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03 Dec 2010 17:41

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Politics, U.S.: 2012: Pawlenty leads the pack in book sales

  • 12k Amazon users purchased Mitt Romney’s recent book, “No Apology”
  • 9k readers went for Newt Gingrich’s “To Save America” for their 2012 fix instead
  • 263k fans opted for Tim Pawlenty’s upcoming manifesto, “Courage to Stand” source

05 Nov 2010 21:32

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Politics: Nancy Pelosi’s next House move, in historical perspective

  • 1998 Newt Gingrich steps down from his House leadership role after a particularly rough midterm; his party was still in the majority
  • 2006 Dennis Hastert leaves his House leadership role after his party lost the majority; he later left the House entirely without much fuss
  • 2010 Nancy Pelosi defies the logic set by previous House speakers and announces that she plans to run for House Minority Leader (oh boy) source

13 Sep 2010 11:19

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Politics: Newt Gingrich says something that makes us wince

  • What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior, can you begin to piece together [his actions]? That is the most accurate, predictive model for his behavior.
  • Newt Gingrich • Saying something so insane that we don’t even understand the point he was going for. “Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior”? How? What is he doing that you have to bring his ethnicity into the fold? Dave Weigel’s headline for this nugget, which he posted over the weekend, is “What Was Newt Gingrich Talking About?” We don’t think anyone can figure it out. Robert Gibbs tries, but he doesn’t get all the way there. source

19 Aug 2010 22:10

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Politics: NYC locals to outsiders on “Ground Zero Mosque”: Back off, OK?

  • First of all, this is real America. The people who detached themselves from New York are all of a sudden embracing New York.
  • New York Rep. Peter King • Criticizing his fellow Republicans for pushing the rhetoric against the Park51 building (a.k.a. the “Ground Zero Mosque”) way too far. King is against the building, but, like many people in the New York metro area, thinks that the controversy is being used to score political points rather than take a serious interest in a big NYC issue. Fellow Rep. Jerrold Nadler (who has been one of the center’s biggest supporters) agrees: “It’s disgusting. It is an attempt to exploit for purely political motives a sensitive issue. And to exploit people they obviously don’t really care about.” Well-put. source

11 Aug 2010 10:39

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Politics: Newt Gingrich’s perceived racism: Esquire writer’s opening salvo

  • Just before he made the jump-shot crack, one member of the audience called Obama ‘the Kenyan.’ Gingrich said nothing. Another complained about all the shiftless people living on welfare in New Orleans. Gingrich didn’t say anything then, either.
  • Esquire writer John H. Richardson • In an essay about former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who is expected to make a presidential run in 2012. Newt was speaking amongst a group of Southern conservatives, and had made a quip about his basketball prowess: “The more angry we get, the worse it is for Obama. I don’t care how many three-point jump shots he makes.” He was discussing a pickup basketball game he played in Kuwait over two years ago. Richardson uses this lead-in to set up the 8,000-word article he wrote about Gingrich, which, based on that introduction, should make Newt feel like he’s being attacked. (Hat tip Mediaitesource

13 Jul 2010 12:13

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Politics: Dear Newt Gingrich: Save us the presidential speculation

  • Look Newt, we appreciate the dog and pony show you’ve run for years, giving people reason to speculate on why you might run for president, but come on, you’re not really going to do it. You may say you will, but let’s face facts: You haven’t been relevant since about 1998. And while the presidential talk makes you sound relevant, you’re really not. It gets you press, but we can’t imagine people voting for you over, say, Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee. Are we wrong here? Is Newt really a force to be reckoned with? source

16 May 2010 23:59

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Politics: Max Headroom: Godwin’s Law broken again and again


  • Glenn Beck: Nazi-obsessed The fact of the matter is, there are dozens of clips that feature the Fox News talker bringing up Nazi Germany. We’re going to use this one because he cries in the clip. If this were an isolated incident that’d be one thing, but he regularly does this song and dance.

  • Lewis Black: Stop it, Glen With this bevy of ammo, “The Daily Show’s” most gleefully annoyed commentator went on the attack, noting how Beck is the guy who regularly brings up Nazis. Inspired even for a “Daily Show” rant, Black makes a totally convincing argument in his spiel.

  • Newt: Full steam ahead Just days after Black’s deafening rant, Newt Gingrich compared the Obama administration to Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia (something he says in his new book). You’d think Black’s rant would perhaps quiet the Nazi comparison racket. Nope. Not so much.
 

31 Oct 2009 11:16

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U.S.: Dede Scozzafava falls to conservative pressure in N.Y. House race

  • It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support.
  • New York Republican Dede Scozzafava • On suspending her congressional campaign. The race is something of a symbol of the deep divisions in the Republican Party at the moment. Despite being the “official” candidate, many conservatives (most notably Sarah Palin, but notably NOT Newt Gingrich) supported Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman. • source

26 Oct 2009 13:01

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Politics: Ideology or party identification? New York’s contested House race

  • I just think it is a mistake for the conservative movement to think splitting in the special election is a smart idea. If we give that seat to the Democrats, shame on us.
  • Newt Gingrich • On the contested New York congressional contest, where many Republicans are supporting Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman over GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava, who’s a bit less conservative than Hoffman. Gingrich says that other politicos like Sarah Palin are making a mistake by splitting the vote. He’s right, you know – Ross Perot helped Bill Clinton win two easy elections. • source

06 Sep 2009 16:01

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Politics: Max Headroom is loaded with Obama-drama this week

  • FDR or Jimmy Carter Joe Trippi, speaking off of comments by his old boss, Howard Dean, suggests that the Van Jones resignation may be an attempt to discredit a president gunning for the legacy of a great.

  • FDR or Jimmy Carter Joe Trippi, speaking off of comments by his old boss, Howard Dean, suggests that the Van Jones resignation may be an attempt to discredit a president gunning for the legacy of a great.

  • Al Franken dazzles Despite his rep as a divider due to his years as a liberal icon, Minnesota Senator Al Franken managed to soothe the nerves of a motley crew of health care critics. Impressive, bro.

  • FDR or Jimmy Carter Joe Trippi, speaking off of comments by his old boss, Howard Dean, suggests that the Van Jones resignation may be an attempt to discredit a president gunning for the legacy of a great.

  • Al Franken dazzles Despite his rep as a divider due to his years as a liberal icon, Minnesota Senator Al Franken managed to soothe the nerves of a motley crew of health care critics. Impressive, bro.

  • Newt’s got Obama’s back Newt Gingrich isn’t lining up with fellow Republicans to criticize Obama’s controversial upcoming speech to students. He greatly supports what he expects to be purely “positive.”