I am not affiliated in any way with any of the candidates, but have decided that I think Newt would do the best job as president.  I will start by saying that what I am looking for in a president is as follows:

1.  I want someone who can and will set us on a course to balance the budget, will improve the economy, and will improve the quality of life for Americans

2. I want someone who will make government smaller, increase freedom, and promote conservative values

3.  I want someone who is pro-family, pro-life, pro-America, and who will stand up for our values, tradition, and culture

4.  I want someone who will protect the security of Americans and promote peace through strength

5.  I want someone who will make the case to Americans for small, effective, limited government, personal freedom, life, family, and the American way

I have carefully looked at each of the candidates, and for a long time looked for a knight in shinning armor.  However, that is not what we need.  We are America.  We need a minuteman.  A freedom rider.  In our history, the greatest of our presidents and leaders were deeply flawed men.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others owned slaves.  Alexander Hamilton had atleast one affair.   Reagan signed a liberal pro-abortion law, divorced and remaried.   I could go on; but the point is that many of the greatest political leaders of our country have been flawed, imperfect individuals.  What we need today is a great leader.  Not someone who is a saint; not someone who is perfect; we need someone who can change Washington.

From 1994 – 1998 Speaker Gingrich did what needed to be done to turn our country around.   First, he did the politically impossible, he lead the Republican Revolution, and with his Contract with American the GOP took control of the House for the first time since 1952.  He did what Reagan could not do.  He made the case for conservative values so well, the House turned GOP for the first time in 40 years.  Second, he kept every article in the contract.  Every single item he agreed to bring to a vote was brought to a vote.  He didn’t win every battle, but won many.   His victories include cutting taxes, balancing the budget, and reforming welfare.  All with a democrat as president. 

Soon after Gingrich left Washington, Washington went back to business as usual.  A GOP House, a GOP Senate, and a GOP president unbalanced the budget.  The fact of the matter is that Gingrich was not just along for the ride, he was the leader of the revolution, and when he left, the fire slowely burned out.  The GOP won in 2004 based on social issues and national security.  The GOP that won the House in 2010, frankly, has not performed nearly as well as Gingrich did in 1994.  Poll after poll shows that Obama is unpopular, and at the same time that voters are not very excited with the GOP.  Obama polls better against every GOP candidate and better against a generic GOP candidate than he does against no-one.  In other words, there are voters who do not approve of Obama, but also do not like or trust the GOP.  As Speaker, Gingrich offered a clear comparisson between the GOP and Clinton.  He won based on having a better plan and a better idea.  In 1996 Dole lost to Clinton.  Why did Dole lose whereas Gingrich won?  Because Gingrich campaigned on something and did it.  He outlined a clear vison, and a clear comparison between his vison and Clinton’s.  Dole, meanwhile, ran as simply someone who was a generical Republican who was not Clinton.

In today’s race for the GOP nomination there are several candidates who claim they are the best.  We have only one who actually was in a situation like this before and turned the country around.  That person is Gingrich.  Gingrich alone has the depth of knowledge, the experience, and the ability to beat Obama and to turn the country around.  People often say the devil is in the details.  For Gingrich, he knows and can talk on the details.  Cain and Perry fall short when they need to talk in more depth.  Romney contradicts himself.  Gingrich and Gingrich alone is the best candidate to make the case for an alternative to Obama (rather than just the case against Obama), and he and he alone is best possitioned to actually govern in a way that will balance the budget, improve the economy, and turn the country around.

I did not expect to endorce, but I choose to endorce Gingrich now because he, and he alone in the GOP field, can — not only make the case against Obama — but can actually provide a realistic alternative.  Obama will be running against a person.  His plan is to attack that person and take the spotlight away from his failings.  Cain’s 999 plan is a target, and Cain has failed in defending it.  Perry failed to show he can defend his plans.  Romney is a flip-flop and will be used in attack adds against himself.  Gingrich will be attacked, but showed in the 1990s, and has shown his time around that he can fight back.  Gingrich can hold the banner for conservatives, and fight the fight of ideas against Obama.  In 2012, the race will come down to what the GOP candidate’s vision is.  Only Gingrich can win that fight.  In the end, the election will be won as American won its independence, not by a knight in shinning armor, but in a leader — like Washington — who is flawed and imperfect, but who has the will to fight again and again, and the cunning to fight in a different sort of way.   Gingrich showed that ability in the 1990s, and has shown it so far this campaign.  I believe he has what it takes to win the battle for the White House, and then to win the wars to balance the budget, right-size government, and promote conservatism.