Gingrich eyes possible White House run in 2012

ATHENS, Ga. – More than a decade after he stepped down as speaker of the House into what seemed like almost certain political oblivion, Newt Gingrich is back and seemingly more relevant than ever. Gingrich seems to be everywhere these days, headlining an endless circuit of GOP dinners, popping up on TV news shows, authoring yet another best-selling book and acting as a policy guru to out-of-power congressional Republicans on how to do battle with the Democratic White House.

As beleaguered Republicans look for a standard bearer after last year's disastrous election, they've been tossing around the names of flashy new stars like Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 vice presidential candidate, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, young and Indian American in a party that's increasingly identified with older white men.

But could the GOP's savior instead be a wonkish, twice-divorced throwback to the fiercely partisan Republican revolution?

Gingrich has managed to keep himself in the public eye since leaving the House, but the blitz of public appearances in recent months is reminiscent of the run-up to 2007, when he toyed with a presidential run only to abandon it before the primaries began. Now, some are speculating that the former congressman from Georgia is laying the groundwork for a White House bid in 2012.

Grover Norquist, a prominent conservative and president of Americans for Tax Reform, said Gingrich is on nearly every Republican short list of possible White House prospects.

"One of the ways you judge these guys is how hard they're working, and Newt is out there hustling," Norquist said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090415/ap_on_re_us/newt_s_next_step

party of old, white males.

is a preacher. He has that folksy, back-slappin', crowd-pleasin' thing down pat. Newt's several steps removed from whatever's at hand. He's "lofty" in a way that does not inspire identification from the large percentage of Republican primary voters who want a visceral apocalypse this afternoon.

Romney is loaded with cash. He's loaded with ambition, too. Hard to say which he has more of, but he plenty of both. Gingrich seems to think the GOP should turn to him, that he should just stroll into the joint and be handed the nomination, wrapped with a pink bow. Romney, crazy as he certainly is, at least is willing to work for the top spot on the ticket.

I don't take Palin and Jindal seriously.

If Huck does't run, I suppose Newt's chances improve in the Iowa caucus. If Huck wants the nom as badly as Romney does, I'm not seeing Gingrich placing any higher than third in the first 3 primary/caucus states.

If Obama remains popular, I don't see a winning rationale for any Republican in 2012.