Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú

Dear Justin,

Your anti- Republican bias is so evident that your article on Newt Gingrich is ludicrous. Go back to the UK where the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is more comfortable preaching their anti-USA morality to the world.

Rgds,
Shovan Das

Since Mr Gingrich was never a senator, it is fortunate that Mr Webb did not use his glib line adapted from the late Mr Bentsen.

What should we expect from you a liberal non-objective, non thinker! You keep trying to think for Americans when all you can do is spout what your editors tell you to spout. To bad we have our own minds now and you are having no influence on it. Keep trying and keep becoming more and more bankrupt!

Justin's views are well balanced, and I dont see the point in the remark made by Sobhan. Well, I am from UK, but that makes me no less eligible to comment, and to wonder what Justin said to provoke such a comment.

More drive-by media..... You had my attention and wasted your opportunity to say something ...... anything.... meaningful about about Newt, the Republicans, the Democrats, Margaret Thatcher, etc. The only meaningful message conveyed was that you and journalists like you (which comprise the vast majority of journalists) have no Big Ideas. You are bankrupt of any ideas. You must have sat down at the keyboard and had nothing but hate of conservatives on your mind. Go back to Journalism 101 ...... I would hope that your journalism instructors would be embarrassed at such tripe coming from one of their own.

dear justin

I agree with Shovan Das, your obvious "Anti-republican" bias is making your article very "Anti-usa". I suggest making the article "Anti-Democrats" and "Pro-USA".

Nice little insight there Justin, thanks. Not sure what Shovan Das's beef is (comment #1); I didn't detect any bias, except the frightening idea that "Lady Thatcher was a friend of mine" - yikes!

The Yanks seem to be conditioned to see bias everywhere these dys. I blame Fox. ;-)

It is truly amusing watching the Republican leadership, present and past, try to doll up their image and repackage it as something sane Americans would want to consider. Well consider this about the Party of Values. We have sat back and let a known rogue state develop and test nuclear weapons ( N. Korea) and attacked other sovereign nations that did not have nuclear weapons (Iraq). The Iraq debacle is costing the U.S. 2 billion dollars a week with no end in sight ( Not a value by any measure). Afghanistan has become, on our watch, an uncontrolable narco-state that is soon to begin engaging, according the advice of Senatorial Leader Senator Bill Frist, the Taliban! Pakistan is one coups away from becoming a nuclear armed version of iran. The party leadership has been beheaded by scandals, corruption and the Jack Abramoff scandal (ongoing). Party "leaders" have been led off to jail, indicted and or publicly humiliated by brazen criminal acts that are both startling and reprehensible in their overwhelming audacity and lack of humility. And finally, the attempt to cover up the actions of a well know pedophilic sexual predator in their midst. At the end of the day, have the Republicans no sense of honor and decency? Our leaders have shamed and dishonored our great nation and the sad part is they are the last ones to figure this out. Everyone else has known about this shameful situation for a long time. God bless the United States of America, save us from ourselves.

Justin,
Just bad journalism Justin. Biased, opinionated journalists like you are the primary reason why I cannot take the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú seriously anymore as a key source of news. Just present facts. Present clearly biased opinion as fact at your own peril - witness viewership polls of US television / cable news programs. The Fox fair and balanced, rational approach is overwhelmingly dominant with US viewers. A simple fact - it's a free journalism market, and that's the result. I guess since Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is somewhat of a monopoly in the UK, you have no worries? I.e. you can shove your biased opinions down the throats of Brits with impunity?

Dear Justin

I wish you had written more on Gingrich's visionary, ambitious personality. I mean, here's a guy who called the War on Terror "World War 3", a slight contrast from what was said by Norm Podhoretz in the Commentary Magazine where he called the War on Terror as "World War 4";Cold War bieng the 3rd.

Its the right wing that is gaining the majority in America, with organisations like CUFI (Christians United for Israel) giving him full support; it obviously means something. We're talking a support base of 40 million for Newt and the Republicans (13% of US Population) should they keep on pursuing the aggressive stance in WW3 for the protection of Israel.

Please, whenever you come across such powerful and influential politicians, try to extract as much as possible out of them.

No I think Mr. Webb is right, in the main. Newt is not a player for small victories. He plays strategically and for the big prizes. Bush may not be Thatcher but Newt comes close. The republicans, with thier badly planned plotted theories and thier absolutely avoidable failures need to get back to guys like Newt who make promises and keep them. They need him but he is not of them. He cuts taxes and spending. He believes in small government. He believes in effective governance and nuanced directed legislation. These are strange themes from the past for the modern republican. There are not a lot of republicans like Gingrich left. One wonders why they are in the republican party at all. Gingrich's loyalty to his party is as self-sacrificing and ultimately as self-destructive as Powell's loyalty to the man who presently pretends to fill the chair in the oval office.

