comic relief

Michael Tomasky (Daily Beast): I don’t know much in this life. I can’t tell you who’s going to win the NBA championship or when the Pakistani ISI will become a bulwark against extremism or what year Keith Richards’ lungs will finally cry uncle. But I do know this: Newt Gingrich will never be president of the United States.

… Far from having a serious chance of making it to the Oval Office, his actions (and inactions) have rendered himself less electable than Michele Bachmann – and for two main reasons.

The first is his legendary lack of discipline, which shows up in far more than his tendency to launch rhetorical projectiles from his mouth at regular intervals ….But that’s nothing compared to his second … his accomplishments as a public figure.

Here was the third most powerful figure in American politics, behind only the president and vice president, for several years. Surely he helped shepherd historic legislation into law? Accomplished something vaguely statesmanlike? Actually, no.

…Imagine a Gingrich who actually dedicated himself to broadening the GOP’s appeal and using his not inconsiderable intelligence toward the end of sowing the earth instead of scorching it as he has in so many ways, from the Tom-Foley-is-gay rumor (which emanated from his staff) to his pyrotechnic ravings against the Lower Manhattan mosque.

That Gingrich might actually have had a shot at being president. But that Gingrich would be “not Newt,” as would a Gingrich who refused to use his third wife as a prop to flog his conversion to right-wing social conservatism. “Not Newt” would be a serious contender. But plain old Newt? He’s nothing but comic relief.

Full article here