Gringrich busted!

[ProSense]

Did Gingrich Give Marching Orders To House GOP To Vote Against Bailout?

Now that House Republicans are insisting their vote against the bailout yesterday had nothing to do with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s supposedly “partisan” speech, some are wondering what in fact turned at least 10 Republican votes Blunt thought he had against the bill.

NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported this morning that conservatives may have been taking their marching orders from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who “was whipping against this up until the last minute” — despite issuing a statement supporting the bill as the vote was taking place:

MITCHELL: I’m told reliably by leading Republicans who are close to him, he was whipping against this up until the last minute when he issued that face-saving statement. Newt Gingrich was telling people in the strongest possible language that this was a terrible deal, not only that it was a terrible deal, that it was a disaster, it was the end of democracy as we know it, it was socialism. And then at the last minute comes out with a statement when the vote is already in place.

Watch it:

<...>

Reacting to the news, NBC’s Mike Barnicle said he had been told by congressional conservatives that the move was “the opening salvo of Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign four years hence.” Speaking at the National Press Club today, Gingrich denied Mitchell’s claim, saying MSNBC is wrong and probably “deliberately wrong” because its a “stunningly dishonest network.” “I was reluctantly helping it get through,” he said.

Even throughout yesterday, Gingrich’s position was nearly impossible to pin down. On Glenn Beck’s radio show, he admitted, “I’m not sure if I were in the Congress I could vote against it” while also declaring that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson “should be fired” and that the bailout plan “is still a bad bill.” On Fox News last night, he seemed to praise the House’s rejection of the bill: “The vote today indicated that even when they’d worked for five days to try to improve what was really a pretty terrible original plan that (Paulson) sent up, it still couldn’t get a majority in the House.”

Apparently, Gingrich was against the bailout before he was for it — before he was against it again.

GOP backs off claim that Pelosi’s ‘partisan’ speech made them vote against the bailout.

[medicswife]

1. I can't stand that rotten old puke. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. Why is he even still around? He is such a snake in the grass.

Typical damn Republican. Can't trust him as far as you can see him.

[spanone]

3. he should not be allowed within the washington d.c. confines

he is toxic

[justiceischeap]

4. Let's see, if we blame Newt, that gets the Repugs and McPalin off the hook.

:tinfoilhat:

[tanyev]

5. Yes! Follow the guy who led the GOP off the cliff in 95-96.

Go right ahead!

[blondeatlast]

6. So far Trent Franks and John Shadegg (both from AZ) have said it WASN'T

Pelosi that made them vote no pn the morning talkers.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Time for Get-rich to crawl back into his hole. n/t

[louis-t]

8. Jeez, it's like they're trying to lose.

[KansDem]

9. There's a reason this clown was booted out of Congress...

SPEAKER PHONE

January 14, 1997
TRANSCRIPT

KWAME HOLMAN: Included on the tape reportedly is this conversation: Congressman Paxon: "If we have several hours or a day go by when our members are out there without a response, it will be a disaster. That's right." Congressman Armey: "Right." Paxon: "When will we see your statement, Newt?". Speaker Gingrich: "My guess is--and I think they are running about 15 minutes late--my guess is we will have our statement out before noon." The Martins, long-time Democrats, gave the tape to Florida Congresswoman Karen Thurman, who later gave it back to the Martins and recommended they give it to Congressman Jim McDermott, the ranking Democrat on the Ethics Committee investigating Gingrich. In Washington last Wednesday the Martins waited for McDermott outside the Ethics Committee room in the capitol.

REPORTER: Had you ever met Mr. McDermott before?

ALICE MARTIN: Oh, no, no.

REPORTER: Did you know what he looked like?

ALICE MARTIN: We had a vague idea that he had white hair from physical description and that way, so we went back and we went back behind where the cameras were, and we asked, I think there was a policeman or a security guard if he could help us because we weren't exactly sure what Mr. McDermott looked like, and we said, when we see him, could you, could you point him out to us, we need to give him something. And he said, oh, sure. So it seemed like in just a few minutes Mr. McDermott became--coming down the hallway--we asked to see him, and we told him we had something to turn--we told him we had something to turn over to the Ethics Committee, and he asked us who we were. He took the envelope in his hand and he felt where the tape was, and he said he would listen to it. And then he asked if there was any way to get in touch with us. And so my husband gave him one of his STPNEA cards, and he said, thank you, and we said, thank you, and we left.

KWAME HOLMAN: Two days later the contents of the tape were on the front page of the "New York Times." The tape potentially could cause problems for Newt Gingrich, who had made a deal with the Ethics Committee not to orchestrate a response to its charges. But the tape might cause problems for McDermott as well because federal law prohibits intentionally intercepting telephone calls or intentionally disclosing their contents. Late this afternoon McDermott announced he will recuse himself from any further work on the Gingrich ethics matter. As for the Martins, they too could be prosecuted for their actions.

--more--
PBS

The guy's sleazy! And he lies...

[blm]

10. Gingrich is naked politics - he and Bush/Rove are naked political animals....

disgusting through and through. And Dems have a few of their own that ain't too pretty, either.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. Good. The finger pointing has finally started.

Maybe we'll get to some ugly truths now.

[1776Forever]

12. Heard Newt on Greta Van Susteren last night say he was for this - video link.......

http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3119764&referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referrer=staf

He twists and turns on the issue. A true POLITICIAN! Wants a 3-year rolling average. What a lier he is! Reminds me of ole' Tom DeLay!

[bdamomma]

13. I think I heard the same thing on Thom Hartman

about Newt being involved.

[ProSense]

14. "Zombie Gingrich, punking his own party behind the scenes"

Zombie Gingrich Back... Needs Brains...

Ah ha ha ha... Just when you thought the Republicans couldn't get any worse or any less functional... along comes Zombie Gingrich, punking his own party behind the scenes, just as willing as ever to screw up the entire government and/or economy in service to his own dreams of hard-right conservative warfare led by... well, him, naturally.

All of this Republican dysfunction, and now Newt himself makes a triumphant return? Oh, lord. It's the political equivalent of the Star Wars Christmas Special. What a complete wreck.

[ProSense]

15. Conservatives Explain How To Salvage The Bailout: Add Tax Cuts

Conservatives Explain How To Salvage The Bailout: Add Tax Cuts

More welfare for the rich.