The republicans can weather this storm because the democrats have no agenda - certainly nothing on the level of Gingrich in his glory days. But they will need the competant ones like Powell and the thinkers like Gingrich. Perhaps power will move thier way. It is to be hoped. The present crop of empowered republicans is a national embarassement.

Newt is just what the House Republicans need, now more than ever. The Republicans have strayed from the "Contract With America" and their bold promises from ten years ago about reducing the size and scope of the federal government. Should they still have control of the House following 7 November, there will surely be a shakeup of the House Republican leadership, and not just because of the Foley scandal. Unrestrained federal spending, ethics problems, to name a few, have cast a cloud over the present House leadership.

Newt needs to get behind BOB SMITHER in Tx-22 or that district will be lost to the Demos.

www.smither4congress.com

Smither is a conservative in the image of Newt.

Gingrich is a very fine strategist, an excellent power seeker, the problem comes once he gets it... then you better duck and cover

"The Fox fair and balanced, rational approach is overwhelmingly dominant with US viewers. A simple fact - it's a free journalism market, and that's the result. I guess since Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is somewhat of a monopoly in the UK, you have no worries?"

Watch outfoxing Fox if you really think that Rupert Murdochs corporation is unbiased . . . in fact just watch Fox news and it should become apparant that its nothing more than a right wing Republican propaganda platform similar to the Sun in England - opinianated biased and surprisingly owned by Murdoch. Also its clear from the format that this is an editorial/blog format and not a traditional piece of journalism couple this with the equal time for all parties enforced in the U.K and the result is that the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú can be wholly said to be less biased than Fox. If people keep poiunting out Republican failures might it be because they are failing? not because the world hates you which is waht you want to believe?

Reading comments from the right is always good for a laugh. Anti-Republican is anything but anti-American. Mr Gingrich is responsible for the present tone in Washington--a tone of intolerance and hatred, where there is no "loyal opposition", and instead the opposition is always disloyal. He is also the poster child of the hypocrisy of the right--standing for family morality, which Mr Gingrich has yet to practice himself. Mr Gingrich should go back to the Deep South where his message appeals to those with rebel flags in the back of their pick-up trucks.

Jack says that Fox News coverage is fair and unbiased. Given that Fox have already stated that their coverage is biased towards the current administration does he also believe that Americans should maybe start thinking for themselves instead of jumping on whatever bandwagon Fox News rolls out for them? Americans are so clueless about what their own Administration is doing it seems difficult to rouse them from their political stupor.

Dear me, we seem to have some Americans who can't take criticism.

Funny though, 'cause I didn't think that Justin Webb was criticising Newt Gingrich, he was just showing that he's a pure political animal, not satisfied to take half measures when he has a vision of what should be done in his country. Alot of people would say that's something to be proud of in a Republican politician, even if it does confound those non-beleivers around him (journos of all political stripes included).

As for an article being anti-republican (which I don't think it was) which 'makes' it anti-American, what a ridiculous comment, up there with the 'you're either for us or you're against us' of Bush, saying that if you don't agree with my entire opinion you insult me & my country/faith. There's a word for that: extremist, sound familiar?

Apart from everything that was written, this article is simply poorly written. It is difficult to follow, poorly organized, barely researched, less-than-cogent and trite above all things. Bias or no bias, it's not worth thinking about twice.

Just wanted to remind the "Texas Doctor" that it was Albright that was doing the electric slide with the North Korean's in the 90's when they promised not develop nukes. By the way, what did Jimmy Carter win the Nobel Peace Prize for? Oh that's right, getting hoodwinked by the North Koreans. So unless they were able to do all of this research and development since January 2001, I think we can thank Slick Willy and Co. for N. Korea's nukes.

Can I suggest the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú remove viewable comments from its blogs and simply have an e-mail address to send feedback to?

Otherwise you get what we see above: angry, irrational people shouting past you. It does nothing to encourage debate.

I think one can safely make some observations regarding the nature of the political environment here in the US based upon the well thought out comments here from the Newt fans. (#1 one from the very cutely named "Shovan Das" being a prime example, and a good name for him to use cosidering recent revelations regarding the former representative from Florida. I mean who would know more about Das Shovan than those from that most moral of parties, their expertise being both seemingly extensive and well covered by other memebers of their party.) It is easy to see that any sort of negative commentary towards the current party in power results in rude and usually arrogant responses that essentially are along the lines of "shut up and sing", a line passed on to the Dixie Chicks who had the affrontery to not cheer Mr. Bush. Mind you, no such restraints are present when commenting upon the opposition. The Americans are nothing if not confrontational and overly sensitive to any disagreement with their position. But then what should we expect from a country where being labelled an 'intellctual' is deemed an insult and being well educated a liability. No, much better to get our policies from the NASCAR/Budweiser crowd who generally sign up enmasse for any new war. Do note, though, the exceedingly small numbers of offspring of the current leaders that are actually serving in the military, or just for fun use google to find out how many of the core leaders in the White House actually served in the military in a foreign country - note: Alabama does not count, for those not acquainted with geography, though it certainly seems like a foreign entity.

