Bob Dole Has Dagger Out For Newt Gingrich Run
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Bob Dole, the 1996 GOP Republican presidential nominee, unleashed an attack on Newt Gingrich today, saying not only is he unsuited to be president, he’ll crush the party’s candidates at the state and local levels.
“Gingrich had a new idea every minute and most of them were off the wall,” Dole said in a statement published by National Review.
Dole was a senator from 1969 to 1996, overlapping with some of Gingrich’s time as speaker of the House. In his statement, Dole said he’s decided to speak out against Gingrich “before it is too late” and Republicans nominate someone who “will have an adverse impact on Republican candidates” running for local office.
“Newt would show up at the campaign headquarters with an empty bucket in his hand — that was a symbol of some sort for him — and I never did know what he was doing or why he was doing it, and I’m not certain he knew either,” Dole said.
Here’s his whole statement:
“I have not been critical of Newt Gingrich but it is now time to take a stand before it is too late. If Gingrich is the nominee it will have an adverse impact on Republican candidates running for county, state, and federal offices. Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him and that fact speaks for itself. He was a one-man-band who rarely took advice. It was his way or the highway.
Gingrich served as Speaker from 1995 to 1999 and had trouble within his own party. By 1997 a number of House Republican members wanted to throw him out as Speaker. But he hung on until after the 1998 elections when Newt could read the writing on the wall. His mounting ethics problems caused him to resign in early 1999. I know whereof I speak as I helped establish a line of credit of $150,000 to help Newt pay off the fine for his ethics violations. In the end, he paid the fine with money from other sources.
Gingrich had a new idea every minute and most of them were off the wall. He loved picking a fight with President Clinton because he knew this would get the attention of the press. This and a myriad of other specifics like shutting down the government helped to topple Gingrich in 1998.
In my run for the presidency in 1996 the Democrats greeted me with a number of negative TV ads and in every one of them Newt was in the ad. He was very unpopular and I am not only certain that this did not help me, but that it also cost House seats that year. Newt would show up at the campaign headquarters with an empty bucket in his hand — that was a symbol of some sort for him — and I never did know what he was doing or why he was doing it, and I’m not certain he knew either.
The Democrats are spending millions of dollars running negative ads against Romney as they are hoping that Gingrich will be the nominee which could result in a landslide victory for Obama and a crushing defeat for Republicans from the courthouse to the White House. Democrats are not running ads against Gingrich which is further proof they want to derail Governor Romney.
In my opinion if we want to avoid a sweeping victory by Obama in November, Republicans should nominate Governor Romney as our standard bearer. He could win because he has the requisite experience in the public and private sectors. He would be a president in whom we could have confidence and he would make us proud.”
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Posted by: davem | January 26, 2012, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Bob Dole = fairly intuitive reasonable pragmatic person = green unicorn rare among conservatives.
Posted by: davem | January 26, 2012, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
Anyone who’s ever worked with Newt in Congress before has a dagger out for him. Nancy Pelosi is right, he’ll never be elected President, not from what the democrats say but because even his fellow republicans don’t want him.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 26, 2012, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
Didn’t really need Bob Dole to convince me NG is not presidential material, but I’m hoping his coming forward with this wasn’t bought by any opponent to NG. I’ve always had respect for Dole.
Posted by: wildblue | January 26, 2012, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
Dole was in a long line of establishment picks that were safe enough to win independents and liberal votes, but lost anyway. McCain, Dole, Bush Sr. – they were favorites of the country club class – they don’t have a great track record of winning the oval office.
Posted by: DoleLost | January 26, 2012, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Go get’em Bob! You’re right. Newt has always been, and will probably always be a self centered, wife cheating son of a biscut. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his arm pits.
Posted by: Joseph | January 26, 2012, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Newt is a flaming wad of political mayhem, and Bob Dole is still smoldering from the last go ’round. It would probably be the same if Newt were POTUS, including the part where he gets tossed overboard to put the flames out.
Posted by: sameagain | January 26, 2012, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
These long time Washington D.C. insiders sure don’t like him….that’s pretty clear.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 26, 2012, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
O-Kay sane people! We all know what we MUST do now!!! We MUST contribute to the Gingrich campaign!!!! Where’s my checkbook…
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 26, 2012, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
Anyone who’s ever worked with Newt in Congress before has a dagger out for him. Nancy Pelosi is right, he’ll never be elected President, not from what the democrats say but because even his fellow republicans don’t want him.
Posted by: tmferretti
________________
YOU should be doing backflips in joyous ecstasy down the street and onto the next block at the mere thought of Gingrich being in the race at all. Gingrich should be your hero!
The Obama team is fighting like pit bulls to see to it that Romney is out of the race early and that Gingrich is the nominee. I’m sure they probably even planted members of the audience in SC to give Gingrich standing ovations in order to raise him in the polls. If Gingrich is the nominee, your hero, Obama, can win.
