Newt Gingrich just made an appearance on "Hardball," and what an appearance it was. After comparing Mitt Romney--first, take a breath, it'll be OK--to Dwight Eisenhower, Gingrich casually defended his variegated attack on Romney during the primaries as altogether accurate enough, but "it doesn't work." That was Gingrich's only criticism of his own extended campaign against an opponent he still frames--as he did in so many words in the show's opening--as vastly inferior to Gingrich himself.
Gingrich sinisterly grinned and chuckled his way through the entire interview, vividly advertising that he didn't believe a word he was saying, except that which reflected his own, immense superiority to Romney.
But mostly the impression I took away from Gingrich's appearance was that of a man committed to a deep, deep cynicism fashioned as a discreet pragmatism. He practically bellowed that he himself remains unparalleled in the annals of potential presidencies, and that his party is about to nominate a contemptibly empty suit. I appreciated the honesty, but I was also appalled, and frankly rather embarrassed for Newt by his too clever betrayal--even for that cesspool of a party.
Creepy doesn't even cover it.
Posted by: Susan Zoon | May 25, 2012 at 07:07 AM