That's Crazy Talk

I really do need to visit The Nation website more frequently. Every time I do, I am educated and sometimes even amused. I got both yesterday (before Blogger took the day off). George Zornick did a listing of eleven of the most outrageous and nutty things Newt Gingrich has said over the years in celebration of Newt's announcement that he would seek the GOP nomination for president.

Now, I'm sure Newt has been verbally outrageous more than eleven times over the years, but Zornick picked his favorites, and the ones he picked are a pretty good measure of the man who would be president. My favorite is listed fifth:

“It doesn’t matter what I do. People need to hear what I have to say. There’s no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn’t matter what I live.” – [Newt’s explanation for why his multiple affairs won’t damage his political fortunes, as told to his jilted wife.]

(A fuller version of the story can be found here.)

Now, that's a pretty crass thing to tell the wife you've been cheating on. It is also, however, a pretty strong indication of the man's view of himself. He sees himself as a man of grand ideas and the ability to place them before the public. He's not what he does; he's what he says. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

And that's why I understand what I suspect is Zornick's view of the nuttiest thing Newt has said, number eleven:

“I’m running for President.” [5/11/2011]

Pass the popcorn.