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February 27, 2009 2:03 PM

Washington Unplugged: Gingrich Sees Opportunity To Redefine GOP As "Loyal Opposition"

Posted by Brent Lang
On today's "Washington Unplugged," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich sat down with CBS News' Bob Schieffer to discuss the future of the Republican Party and President Obama's budget.

Gingrich believes that the Republican Party deserved the trouncing it has received in the two most recent elections. He saw the electoral results not as a repudiation of conservative ideology, but as a failure on the part of his party to deliver for the American people.

"It got off track, it failed to perform, and it got fired," Gingrich said of his party. "That’s the great genius of America, if you don’t do your job, the customer gets to choose somebody else."

Gingrich argued that President Obama's budget pushed the country in a left-wing direction and was the "boldest effort" to remake America since Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society." But the former speaker was emboldened. He believes that Mr. Obama's ambitious agenda provides ample opportunities for Republicans to define themselves as the loyal opposition and return their party to its core principals.

You can watch the whole show, with the Gingrich interview, an interview with author and former Army Captain Craig Mullaney and a roundtable with CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris and Washington Post White House reporter Michael Fletcher, below.

Tags:
newt gingrinch ,
washington unplugged ,
bob schieffer ,
Craig Mullaney
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Add a Comment See all 61 Comments
by actornaught March 1, 2009 12:59 PM EST
Big government isn't the problem, Scumbag Newt is the problem. The very reason the 'pubs are in failure mode is because The Scumbag's neocon Contract on America, and what followed.

If they want to continue to follow him, they will continue the downward spiral of failure mode.
Reply to this comment
by wheear March 1, 2009 10:23 AM EST
The GOP had better redefine itself if it wants the many decades old Republicans like myself to support it again. Rush Limbaugh was on CNN firing up the same old rhetoric that makes me want to puke. The GOP makeover needs to start by telling the "entertainer" Rush to go sit his big sweaty millionaire behind down. He essentially stated that the wealthy are being picked on. The crowd was filled with a bunch of rich cheerleaders that have no idea of what poverty looks like. This guy is the leader. Name one Republican who has a larger audience and stomach than Rush. Newt blew it. McCain picked Palin. Only a total makeover and HONEST self examination will make me return to the Republican agenda.
Reply to this comment
by babooph March 1, 2009 9:28 AM EST
My reps will recover when they get rid of the religous whacos,lost war fools & massive deficit spending.The party of the great IKE will be back !
Reply to this comment
by dj292009 February 28, 2009 9:00 PM EST
Old Newt had his chance once before. He messed up big time, and the GOP kicked him out as their leader in Congress. The man antagonized both the American people and his fellow Congressmen. If the GOP allows this man to "redfefine" them, the GOP massacre will be even GREATER in 2012. Take it away Newt, we love how you screw up!!
Posted by raflin1

Will you admit that the democrats had any responsiblity ion this mess
Reply to this comment
by dj292009 February 28, 2009 8:25 PM EST
Republicans tank economies -- Democrats boost economies -- history wins and takes Democrats over Republicans for fiscal responsibility. Go Obama Administration and show these give these "loons" lessons in "Successful Economies" graduate studies level. Oh, I forget, most Republicans don't have college degrees, much less high school education.
Posted by gig76 at 1:01 PM : Feb 28, 2009

Congrats, another LIAR democrat. Wow are you so special
Reply to this comment
by dj292009 February 28, 2009 8:21 PM EST
ChgUBINOT,

Just for curiosity's sake, where did you get your stellar education?
Posted by mcliar

