Newt's comical delusions

Steve Chapman
3:08 p.m. CDT, May 23, 2011

If Donald Trump had any real desire to run for president, I suspect it evaporated at the White House Correspondents' dinner, when he found himself not just a target of jokes but THE target of jokes. The tycoon had probably never had the experience of being in a roomful of people who are laughing uproariously, over and over, at him. He clearly didn't like it.

Newt Gingrich might want to ask him how it feels. Or he can just wait a little while and find out firsthand.

Lately, his lack of self-awareness has reached a level that may be pathological but definitely is comical. After running up a bill of between $250,000 and $500,000 at Tiffany's, he insisted that he and his wife "are very frugal." Today, at a D.C. breakfast meeting, he said he is "not a Washington figure" in the eyes of most people -- even though he's been in the capital since 1978. Earlier, he had blamed an extramarital affair on working too hard and loving America too much.

The other day, John Oliver, a correspondent on John Stewart's "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central, was begging Trump to run, weeping copiously at all the jokes that won't be written if he stays out. Dry those tears, John: Newt Gingrich won't allow you to be unemployed.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/chi-gingrichs-gaffes-20110523,0,3961021.story

have been fortunate and can afford it." But no, he has to maintain that he and his wife are "frugal." The first statement might raise some eyebrows in some quarters but at least it is honest. No one seriously believes him when he makes the second statement. It plays into the common perception that at the core he is just a dishonest person.

Or, he believes we are delusional. We must remember, however, his core constituency are willing to believe just about anything. Lately some in the media are willing to challenge Newt, Trump and Palin on their inconsistencies and obvious hypocrisy.

I guess failed candidates get to keep the money they raise. Hartmann says Newt knows he's not going to be even the nominee, but will hold some fundraisers to pocket a few 10's of millions, then drop out and spend the money at Tiffany's. I wish public election funding was a real possibility.