Newt has significant character defects that must not be discounted or ignored. They will affect the way he governs this nation. Cheat on your wife 2x=cheat on your nation many times. He is arrogant and calls his transgressions "regrettable". Why can't he publicly apologize to his two previous wives? It is called arrogance. Arrogant people never apologize.

Burt,

These reruns are still a great way to start the day.

Now we're down to three (oops! I keep forgetting Ron Paul) and it really doesn't matter, does it?

End this Obamanation!!!

If you think Newt is volatile now, imagine that volatility combined with the presidency. Resignations, transfers, and firings would require rotating doors on the White House. But drop out of the race? Newt? He's too busy pulling the bull over the eyes of a gullible public and wouldn't leave the race unless the race turned out to be his fifth wife. And, mind you, I have no problem with a volatile president if he was volatile about unconstitutional legislation and government employees acting beyond constitutional authority. But we're talking about big government, CFR member, democrat-compromising, 'pay me enough and I'll do anything' Scrooge-McGingrich here. The sounds of the next war can already be heard over the horizon.

Am I the only one that wants to puke when Gingrich, Santorum, Perry or Romney is called a conservative? They are RINO's at best. Can anyone name one agency, bureau, department, rule, regulation, etc. that was abolished or repealed when Gingrich was speaker? Remember when kommandant klinton was closing parks and monuments because the House would not approve the budget? Gingrich could not jump fast enough or high enough to pass it. He castigated House members that would not go along. If the House held fast and did not pass the budget we would not be in the fiscal mess we have now. Now Gingrich believes he has a divine right to be king (oops President), sort of like Dole in 96. Gingrich also let the school gun ban pass. Did anyone say Virginia Tech?

"I wonder if that gig is still available. It's a job I was born to have. After all, I'm constantly giving people advice they ignore."

I was thinking I'd fight ya' for that gig Burt, I may be more qualified (!). But after that final paragraph I'll hand it over to you cheerfully- you're an absolute master! You just made my day. Maybe my whole weekend.

Getting patriotic will never seem the same.

The Eye of Newt is upon us. He is a lizard, no doubt. But don't forget that he is a politician, and just like the remainder of the hopefuls, BS is the language of love.

However, I have to give Newt some credit. He is the only Republican that has ever had the courage to say on national TV, "we cannot let a Saul Alinsky radical remain in the White House." So, yea Newt!

If he would promise to arrest and prosecute the incumbent, lying fraud on Inauguration Day, he'd get my vote, and, I dare say, that of 80% of Americans. There is a long list of cretins, topped by Eric "The Black", whom he could wait until the day after inauguration to arrest. I want to see the Supreme Court ruling on Holder’s “I had no intent of being a traitor and accomplice to murder” defense strategy.

No one in the Golf Capital of the World, the beloved place of my birth, threw a spiked shoe at Newt. I suspect South Carolina “Don’t Tread on Me” voters may add some fuel to the lizard’s tank.

Hello Burt,

I love the way you turn a phrase--still laughing at "they are still more or less human" (bureaucrats of D.C.); "It's a job I was born to hold" (getting handsomely paid to give free advice ignored by people); "(Gingrich claimed his boorish behavior as serial adulterer) was due to "excessive patriotism"; "debt paid in full (to Baptists) by Gingrich converting to Catholicism". I am now going to refer to Gingrich as a "where the sun don't shine patriot", inspired by your very funny, on-the-mark column and by the former Speaker's own account. However, I do enjoy how Newt calls the debate questioners from the LameStreamMedia "protectors" of Oblahblah.

Judy (opining from snowy Queens, NY)

I stopped being a Newt fan many years ago, but I'd still like to see him debate Øbozo.

I would like to see whoever is in the debate with Barry, ask how long have you been a communist and a muslim. As an added benefit it would annoy the hell out of the NY Slimes (oops Times), cnn, cbs, etc.

I am delighted and somewhat surprised that we are all pretty much in agreement about Newt. One of the things that galls me about this whole business about Newt asking forgiveness from God is that it came awfully late in the game.

Another problem for me is that, maybe because I am not a Christian, I do not subscribe to people who were not the victims of a crime or a sin being so quick to offer forgiveness to a serial ne'er-do-well. It is particularly galling when murderers are forgiven by those he didn't murder.

In the case of Newt, he apparently never asked his ex-wives to forgive him his numerous trespasses. So I find it absurd that he gets to claim that his daughters (by the first wife, the one who lost Newt to Marianne) and his friends all know that Marianne was lying on Lifeline. How can that be, inasmuch as only two people were privy to the call? And while I can't claim to be a lie detector, Marianne sounded very specific and very convincing during the interview.