Why is it you have to mock her education?
Reply to this comment
by sincity_q February 28, 2009 7:35 PM EST
Newt is a Nazi and the LAST thing the conservatives need right now. Republicans have to redefine themselves according to the tides of time and change, not try and turn the clock back to the dark ages with this Grand Inquisitor wannabe.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 4:13 PM EST
Being a global economy do Republicans think the rest of the world wants to go through this aweful mess they created again? No thank you, said China. No thank you, said Japan. No thank you, said Russia. No thank you. said France. No thank you said England. No thank you said Austrailia. No thank you said South America. No thank you said Canada. No thank you said the continent of Africa (the trick question for Palin). Let's see who is left, oh yes, Mexico who has enjoyed all the support from Bush Jr. and his NRA gurus. Assault weapons have no place in this world except war zones that are military issued, DEA issued, Special Forces issed guns. Otherwise, no way. Oh, Bush Sr was CIA Director, and President when drugs in USA were sold mostly from Mexico, Afghanistan, and other countries that made a deal with Republicans. Republicans like to sell illegally since they know they couldn't sell a dead fly on their own lack of skills abilities.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 4:01 PM EST
Republicans tank economies -- Democrats boost economies -- history wins and takes Democrats over Republicans for fiscal responsibility. Go Obama Administration and show these give these "loons" lessons in "Successful Economies" graduate studies level. Oh, I forget, most Republicans don't have college degrees, much less high school education.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 3:57 PM EST
Parents watch out for Gingrich and his followers who like to take our children and turn them into mistresses for their pleasure, sons and daughters. Beware! Let's see, Gingrich had an affair with his secretary -- shameful Republicans!
Reply to this comment
by tonyatq February 28, 2009 3:55 PM EST
The Grand Old Party of the South have all ready been defined by Bush, Rush, Palin, and Steele. They can't be redefined.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 3:55 PM EST
Newt Gingrich, have you looked in the mirror lately. Aren't you soon to retire? Move on since your ideas are way outdated.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 3:51 PM EST
Republicans want voter ID so they can commit voter fraud over and over again and have their way like buggy Sugarland pest control owner Tom DeLay. Can you believe a pest control owner was Speaker of the House of the United States of America. Another trailer trash Republican wannabe Aristocrat White Supremist Republican party member only for white republican trash. Don't allow vote id to take home -- it's against the law and against the Constitution founding fathers fought for -- freedom.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 3:46 PM EST
How do Republicans buy homes? With stock options, commercial paper that are either worthless or near worthless at this time. Therefore their homes are worthless -- those million dollar homes that we taxpayers are going to have to inherit and pay for since the nonsenical Republicans have no brains, no financial knowledge, aren't fiscally responsible, and are a drag on our economy and country. Republicans need to learn how to work -- it's called take a broom and sweep up their messes and throw it in the garbage, if it will fit.
Reply to this comment
by gig76 February 28, 2009 3:42 PM EST
Dream on FreedomUSA123. Newty Fruity had an affair with his secretary, served his wife divorce papers in the hospital where she was recovering from surgery, and had 4 children to support. The man is irresponsible, and thinks they are going to overthrow the government again with his babbling of history -- it's call impeach Ginrich, Limbaugh, Gramm, they all 3 have had mistresses, all three from the deep south Georgia, and all three are losers. Gingrich memorizes, Gramm takes Americans monies and sends to Switzerland to hide taxes, and Limbaugh is just a babbling drug user. Yeah, all great leaders for wannabe Aristocrat White Supremist Republican party members for ignorant white folks.
Reply to this comment
by jsilver2th February 28, 2009 3:24 PM EST
If you are ever bored to tears-

Get Newt's CONTRACT ON AMERICA

and compare it to THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFEDERACY of the Southern States-

Earth to Newt: The South lost and so has the GOP- I hope they nominate as it will be easy pickins
Reply to this comment
by clemenhagen1 February 28, 2009 3:06 PM EST
Notice the "born-again fiscal conservatism" displayed here. Quick historical reminder: Bush inherited four years of balanced budgets and three years of fiscal surplus. For the first SIX years of Bush II Republican rule he had a Republican controlled congress. Result of Republican rule: massive redistribution of wealth to the elites; record deficits due to fiscal irresponsibility; much larger real deficits because they intentionally kept the war "off-the-books" to hide the real costs of the Iraq debacle (just like they hid the flag-draped caskets when they came home). The Republicans put us on this path of fiscal ruin: do not place this mess at Obama's feet - he has been given the broom and the pooper-scooper to clean up the mess.
Reply to this comment
by clemenhagen1 February 28, 2009 3:05 PM EST
Talk about short term memory: Republicans and conservatives cannot seem to wrap their minds around the fact that their beloved theories, when put into practice, created the current nightmare. And we should have known...the same laisse-faire approach in the 1920's produced the first Republican Great Depression. The Reagan / Bush / Gingrich / DeLay revolution of tax cuts for the wealthy elites and no regulation of the economy (result - unregulated greed and fraud) has produced the second Republican economic catastrophe of the last century. Obama is merely trying, as FDR did before, to undo the damage and repair the economy from the excesses of Republican rule. As a member of the middle-class that has been the target of Republican warfare since the advent of Reagan I merely say: Amen.
Reply to this comment
by ioweign February 28, 2009 3:04 PM EST
I read a quote from Newt's childhod priest, He said:

"I Baptised Newt Gingritch when he was a baby; Obviously I did not hold him under the water long enough"
Posted by ianlou at 8:17 AM : Feb 28, 2009


Evidently, long enough to deprive some gray matter enough oxygen to stop from operating in a normal capacity....
Reply to this comment
by salmoc44 February 28, 2009 2:34 PM EST
The Gingrich Plan:

Take huge pig.
Apply massive amount of lipstick
Hope for enough stupid people to line up to kiss said pig.
Reply to this comment
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