It’s just too bad though, that Obama needs to have Gingrich as the nominee in order to win and he can’t win on his own merits or his record.
But GIngrich is your savior in disguise. He is the best hope Obama and the liberals have got.
Posted by: ivan | January 26, 2012, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
Anyone who’s ever worked with Newt in Congress before has a dagger out for him. Nancy Pelosi is right, he’ll never be elected President, not from what the democrats say but because even his fellow republicans don’t want him.
Posted by: tmferretti
______________
YOU should be doing backflips in joyous ecstasy down the street and on to the next block at the mere thought of Gingrich being in the race at all.
He is the best chance Obama has of winning.
It’s too bad, though, that Obama needs Newt in the race in order to win and he can’t win on his own merits or his record.
Posted by: ivan | January 26, 2012, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
Where was Dole’s dagger during the SC primary? That was when we needed it.
Posted by: spike | January 26, 2012, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
“…The Obama team is fighting like pit bulls to see to it that Romney is out of the race early and that Gingrich is the nominee. I’m sure they probably even planted members of the audience in SC to give Gingrich standing ovations in order to raise him in the polls… ”
Funniest thing I have read all day!!!
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 26, 2012, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
“Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him and that fact speaks for itself. He was a one-man-band who rarely took advice. It was his way or the highway.” BINGO!
Posted by: pksk531 | January 26, 2012, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
I haven’t always agreed with Dole, but I’ve had respect for him that I never had for the likes of Newt.
As for the neo-fascist Republicans of today, they deserve only contempt, pandering as they do to the ignorant, the gullible and the easily misled. They’ve divided their once-great party and the nation itsself.
Posted by: Cassandra | January 26, 2012, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
These inter-mural hissy fits from the likes of Bob Dole coupled with evangelicals’ whispers that Mitt’s membership in the LDS church makes him a non-christian cult member leaves me wondering if there will be anything left of the Republican party after this scortched earth blood bath nomination fight. RIP party of Lincoln. We hardly knew ye.
Posted by: AppeaseThis | January 26, 2012, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
Since when does Bob Dole talk about himself in the first person?
Posted by: Fred | January 26, 2012, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Well, if the Dem’s don’t like him and the Republicans don’t like him, he must be the right choice….
Posted by: Bruce | January 26, 2012, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Re: “These long time Washington D.C. insiders sure don’t like him….that’s pretty clear.” Behold the logic of the conservative. If men and women who formed the Republican party at a time when it had the respect of the country and the world don’t like this self-indulgent, self-absorbed loose cannon, he must be swell!
Posted by: Cassandra | January 26, 2012, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Bob Dole is a smart man.
Posted by: Tim C | January 26, 2012, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
IVAN
Mitt or Newt, it doesn’t matter. We democrats can handle Mitt no problem, but with Newt we’ll have the republicans that worked with him on our side helping.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 26, 2012, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
I’m a democrat, so yes would love to see Gingrich as the nominee, but also afraid it would tear this country apart. The level of discourse is already in the gutter and sinking downward every day.
Posted by: Susan | January 26, 2012, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Finally a voice of reason from one of my most respected politicians and veteran, Bob Dole. His message should resonate throughout the party before it’s to late. As he said, there are many others from that time, who I think should also come forward. So, where are you?
Posted by: Indymind | January 26, 2012, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
The republican’s only hope is if a serious contender jumps in the race. I’m a democrat but believe it or not I respect a few republicans, Bob Dole, John McCain, Colin Powell, Jeb Bush, Fred Thompson and Alan Simpson to name a few.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 26, 2012, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
I get sick and tired of having to type slowly so I don’t get a message “You’re posting too fast, slow down.” What is that about ABC? It is very annoying. What difference does it make if I can type fast? I thought content was what mattered.
Posted by: Moonhill | January 26, 2012, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
This is another attack from a “mainline” Republican who cherishes the “system” as he knew it and how it is now. These types cannot swallow that Their system is BROKEN. At least Newt talks about this and as a product of that system it is a Brave stance to take. I expect to see lots of “Dole like”comments in the coming months. The PEOPLE Like Newt, they like his attitude and his desires to shake up government.
Posted by: Robert | January 26, 2012, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
Finally someone with the guts to call a spade a spade. Where is Jeb Bush? Is he so self centered and focused on himself that he would risk a loss to Obama so he can run in 2016? What about Rubio? Don’t these people realize what a Gingrich nomination would mean. Utter defeat. Don’t tell me that the democrats have a bucket load of scandals they could dump on Gingrich. They are praying for his nomination. He would bring the party down. Dole is right, how many congressional leaders have endorsed Gingrich? Hardly any. Then there are the cool aid commentators like Rush, Levin and Hannity that spout Gingrich’s line. Always thought Savage was a little crazy but he is deadright about Gingrich.
