This is an interesting take on Newt Gingrich:
Inside D.C., it sounds very strange to say that Gingrich is an "outsider." Gingrich has eaten from just about every trough imaginable inside the Beltway. And yet, he's always been very clear that he wants to ("fundamentally," "historically," "categorically" and "radically") overturn the existing order. Some critics always thought, plausibly, that such pronouncements were part of his act or a sign of his megalomania.
But there's another possibility: It's true. Moreover, the times may be ripe for precisely the sort of vexing, vainglorious and all-too-human revolutionary Gingrich claims to be. That's the argument a few people have been wrestling with. Gingrich, after all, is the only candidate to actually move the government rightward. While getting wealthy off the old order, he's been plotting for decades how to get rid of it. To paraphrase Lenin, perhaps the K Streeters paid Gingrich to build the gallows he will hang them on?
That remains a stretch. Mitt Romney is still the sensible choice if you believe these are rough, but generally sensible, times. If, however, you think these are crazy and extraordinary times, then perhaps they call for a crazy, extraordinary — very high-risk, very high-reward — figure like Gingrich.
The early talk among the punditry was that given how terrible a cool, flamboyant president turned out to be, what the country needed as an antidote was a good dose of buttoned-down dullness, like Mitch Daniels. But maybe the GOP base sees something we're missing, that crazy times call for crazy chances. But, whew! "High-risk, high-reward" might be OK as an occasional life strategy, but i'm not sure we should go there for the presidency. Aren't we in the middle of seeing where that kind of gamble can end up?