The idea that a lot of conservative Carolinians are apparently ready to troop out and vote for him is very discouraging. I thought it was only liberals who endorsed the notion of electing hound dogs.

Burt

As I write this Newt has been declared the winner in SC, getting 41%, Mit got 27% I believe.

I am a bit more of a Mit man because he actually worked in the real world for some strech of his life. Further, I am a bit less of a Newt man because he comes across as more of an academician, and I`ve not heard of any real private sector experience in Newts resume.

Therefore, even though niether Mit nor Newt are very conservative, probably the least conservative of the original 8, Newt positively smells more like liberal/democrat than Mit.

It occurs to me that perhaps America should make a law, for any and all Presidential candidates, to have a required, minimum 15 years experience in the private sector to qualify for Presidential candidancy.

This would have a positive filtering effect upon most liberal/democrat politicians as they seem to be allergic to real world experience, and they, along with others like them, would not be able to assume leadership with a mindset of pure illusion, sophistry and academistry.

At this point in time, it seems clear to me that a real conservative will not reside at 1600 Pa. ave in my lifetime, I`m 57 yo. Further, I believe we will be somewhat lucky to avoid financial collapse, but assuming we do, ultimately Islam will conquer us anyway. My generation makes me sick.

Woe will be humanity, when we are all enslaved to Islamic insanity.

Nobama 2012, vote republican. Thank you.

PDK: I was surprised that Newt won by that margin. But, then again, I was also surprised by how few votes were cast in South Carolina. In fact, if you check out how many total votes have been cast in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, it's absurd how much attention has been focused on these three states. It's as if a fanfare of trumpets has been sounded...and in strolls a mouse.

Burt

Burt, it just occured to me that SC had a problematical male Governor a few years back. I think he had a paramoure from Brazil, or at least one of the SA countries. I believe he was forced to step down.

Perhaps the SC electorate, to some degree, soft soaped their collective opprobrium clean by voting for the somewhat philandering Newt.

Florida is next. They are big, super Tuesday comes sometime around the middle of February. After that it will all be over but the convention.

Well my Patriots play a big game tomorrow, I believe they will win.

Nobama 2012, vote republican. Thank you.

what does the Newt win say about the morals of evangelicals?

that they don't care about how many times you've left your chronically ill wives to go cheat with the next young co-ed?

I mean, as a Christian, that thing really upsets me. If it's newt or the cultist, i think i might just not vote this time.

@howard last

You're so right, we need to arm our kids at school too. That Cynthia Taylor Green would still be alive, if she'd be armed!

All these Big Gov Republicans are just like Dumbcrats in disguise, really

PDK: The former governor you have in mind was Mark Sanford.

Super Tuesday takes place on March 6th, not mid-February.

I, too, believe the Pats will win.

Best, Burt

Yaaay, Burt!

THANK YOU for laying out the case against Newt for us in black and white. For some reason beyond my understanding, he is getting too much credit for his (admittedly pretty sharp) debate zingers, but not enough DIScredit for his actions. As for the whole "that was a long time ago" argument, he attacked Bain Capital and threw Paul Ryan under the bus just recently-AFTER his conversion to Catholisism.

I am a christian; I do most certainly believe that God can effect fundamental change in a repentant person. However, the concept of "forgiveness" is completely irrelevant to the debate at hand. As you pointed out, Burt, forgiveness for Newt's marital indiscretions (read: lies and betrayals) are for his former wives and children to give-not the voters.

Newt has a long way to go before he can prove to this voter that he should be placed in ANY position of trust. Personal failings notwithstanding, there is a MOUNTAIN of others resons why Americans in general and CONSERVATIVES IN PARTICULAR should know that we cannot depend on Newt. No matter how he tries to portray himself and his intentions, I just can't shake the feeling that Newt is using the Cause of Conservatism to advance the Cause of Newt.

The dishonesty of the candidates, with the exception of Ron Paul, and possible Santorum, should incline the Republican electorate to not hesitate to lambast them for their two-faced hypocrisy, but being as one of them needs to defeat an even greater evil, it's necessary to hold off until after the election, and then let the winner have it. Let him know that he will not get anyone's approval simply by occupying the White House.

Heads need to roll and that includes thousands and thousands of government employees. The man that's faced with that job had better know how to put his sympathy in a vault and do the amputations that need to be done.

