Congress once,” Mr. Gingrich said Sunday. “Now, I just think there’s a little bit of imbalance there.”
On budgetary issues, Mr. Gingrich is solidly anti-tax. He held the line against President Clinton on spending - reducing outlays from 21 percent of gross domestic product under Democrats to 18.5 percent under the last budget Mr. Gingrich negotiated in fiscal year 1999. As a result, the government’s books were balanced from 1998 to 2001. That’s quite an accomplishment, one that contrasts sharply with Mr. Obama’s lack of economic discipline.
By forcing primary debates to focus on policy, Mr. Gingrich’s candidacy will raise the bar for the whole Republican field. His stage presence will force rivals to strengthen the depth of their proposals and hone their messages. That’s why the Gingrich candidacy is good for the party, stoking the competitive spirit that succeeded so well in the 1994 elections.
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