Via Politico:
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich apologized in a telephone call to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks on “Meet the Press,” where the presidential candidate referred to Ryan’s Medicare proposal as “radical change.”
“Newt apologized,” said Rick Tyler, his press secretary and longtime aide. “The call went very well.” Gingrich, his nascent campaign in jeopardy, has shifted into fervent damage control following a furious conservative reaction to his comments.
At the risk of using a golf analogy...Lee Trevino used to say that touring pros that are always having to make putts for par, don't stay touring pros for very long.
Gingrich after an errant tee shot, and wayward approach, is always having to make a putt for par. That's no way to win an election, primary or general.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt was the right thing to do, credit for class on that score. Now he can get back to writing up think pieces and wonkish position papers for our next president, Mitch Daniels. But Newt actually winning the nomination after this? Not a chance.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAn Even *More* Succinct Response:
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseScott, I like golf and the analogy, except that Newt's been playing more like me than a touring pro - scrambling for triple bogies after shanking a drive into someone's house or the water.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseUnfortunately, the debate has shifted away from Ryan's excellent work, to Newt's shoddy comments. And that is a shame. Newt has become, once again, a useful idiot for the Democrats.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt is not nearly as cool as I am but that really isn't something he needs to apologize for. Republicans should be able to have policy conversations within the party without everyone getting all sensitive. Is Ryan a teenage girl?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe's toast. Do us all a favor, save yourself a ton of money and lots of time and withdraw now, Newt.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNever should have said it in the first place. Never should have tried to convince people that they didn't hear him say what he actually said.
Go away, newt. Just go away.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Newt is not nearly as cool as I am but that really isn't something he needs to apologize for. Republicans should be able to have policy conversations within the party without everyone getting all sensitive. Is Ryan a teenage girl?"
First, this was not "within the party." This was a stab in the back to the House Republicans in public on TV.
And second, Ryan hasn't been whining about it. He defended himself quite well.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGreat captcha - for Newt in particular - happy retirement!
Derbfan - "Republicans should be able to have policy conversations within the party without everyone getting all sensitive."
Your key words - within the party - should be STAY within the party NOT on Meet the Depressed. Newt's words will be thrown at every Republican candidate running against Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt woke up and smelled the toast burning.
Then he realized the toast was HIM.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusethe conservative reaction was entirely predictable. Newt should be smart enough to see that coming. Unfortunately, he's intellectual smart, not common sense smart.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo Newt is good Newt.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou can't un-ring the "stupid" bell. Newt rang it hard this time, and he's got to hope the echoes fade on their own with time.
The walk-back efforts I've seen him make in public so far (e.g., on Hewitt's radio show) have been pathetically weak.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen all else fails, do the right thing.
Now, please go host a talk show or teach college or something, Newt. Anything but being a politician.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRep. Ryan is the adult in the room, trying to address a problem while coping with an adolescent president and an equally childish opposition party. Candidate Gingrich is playing politics while stroking his own ego and putting his finger to the shifting winds of polls.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt is like the bad little boy that pulls his pants down and deficates on the floor. Then he proceeds to sit in it and smudge it around a little. Upon realizing that everyone is looking at him in not a loving way, he says "Did I do something bad?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Hey, Paul. It's Newt. Listen, I'm really sorry I threw you under the bus in order to advance my presidential ambitions. And I'm even more sorry it backfired. So, can we be besties?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt's a guy who is a font of ideas, imagination, insight. Unfortunately, he has no mental filter, and appears to be committed, foremost, to advancing his own ambitions.
We're in too much trouble now to have any more time for clever. We need wisdom, judgement, steadfastness, and integrity. Newt's got a long record of failing on all four counts, and this latest fiasco shows that he hasn't improved with age.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt has a knack for contracting a case of stupid every so often. This time it is a terminal condition. He should bow out right now and urge Ryan to run in his place.
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