THE PLANK SEPTEMBER 28, 2007
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In other Newt news, the former Speaker's "American Solutions" campaign to "outline the challenges facing our country" (motto: "Real change requires real change") seems to be off to a somewhat bumpy start. On the group's web site there's an engine for finding workshops in your area and, if you're Newt, you probably hope it's not running properly.
By my count there've been 88 workshops announced in the DC area, which sounds pretty impressive--at least until you notice that 86 of them are currently listed as having "0 People Attending." The two exceptions are a workshop being hosted by "David," which has one person listed as attending, and one hosted by Nancy Bocskor (whom a quick google search reveals to be Newt's former chief legislative assistant) which is raising the roof with eight planned attendees.
Now one might surmise that this is because Newt is no Beltway phenomenon and is rather tapping into Real America--but there doesn't seem to be much evidence of that either. There are over 200 workshops listed in Newt's native Georgia, but all but one of them are listed as having zero attendees. (The exception, in Forsyth County, hardly looks as though it'll be standing room only either, with one slated attendee.)
It may be that the site's software isn't working properly--though, keep in mind that this is how interested parties are supposed to be able to locate nearby workshops; any prospective Newt enthusiast is presumably looking at the exact same column of zeroes as I am. Or perhaps there are pockets of furious Gingrichian problem-solving hidden in unexpected corners of this land of ours.
Otherwise, that goal of $30 million is looking harder and harder.
--Christopher Orr
6 comments
seems to be pacing on that porch, hands in pockets, looking out upon the horizon, trying to see if anyone is coming to ask him to run.... so far...nothing...
- MrCookie1
September 28, 2007 at 1:13pm
Newt will start walking and disappear beyond that horizon, never to be heard from again (figuratively, of course).
- funkyhhgreen
September 28, 2007 at 3:18pm
TWO QUESTIONS... Why on earth is he doing this and will he endorse someone when the 30 million comes up a bit short?
- g.mcentire
September 28, 2007 at 4:08pm
I think Newt just wants us to build him a 300 foot statue of himself with flames shooting out his eyes and intoning "remember me, remember me" Just how can you have a workshop with 0 attendees, someone had to offer themselves as presenters at the workshops, or did some people say, yeah you can use my living room, but I won't be there? That is the problem with the internet, you have to get young, tech people to do it, and most of them are Democrats, that is why you also had the example of Mitt having people design their own campaign commercial, and a snarky Democrat ad won.
- blackton
September 28, 2007 at 4:36pm
You highlighted differences between the parties just now, so let me respond to your comments from the other day. You said your worst nightmare is that Huckabee ends up playing the role of McCain circa 2000 with no Bush-type establishment figure to hold him back. As you know, I'm 100% with you on this one. Other than the Club For Growth's crusade against him, the thing that truly gives me hope is that, well, Democrats are pretty much the party of Luke Skywalker and Republicans are loyal to the Empire. That may sound cheesy and far-fetched, but it's basically accurate. Lindsey Graham voiced his support for John McCain back in 2000 for instance by saying, "This is not Luke Skywalker here, this is a completely different campaign." That's really where they're coming from. Huckabee is Luke Skywalker fighting for the role of Emperor Palpatine. Republicans are wired differently than Democrats. It may be our saving grace.
- g.mcentire
September 28, 2007 at 7:05pm
From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution : Newt Gingrich has let it be known that, if Republicans want him
- Anonymous
November 10, 2008 at 1:19pm