As regards Newt and new ideas, well, he did have one new idea. In commenting on the current results of Republican rule he stated that all the Democrats need do is use the phrase "Had enough?" Some of us have indeed had enough.

Too cute by half, Justin. No wonder the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú (the Beeb, indeed, eh?) is no longer respected in the world. What a shame you can't report the news anymore. "Fair and balanced" - try it sometime, it is really more than a slogan. Of course you will never print this - too close to the painful truth.

Give me a break. Same song, second verse. Newt is a thinker--something foreign to journalists, dumocrats and the like.

I am a proud American AND I like what you have to say. The only thing Newt ever managed to do was keep Universal healthcare out of grasp for the American People. I cared for Ms. Thatcher. Although unperfect, she was a fairly brilliant politician. As for Fox News, I can say nothing in their defense. They continue to be the overgrown mouth of the GOP. However, I am tired of the assertion of many people on this site, that Americans agree with Bush, or Gingrich or anyone else from that motley crew. Most of us want peace, even the war mongers who put Bush in office. The problem is we have no real leadership. The closest I've seen is Senator Barrack Obama, he has the charisma and substance to do the west and the world alot of good.

To quote your written word "And Senator your no...". No what?

Newt Gingrich is the former Speaker of the House, he has never been a Senator, he has never run for the Senate.

If you wish to speek of American political figures the least you could do is a little research. But it is really no concern of yours, go home to England no one here cares what you think. That is why we kicked you out 225 years ago.

This column is typical of the increasing elitist arrogance of the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú as it has now seemingly entrenched its deliberate overwhelmingly leftist in tone political commentary. Before I left the UK for the USA nearly ten years ago the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú was somewhat 'liberal' in tone but not as bad as it is today, an often quite shrill, Guardian like echo chamber.

My understanding, as an ex-pat Brit, is that the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is a public broadcaster with clear public broadcaster responsibilities and therefore was and is "supposed" to be fair and balanced without taking sides, proffering thoughtful 'neutral' analysis. This piece is anything but fair and balanced. And the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú nowadays is anything but fair and balanced as the Iraq and most other USA/Bush coverage daily evinces.

This 'article' by Mr Webb has several snippy little digs at Newt who is from my now adopted home of Georgia. The overall tone is unremittingly critical and in places even patronising. Newt is one of the more advanced and thoughtful political thinkers in the USA. I dont agree with all his views - but that's of no consequence. Newt articulates a major plank of Republican thinking. There is little attempt to actually ventilate those views in this piece and allow the reader to draw his/her own conclusions.

Why the dig at Fox News? If he was a CNN or MSNBC commentator would you have made the same point, in the same way? Fox News actually has far more balanced left v right presentors and commentators than any other channel in the USA, and that is what the left cannot stand. There is now a choice. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú America News coverage is very poor, I stopped watching it several years ago, largely for the same reasons the chaps on the Ark Royal did!

I hope that there are a lot of us out here that don't want the return of Newt.

I also found it glib and not very informative. J.P., L.A. CA

I actually like "bias". I read a blog like this because I WANT the opinion of the reporters. I want reporters to use all their knowledge and instincts to come up with an opinion and then to justify and explain it. I may still disagree and sometimes think his/her reasoning is flawed (in which case I may stop reading) But this is SOO much more better than reporters writing things they know to be false just to "show both sides of the story". This "fair and balanced" reporting just intentionally confuses the citizens.

Everyone asking for "fair and balanced" articles all the time should be aware that this is NOT the universally accepted gold standard for reporting. "fair and balanced" is a rather new and questionable idea. I like the "a reporter's duty is to report the best optainable version of the truth" standard much more.

Just wondering if 'jacques' understood the concept of bankruptcy, you don't become more bankrupt you become closer and closer to bankruptcy.........

I couldn't pick up on any bias. I agree with Justin about the ludicrous comparison between George Bush and Maggie the milksnatcher. Just can't tell which one's worse.......

Newt is one of the best political players in the US and the Republicans need to listen to him to have a chance of staying in control of Congress

Justin,

I am not sure your article is biased or not as others have argued. I will say though, I got nothing from your article whatsoever. It seems heavy on opinion and lite on content.

I am sorry.

Mr. Webb exposed his ignorance of both US politics and the meaning of Mr. Bentson's quote as he mangled the famous quote to fit his biases.

There are few things more annoying then someone showing off by quoting an authority but transmogrifying the quote to the point it is meaningless.

