This is news because Bob Smith once left the Republican Party and flirted with the Constitution Party. I believe he twice flirted with the CP as a potential Presidential candidate. The endorsement reads in part:
“It is not enough to simply defeat President Obama. We must replace him with an inspirational, experienced, conservative leader, with the guts to challenge and change the establishment. Newt Gingrich is that leader.”
‘This will not make Smith’s CP friends, if he still has any, happy.’
Very much correct- this lack-of-a-man is no constitutionalist at all, especially with his lack-of-integrity.
Red – Sen Smith probably told the Constitution Party that he was just seeking the CP nod without mentioning his grand strategy. But he did talk to Richard Winger about how likely it would be for him to get the Libertarian Party nomination, on the basis of running as the candidate of several third parties at the same time.
He made his plans before Pat Buchanan dropped out of the Republican race, and the Reform Party nomination with its $12.6 million in taxpayer subsidy was what made the third party strategy a “viable” approach, or so he thought.
Gene, I think Smith left the GOP hoping to get the CP nomination (I can’t speak to the Reformed nomination) and the CP seemed eager to have him. At least I believe Howard Phillips was. Then he seemed to chicken out. I’m sure someone knows the details of that story. Maybe Gary or Trent does. I heard that he was surprised at how negative the reaction to him leaving the GOP was. His excuse was that he was tired of parties and just wanted to remain independent for a while, but I’m sure there is more to it than that.
I think this is actually more disgusting than the animal sex story reported elsewhere.
Some additional background on Sen. Smith and alternative parties.
In 1999 he made plans to run for President. When it became apparent that almost the entire Republican leadership was lining up behind George W Bush, he decided to run as a third party candidate. He actually hoped to get the Reform Party nomination along with the Constitution Party nomination and the Libertarian nomination.
It became clear he could not hope for the Reform nomination, so he focused on the Constitution Party nomination. Then for some reason he decided he would run as an Independent.
In 1999 he quit the Republican caucus in the Senate, and announced he was an Independent. After 111 days, he gave up the idea of running as an Independent candidate for President, and returned to the Republican Caucus, and acted like it mattered.
He supported the Republican ticket in 2000, but by 2004 decided Bush was unfit, and he voted for John Kerry for President in 2004.
And to think Newt was once a “Rockefeller Republican.”
This is terribly pathetic. I expect he’s hoping for some minor political appointment.
I’ve met and listened to Smith while he was running for US Senate here in FL – his second foray. Of course those campaigns stopped at ground zero. He had no real platform other than cut taxes/reduce the size of government (yawn), make America “strong” (whatever that means), etc. etc. – the usual GOP stuff. He endorsed Congressman Duncan Hunter for prez in 2008 (huh?). Oh, and Smith said Obama would make a great president. Now it’s Newt – the man is politically pathetic. Er, both men are.
Newt Gingrich is that leader …… a two legged primate with the moral compass of a lizard!
Bullsnort – CFR membership is the DEFINITION of the ESTABLISHMENT !
Leroy sold out a long time ago. (I sincerely believe that the RP will never nominate anyone named Leroy in 2012, start using his real name and we will help END this campaign)
It’s all just a game to fool the mushrooms –
Explaining the left-right paradigm to a co worker!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kw7j4lbDB4
“One party has totally dominated American politics for at least a century: the Socialist War Party. No matter who wins the elections, America gets endless socialism and endless war.” Doug Newman.
“The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies, one, perhaps, of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead, the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can throw the rascals out at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy. Then it should be possible to replace it, every four years if necessary, by the other party, which will be none of these things but will still pursue, with new vigor, approximately the same basic policies.” – Carroll Quigley from his book Hope and Tragedy-(Bill Clinton said Quigley was his mentor during 1993 Inaugural Address), Quigley is speaking of the (CFR) Globalists’ American political strategy since the early twentieth century.
This will not make Smith’s CP friends, if he still has any, happy.
Honestly, I’m a bit embarrassed for Smith who comes off as kinda pathetic. His Senate speech leaving the GOP was really quite good, but he went back like a dog with his tail tucked between his legs, and it has all been down hill from there. He seems to be desperately trying to recapture a piece of his former status to no avail. He briefly ran for Senate in Florida this last cycle. Anyone who would endorse Gingrich at this point was never CP material to begin with as some of us suggested at the time.