The Truffle

Good grief. Newt, just fucking announce you're running next year and get it over with. Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich hinted Tuesday that he may enter the 2008 presidential race. And how long has the Newtster been "hinting"? Gingrich said on "Good Morning America" that he will take a look at his resources after he completes a series of workshops for his new advocacy group American Solutions. "Next Monday, my good friend and adviser Randy Evans will have a press conference and will outline a process for us to spend the next few weeks finding out whether or not there are enough resources to wage a serious campaign," Gingrich said. What, your ego isn't enough of a reason? It didn't stop Alan Keyes from running for office for the forty-seventh time. Speaking of American Solutions, it seems this is a real organization with its very own Web site These aren't just any old American Solutions. They're "American ...

Because if Rudy's personal life is red meat to those who pontificate on 2008, then believe me, they're going to salivate when the Newtster enters the race. He hasn't announced and he already has a detractor. So the writer of "Gingrich thumps the senator on Fox" (Aug. 6, Letters) praises Newt Gingrich as a dynamic speaker worthy of public support while condemning Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. While I usually say a public figure's private life is none of our business, Gingrich is an exception. This man left one of his wives on her sickbed so he could marry his mistress. Anyone who would be so cruel to another human being doesn't deserve our respect. KEITH ENSMINGER Merced Oh yeah, and Gingrich has admitted to fooling around on his wife while he was trying to nail Clinton. But never mind that. Newt has declared that candidates' personal lives should be off limits. Gee, dude, why don't you just wear a big placard that reads, "I'm Running, And...

Hint: his first name rhymes with "loot." Quick, someone do something about this America hater! Newt Gingrich has seen the future of the Republican Party, and it is in France. The former House speaker and leader of the Republicans' 1994 "Contract with America" has been hitting the talk show and Internet circuit with this message: Republicans will retain the White House in 2008 only if they copy conservative Nicolas Sarkozy's victory strategy in France — circumventing the traditional media, running as agents of bold change and cornering Democrats as protectors of the status quo. Sigh. Someone give the Newtster a calendar. Hint: it's not 1994, and America got about 12 or so years of the Republicans' "bold change." Your party is now the protector of the status quo, Newt. You had your chance and you blew it. People have been listening to the GOP candidates' positions on assorted issues. Ron Paul notwithstanding, the vast majority offe...

If it did, I would be the happiest person on Earth. Dismissing the GOP presidential field as a "pathetic" bunch of "pygmies," Newt Gingrich hinted Monday he might step in to beat Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. "If, in mid-October, it's quite clear that one or more of the current candidates is strong enough to be a serious alternative to a Clinton-Obama ticket, you don't need me to run," the former House Speaker said at a breakfast sponsored by the American Spectator. "If it becomes patently obvious, as the morning paper points out, that the Democrats have raised a hundred million more than the Republicans, and at some point people decide we are going to get Hillary unless there's a radical change, then there's space for a candidate," he added. "So you'll know by mid-October one of those two futures is real." It's really sad that Gingrich has no faith in '08 slate. I mean, they're the ...

Addressing a bunch of think-tankers with no sense of the real world, Newt Gingrich has recast himself as the Cassandra of the GOP. Addressing a conservative organization, the former House Speaker never mentioned the president by name, but his political point was clear. "If the Republicans run a stand-pat presidential candidate who ends up being on defense for all of September and October and who is seen by the country as representing four more years, the fact is that Republicans are not going to" win, Gingrich told the American Enterprise Institute. Guess what, Newt? By and large, the GOP race is all about standing pat. Everything about Romney, Rudy, and McCain have said have come to indicate that a. they have no idea what they stand for, and b. they really, really want the GOP base to come out and vote for them. That GOP base is reliable because a. they're guaranteed to never, ever vote for a Democrat and b. they're the only ones dumb enough to think four more y...

