NEWT'S CHALLENGE

Don’t ever sell Newt Gingrich short. The former speaker of the House who fell from grace under the weight of dozens of ethics charges (see Wikipedia for gruesome details) only to return a decade later as a respected elder statesman and favorite talk-show guest, has issued a challenge to the winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries to participate in “Nine Nineties in Nine,” a catchy title for nine televised debates in nine weeks, each one being ninety minutes long. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, conservatives have a natural gift when it comes to titles.

The prospsal is not without merit. Using a minimum of ground rules, each debate would begin with a specific subject but wouldn’t be restricted to it. Candidates might be forced to abandon preconceived talking points in favor of in-depth conversations, revealing their vision for the future, or lack of it.

For all its value, however, Newt’s challenge may be a little less patriotic and a little more self-serving that it appears at first blush. As a potential candidate himself, it’s worth remembering that the Newtster holds both a masters and a PhD in modern European history. Well educated and well spoken, this debate format would suit the former teacher to a tee.

As Donald Trump said, “Everyone deserves a second chance.” Personally, I think Mr. Gingrich has gotten all the chances he deserves, but I wouldn’t mind seeing these debates.

a foot on either side