Gingrich Commits Epic Failure Of Conservatism

I used to hold Newt Gingrich in very high esteem.  He was, after all, one of the leaders of the Contract With America in the early 1990s that put Republicans into power, and he has since been a stalwart in conservative circles.  Sadly, his conservative legitimacy has now been shattered:

If you have given to the NRCC, RNC, or Newt Gingrich under the impression that they are using the money to support conservatism, you might want to ask for your money back.

As I mentioned in my column post on the NY23 special election, the NRCC is using conservatives’ money to back a radical leftist and attack a bona fide, viable conservative candidate for Congress in a safe Republican district. Gingrich has endorsed the radical leftist.

Now comes word from CQ that the Republican National Committee has made a “six-figure transfer” of funds to the NRCC to support Scozzafava:

The Republican National Committee also confirmed Friday that it was making a six-figure transfer to the National Republican Campaign Committee to help in that race.

The NRCC has already spent nearly half a million dollars on advertising and other independent expenditures. And with the Scozzafava campaign on television only sparingly — reportedly because of slow fundraising — it has become the main source of advertising for the Republicans at this point.

The RNC is also giving $85,000 to the state party, the maximum allowed for a coordinated campaign, and has two staffers on the ground in the district.

In a letter to supporters, Gingrich called the Nov. 3 special election “an important test” for the party in advance of the 2010 mid-term election. Scozzafava is “Our best chance to put responsible and principled leaders in Washington,” he said.

In addition to Scozzafava’s radical leftist record that I outlined this morning, Scozzafava is the proud recipient of the Margaret Sanger Award from New York family planners.

Yes, that Margaret Sanger.

As in, the Margaret Sanger who pioneered abortion and eugenics, and believed that African Americans should be aborted simply for being African American.

What about this is something worth endorsing, Mr. Gingrich?  What about this is conservative?  But it gets worse - when questioned about it, Gingrich doubled down:

“I endorsed the Republican who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, opposes the Obama health plan, signed the ‘no-tax-increase’ pledge, and supports a comprehensive energy plan like I do,” says Gingrich. 

“If you seek to be a perfect minority, you’ll remain a minority,” says Gingrich.

Oh, really?  John McCormack interviewed Scozzafava and found something quite different on her views (not to mention Scozzafava called the cops on him for asking her questions):

"if it's the Scozzafava campaign that's in trouble--with a candidate who supports card check, who is unwilling to say she'd oppose a health care bill that raises taxes or includes abortion coverage, and who is so reluctant to answer questions that she has someone with her campaign call the cops when she's questioned by a reporter who is (if I may say so) polite--if a bit persistent."

Regardless, this kind of warped logic from Gingrich sounds eerily like the big-government Republicans who have squandered the party over the past few years: let's ignore the winning strategy (conservatism) and be so inclusive that we become Diet Democrats.  What about her open endorsement from ACORN?  What about the rumors that she's going to switch parties once in office?  What about that card-check thing?  What about her pro-abortion stance?  Gingrich is really reaching on this one.

Michelle Malkin schools Newt on something he should know very, very well already, but appears to have forgotten:

Let’s quote Reagan back to Gingrich, shall we? From his seminal 1975 CPAC address:

Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people.

Let us also call for an end to the nit-picking, the harassment and over-regulation of business and industry which restricts expansion and our ability to compete in world markets.

Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing government’s coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in the ownership of our industrial machine.

Our banner must recognize the responsibility of government to protect the law-abiding, holding those who commit misdeeds personally accountable.

And we must make it plain to international adventurers that our love of peace stops short of “peace at any price.”

We will maintain whatever level of strength is necessary to preserve our free way of life.

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

I do not believe I have proposed anything that is contrary to what has been considered Republican principle. It is at the same time the very basis of conservatism. It is time to reassert that principle and raise it to full view. And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.

Perhaps it is time to go your own way, with Al Sharpton and Nancy Pelosi:

This is how it is done, Mr. Gingrich.  You used to know this.

This is a sad day for me, and for true conservatives all over.  I really respected Gingrich and his principled conservative leadership, but he appears to have cashed it in to support the party apparatus.

The irony of this betrayal is that it was this same party apparatus that he successfully bucked in the early 1990s with smashing success.

Politicians suck.

There's my two cents.