Yes, I have managed to finish that ginormous but fun freelance project. I just sent it in; now I just sit back and wait for that nice check to come in. Now that I'm back to the normal swing of things, it turns out that there is in fact a good side to Paul Wolfowitz's World Bank stint. Just ask AlterNet. My favorite reason: "He personally helped address the nagging problem of unequal pay for women by giving his 'female companion' a $47,000 raise." BWAH! The ever-diligent Elayne Riggs has discovered a way to discern your very own superhero identity. Mine is the Golden Dancer, and my secret power is twisting enigma. I've been peeking at Ilyka Damen's blog in recent months; she and her co-horts have interesting and thoughtful things to say. Via Ilyka et al., I've discovered Love Songs (Are for Losers), who has some sincere advice for immigrant bashers. And finally, Adorable Girlfriend is throwing those corn kernels in the ol' poper. Yes...

It seems that Tom DeLay (or, rather, one of his stand-ins) is suddenly interested in blogospheric civility. So much so that they're opening a discussion about it. In the meantime, a poll on Tommy Boy's blog finds that 78 percent of those surveyed think Nancy Pelosi's visit to Syria will increase terrorism. Whatta surprise. Meanwhile, Team DeLay is awfully quiet on the subject of Nick Lampson. Wonder why that is. Oh yeah, and DeLay's book, I Retreated, Then Surrendered, is #2,600 on Amazon's list. Newt Gingrich , meanwhile, thinks Gonzales should step down. ``I think the country, in fact, would be much better served to have a new team at the Justice Department, across the board,'' Gingrich said. ``I cannot imagine how he is going to be effective for the rest of this administration.... They're going to be involved in endless hearings.'' Nevertheless, Gingrich did praise Gonzales' fluency in English: "It's nice to see he doesn...

Actually, I suspect Tom DeLay falls in the cracks between crybaby and crazaaaaaaaay . Now, normally I'd hate to link to Faux News, but this headline is just too good to ignore. Lay-deez and gennelmen...from Faux News... Ex-Congressman Tom DeLay Insults Former GOP Leaders in New Book! Yes, the Bugman turns his rhetorical pesticides in the direction of Dick Armey and Newt "Never Mind My Sordid Personal Life, 'Kay?" Gingrich in his new book. The book is called No Retreat, No Surrender, an ironic title considering that's what DeLay did in 2006. For more knee-slappers, here's Buggy Boy trying to rewrite history on NPR: DeLay says he relished the business of "counting votes," but he doesn't miss being in the congressional leadership. "It was time for me to go," he says. "If you'll remember, I was the only leader that lasted the whole 12 years. And it's a pretty grueling job – to be in leadership and driving an agenda again...

From the "jokes writing themselves" department: Via Bark Bark Woof Woof, we find the Newtster trying to restore dignity and propriety to political life. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is considering whether to run for president, said Tuesday the personal lives of White House hopefuls shouldn't be an issue in the 2008 campaign. Note to Mr. Gingrich: Even if you weren't cheating on your missus while trying to nail Clinton, you need to realize that a lot of people won't accept a president whose first name is Newt. (Mitt sounds more businesslike, but still...) Really, these face-saving measures are a waste of time, dontcha think?

Come, let us relive the 1990s--a period when the music on the radio was oftimes of decent quality, nobody knew who Paris Hilton was, and we had a president with some governing ability and a first lady with a personality. Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrish are bringing back the nostalgia, mainly by reminding us all that they still exist outside the bubble of 2008 presidential predictions. Their recent editorial on Situation FUBAR is all about how we can secure Iraq once and for all and turn it into a stable country. They have all kinds of constructive suggestions that would be okay in their imaginary world but aren't too feasible in a country of religious groups that can't stand each other and ethnic groups that want their own country. We must try to achieve constructive and compassionate goals through conservative means--jump starting civic improvement and the individual work ethic in Iraq, without creating permanent subsidies. The goal is to get more Iraqis working, especiall...