Too much natural sympathy is what has driven our nation almost over the cliff with debt and borrowing. The path we're on isn't sustainable and the next President needs to have his feet held to the fire least he forget it while sleeping in his comfortable White House bed or relaxing on the golf course.

The actions he will need to take will be the financial equivalent of war and the reaction that would result would be like what happened to Gov. Walker when he removed the union's power in his state, only it will be all across the country. Prepare for "war" because if all goes right, it's coming. What form it will take is unknown but they won't give up without a fight nor take it lying down.

The next election won't be like the last. Both sides will be far more aware of the stakes and committed to either keep or to radically change the status quo. Let's just hope that millions of dummies don't feel that it's their duty to vote. We know how they will vote, and it won't be to protect the Constitution, the budget, or the future.

Ravens reciever caught that pass,took 2 steps in the end zone before the defender poked the ball out- that was a TD.

Then a very poor call - The Pats were lucky and will have a field day against the Giants....

Not so fast. I'm neither a Pats or Giants fan, but I think the team with the best defense usually prevails. As for politics, we must beat Obummer or our country is in big trouble or bigger trouble. The harm he has done may be irreversible.

Burt,

I know Gingrich and Perry have hit Romney for his time at Bain Capital but I have not heard Santorum do that. Can you cite a specific instance where Santorum criticized Romney over Bain?

Of the cast of characters we have left in the primary, Santorum may well be the best of the bunch.

Regards,

Mike

At the risk of being accused of heresy, I really do not care who wins the Super Bowl. I am far more worried about who wins or loses the stupid bowl in November. Hopefully whoever the eventual Republican nominee is, he will kick a field goal with Obama`s ass.

Richard Ryan

Lamar,Missouri - Birthplace of Harry S Truman

Pats won fair and square. In the super bowl of the 07 football year, in the final drive, Manning was about to be sacked, but a face mask saved Manning, allowing him to make the throw, allowing NY to score the final and winning TD. Nobody ever talks about that, where were the refs.

That is football as much about life as anything in our culture.

Although he caught the ball it was never completely secured, one bobble is not secure.

Nobama 2012, vote republican.

PS my insight has noticed that Tom Brady is making the statement that winning is not all I want. If one remembers all the flack the 07 Patriots took, it centered around the Patriots only caring about winning. Tom let fate decide who should go to the super bowl by throwing the long bomb interception with just minutes remaining. Nobody ever says NY really lost the 08 super bowl, whats up with that?

The chatterers are presuming that Newt won SC because he attacked the media. My take is that he showed that he was willing to go on the offensive. For all his warts and baggage, Newt has the gumption to challenge the status quo and the media. However, his false steps like the Pelosi Ad, trashing the Ryan plan as "right-wing social engineering", telling conservatives "the era of Reagan is over", and now trashing Romney and Bain for practicing capitalism are all strikes against. I still yearn for Herman Cain to re-enter the race, but wish I could hear something more forceful from Santorum or Romney, like "Hey, we invested our own money, and stood to profit or loss from how that worked out. Anybody can gamble with house money, or taxpayer money, like Obama did with taxpayer money at Solyndra, etc. No, we didn't bat 1.000, but we kept and grew businesses, turned profits, and kept people on the jobs where the enterprises were productive. Obama promised after winning the election " We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." How many "programs we don't need have been eliminated by the Obama Administration? How many have been made "Lean" to operate cost-effectively? The EPA budget is up 35% since the Bush administration, is the air or the water 35%. We're still net 5 Million jobs in the tank after Obama's election, yet the most secure job in the country is working in this administration. Apparently, everything in Washington is "operating in sensible cost-effective way", or President Obama would have taken steps to make it that way, right? Or maybe he would rather play golf or vacation in Hawaii. Let's give him a permanent opportunity this November.

I don't want to see Newt as President, but I'd LOVE to see a debate with a neutral moderator between Gingrich and Obama; no teleprompters, no earwigs, no live audience distractions, just an hour of questions and conversation.

Hi Burt,

Just posted on your other column (Barbour's pardons) and went on to read this one. My add on the Sunday games: Four Ole Miss players, one on each team. I about had an attack of the vapors during the Baltimore loss (Michael Ohr,) and could not bring myself to finish Eli's game, but was thrilled for the Giants win. We may not have the greatest politicians, but Mississippi has some hell of a great football players! Benjarvis Green-Elliott and 49ers and Dexter McCluster in K.C.

Hotty Toddy!!