Newt Gingrich and the Democrats’ Blue Dress Problem

Newt Gingrich is the first Republican to officially announce his run for the 2012 Presidential nomination and this presents a potential problem for the Democratic election machine. If they are very lucky, the folks vying for the nomination will take care of Newt for them. If not, they will need to come to terms with the impeachment of President Clinton.

When it comes to politicians and elections, the Republicans excel at branding, and Newt is already a very recognizable product. He comes with his own base, his own fund raising machine, and a platform that is well-documented and has changed little in more than thirty years in politics. Even if he does not ultimately receive the nomination, he is guaranteed to make a very strong showing.

There is a very real possibility that Gingrich will become the Republican nominee though, and this should worry the Democratic leadership a great deal. The number one weapon in politics is exposing hypocrisy, both real and imagined. Newt’s is very, very real when it comes to his history of infidelity. He led the charge in the Clinton Impeachment Hearings ,even as he was having an affair with the woman who would become his third wife and potentially our First Lady.

Gingrich’s nomination would present quite a dilemma for the Democratic Party. Modern realpolitik depends on a faction backing its nominees and sitting officials without deviation from the party line, and to face any opposition with a united, aggressive counteroffensive. Again, the Republican Party is very skilled in this; the Democrats rarely manage it and the Clinton Impeachment was one of the few times they pulled together and pulled it off. Fighting for the Independent vote among the family values set, if there even is such a thing, will require the liberal demagogues to reverse their earlier position. They will be forced to declare that President Clinton’s impeachment was justified and that having an affair is bad enough but lying about it is an offense that should cost you the Presidency.

This ought to be interesting.

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