Posted by: eolsen | January 26, 2012, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Bob! Forgot all about the guy…
(Moonhill – I thought it was some bug to stop people from posting to much, but was wielded incorrectly – I’ll stop by four days after a previous visit and attempt to enter one comment and the thing acts like I’ve submitted an opinion on everything.)
Posted by: livingtxlife | January 26, 2012, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
Looks like the “establishment” on both sides of the isle are afraid of Newt.. The establishment, career politicians have brought the country pretty much to the brink of disaster and now they dare to criticize someone else? I don’t CARE how irrational Newt is… that fact that he’s got the establishment scared is reason enough for me to vote FOR him. We need to get rid of the career politicians and Newt just may be the stick of dynamite we need to do it.
Posted by: Dena | January 26, 2012, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
Uh, did some of you (Dena) forget Newt WAS a career politician before he got drummed out? More of the same, eh?
Posted by: laurasmom2 | January 26, 2012, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
It’s possible Romney could win, but citizens having pride and confidence in Romney? That doesn’t seem as likely.
Posted by: Snertly | January 26, 2012, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
The PEOPLE Like Newt, they like his attitude and his desires to shake up government. Posted by: Robert | January 26, 2012, 4:03 pm…………………..And his colonies on the Moon and Mars!
Posted by: Taintedbylies | January 26, 2012, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
I was saying.. “hillary Clinton and the highwire of american politics”– I say hillary clinton and the joan crawford movie “Bizzerk”…
Posted by: Habsberg-Guise | January 26, 2012, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm
Bob, you should have stepped aside years ago, and helped Elizabeth to be the President…..but no, you just could do that, and now you got this mess!
Posted by: HI | January 26, 2012, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
I just loved it when Gingrich shut down the government, it made the commute to and from work so much easier and relieved us from having to put up with inane questions from government employees.
Obviously, Gingrich’s forte is his creativity and he should be hired by the government as an idea source, but he should not be hire (elected) by the general public because he’d waste too much time and money pursuing dreams and not reality.
Posted by: john locke | January 26, 2012, 11:44 pm 11:44 pm
registered republican voters hopefully will listen to Dole, an elder statesman, a patriot. of course the democrats want newt to be the nominee as it guarantees a landslide victory for obama. romney may have a remote chance at defeating obama but if he loses it won’t be by a landslide which would be the case if newt is the nominee. obama won by a landslide last time thanks to the bush years and to sarah palin. mccain received a humiliating defeat because he made a huge error by selecting sarah palin as his running mate. newt is a turn off just like palin is and was in ’08.
Posted by: david | January 27, 2012, 5:09 am 5:09 am
Dole is right. Many of us who were around back then remember what a screwball Newt is…I cannot fathom him in the White House.
Posted by: Jennifer NY | January 27, 2012, 8:42 am 8:42 am
OMG! Bob Dole is still living???
Newt 2012!
Posted by: Aspargus | January 27, 2012, 9:50 am 9:50 am
I’m not a big fan of NG, but I don’t like Romney, If you understood his religious stands as well as he states his political stands, if a fiscal conservative and social moderate, you would go with RICK
SANTORUM. Newt is right about one thing there isn’t a whole lot of difference between Obama and Romney which gives us voters little choice in that case.
Remember, Bob Dole was n in the Congress when this whole fiscal fiasco began and he helped it along.
Posted by: Maddison908 | February 6, 2012, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Anyone that has EVER heard the name DOLE KNOWS that he is the part of the CONCRETE that holds up WASHINGTON and EVERY CROOK there! HE LIES with every word out of his mouth! Of course he dislikes NEWT! Because NEWT cannot be BOUGHT! and they KNOW IT!! They also KNOW that he will NOT be there puppet and as he says “he will NOT manage the decay” in Washington. Romney is the BIGGEST puppet that was ever created, and BOB DOLE is the second biggest puppet for Washington! Obama WANTS to forget that Newt is running because he KNOWS Newt will beat him! and he KNOWS that he IS the only man smart enough to challenge him. Bob Dole is scared to death as is HIS CRONIES that the PEOPLE will finally get a real President for the PEOPLE! The facts are public record on each and every single accomplishment that Newt had as Speaker and they are FAR AND ABOVE anything that Bob Dole ever did in his life time. As well as many of his Cronies, those who are NOT jealous are thinking about their bank accounts SHRINKING with Newt in there…because he WILL Get it done and HE will make sure they STOP robbing the PEOPLE of every dime they work for in this Country! The PEOPLE need to wake up!! Vote for the man that can PROVE what he has done and does not just do interviews and LIE with every word out of his mouth!! I cannot wait for Newt to respond to these LIES!
Posted by: Cheryl55 | March 21, 2012, 9:39 pm 9:39 pm