Just Two Speeches Away from The Presidency

Newt Gingrich is just two speeches away from being elected President of The United States.

I know there are questions surrounding his previous life – divorce, affairs, how he earned a living. But none of those questions is as serious as the questions raised about Barack Obama before his election. Remember?

Does being a Community Organizer qualify one for the Presidency?
Can a legislator vote “Present” on most occasions and claim core values?
How does one buy property from a criminal for less than the property’s value and claim a clean deal?

Can you hang out with domestic terrorists – open your campaign in their living room – and not indicate a kindred spirit?
Is it possible to listen to an anti-American, fire and brimstone preacher every Sunday for 20 years and be believed when you say you don’t agree with him?

How many Social Security numbers can a person have and how did you get one belonging to someone else?
If you’re willing to use underhanded tactics to disqualify your opponents so you don’t have to compete with them at the ballot box, do you have the character for the job?

I could go on.

Point is, Obama proved that Newt doesn’t have to explain himself to get elected. Actually, he really needs to ignore those inquiries and remind the pundits that those questions are designed to prevent discussion of the real issues – like Obama’s failure to lead. Newt has nothing to defend – it’s all old news, it’s all been discussed. Newt just has to capture the imagination of the American people.

So, that’s speech number one. And I wouldn’t waste time on platitudes like Newt relies on in his latest commercial – like, “working together with the American people, I believe we can…” That’s not casting a vision, it’s a platitude.

I’m talking about a speech that uses similes like Reagan used to use. Rhetorical devices that pierce the smoke and mirrors that the media elite use to make liberal views appear to be reasonable.

I want Newt to say things like, “On day one, my administration will offer legislation that supports the delivery of healthcare services and reduces cost by allowing insurance companies to compete for your business from coast-to-coast. I highlight that vision because it addresses a very important concept – a critical vision.

“When we are not a “United” States – it delights the liberals who want you to see your fellow Americans as different than you. You are haves or have nots, choicers or lifers, 1 percenters or 99 percenters, millionaires or impoverished, minorities or Republicans, Tea Partiers or patriots, Union or scab.

“I will say this clearly so that even the media will not be able to parse it any other way: That kind of thinking is inherently un-American and it will end in our lifetime.

“It will end because I won’t tolerate it. I will point it out, my administration will point it out, so it will be impossible to sell the people this American Slander. We will teach the world to recognize it and see it for what it is – a way for those who hate achievement to persuade Americans to turn from the fundamentals that made America great.

“Ask yourself, why would anyone subscribe to this kind of rhetoric? If the Liberal way worked, Liberals would be able to point to their successes – but after 50 years of the Great Society, War on Poverty, redistribution of wealth and power – they have no successes – just excuses – just blame – just guilt trips.

“People who believe in the American Dream turn from the path that takes them deeper into despair. And this is the first step in changing your life. Trust yourself. Take a different path. Imagine a better world for you and for America. Make it happen.”

I’m imagining an instructive, passionate, leaderly speech that relies upon history, a love of country and good humor to light our path. The speech gives us motivation to overlook the attacks and focus on the vision.

The next speech would be delivered at the convention. It would change somewhat from partisan argumentation to focus more heavily on An American Vision. Newt must promise we will go back into space and reap all the military, technological and medical benefits we enjoyed from a robust space program. He must promise we will drill for our own oil and gas and tell the Middle East to find someone else to fund their nefarious activities. He must say we will not tolerate communism in our hemisphere and we will change that within a generation. That speech must say we will get out of the way of business, we will get out of the way of religion, we will get out of the way of families and we will get out of the way of farmers – and we will have a new birth of freedom. And, he must say, we will end the Internal Revenue Service and implement a simple, flat and fair tax.

And then Newt must conclude something like this, “I am funding and convening a visionary task force for each of these goals immediately, so that the solutions can be debated over the remainder of this campaign and legislated by the first 100 days of the next Congress.”

And the discussion would turn to Newt’s vision and his election would be inevitable.

Be Sociable, Share!

•