Jack, Shova,

The American press has been muzzled since 9/11. I am glad somebody like Justin is keeping the politicians accountable.
I may not agree with his view on Gingrich but I do agree with the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's editorial board's approach. America needs more of that.
Fox News fair and balanced give me a break go back to tending your sheep in Ohio.

err folks complaining about bias...this is a blog...ie distinct point of view allowed and not supposed to be "objective". My mum lives in Arizona(she's originally a brit). She can't always discuss the news/politics when she has a dinner party because she says some of her guests somehow seem to take any sort of disagreement in their point of view as a personal attack, which spoils the entire thing. My mum disagreeing with her friend = "unpatriotic" = very angry friend, is unfortunate. For a European, this is crazy. For those of you living in the States that have not traveled outside. In Europe, it is common to have a passionate discussion where you disagree completely with another person and can learn from and enjoy your evening and leave not hating that person, perhaps even respecting them due to having learnt to look from a different point of view. I think its called mutual respect.
j

The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú (Blindingly Blundering Communists) propagandists only see the socialistic and stupidly simplistic solutions to everything, such as all Republicans are wrong and evil and all democrats are benevolent and no matter how inept and stupid their policies are proven to be, they must be correct and therefore, continued until we all die.

Newt, on the other hand, in his cogent and dry, straight forward way, plainly and simply states facts and ideas that can honestly stand alone as the truths they are. Thus, not needing hyper-emotional selling and truth bending, sob evoking hysteria to make his points, it seems that Newt leaves the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú cold.

Hey, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, be sure to check out all of the modern democrats. They can sob and whine. Sniff, cry, wheedle, miss-state facts, bring up extraneous material and claim the Republicans are pulling a terrible hoax when in fact what they claim has no basis in fact or, bearing on the current issues. Their (dems)only goals are power and wealth. If they help someone out on the way to obtaining these goals that's ok, but helping is not the goal. George Soros wants to overthrow our goverment and has bought all the players on the crazy left side. All he needs is just a few more red and blue state folks and he will run America, UGH!

Enjoyed reading your views and the over-the-top reaction to it by the conservatives that support Gingrich.

What is so sad is that the polarity of the state of politics in the US means that there is minimal compromise and, correspondingly, little done for the benefit of the nation.

Hi Justin,
Enjoyed the article and laughed out loud at the comments. Hilarious stuff. I guess the Americans still don't realise that Fox News is owned and operated by a foreigner. I guess this is about the only way a non-american can interfer with the elections. Keep the bias!

Wet you are all wet and don't have a clue. I wish "reporters" would report and just keep there political (obviously liberals) views to the cocktail parties they attend. Here is one little fact for you, Liberals have an excellent track record of being wrong about 95% of the time, and the 5% they get correct is just lucky. From FDR all the way to Clinton, not one had a clue about what is required of government to make a strong, secure and prosperous populous. Please note I did not say a bigger and more demanding government. They are very adept at more regulation and larger government.

The fact the liberals will never admit, is Newt makes them very scared, really honestly and deeply afraid. The worst part is Newt is correct and they know it. That is why they drove him out of the congress in the first place. Oh and as for that, where in the constitution or the laws of this land is a man not allowed to make and sell a (book) product? Answer: When it makes a full body slam of liberials.

Dear Doctor Texas, In fairness, you are quite wrong. It was Clinton and the Democrats who allowed N. Korea to build up nuclear weapons under their watch, while at the same time handing the N. Korean government aid and oil. The N. Koreans only made it KNOWN that they were doing this a few years ago, and Bsh just happened to be in office. If Gore had succeeded Clinton, we would still be in the same situation with N. Korea because they lied to everyone (and the UN is weak). So your hatred of Bush has clouded your comment. With repect to Iraq and Iran, if Democrats were in power, it's true, we probably would not have been in Iraq, but neither would we be pushing back against Iran, or N. Korea to stop them from obtaining nuclear weapons that can be fitted on warheads. Instead, Democrats would have their heads in the sand cowering and hemming to avoid any kind of struggle or conflict. That is not America, we don't run or hide when the time comes to hold our ground. Even if the American people elect Dems in the midterms, they will come to realize that the Democrats have a weakness and cowardice about them that does great disservice to the American people, and they will quickly send them packing on 2008.

HELP US!!!! THE REPUBLICAN'S ARE KILLING US OVER HERE!!!!

I find it utterly amazing that any of these posters can find Fox news "fair and balanced." Their comments say more about them and the extent to which they have swallowed the bait and submitted to the indoctrination of the bullies in power.

Yes, this piece does lean slightly to the left, but the commenters lean so far to the right that they're about to fall down. I wish they would.

We'll see if Newt comes back. I think he will.

Geez, where do these Rep attack dogs come from? As ashamed of I am to admit it, I supported the Republican cause for many years. Until it was hijacked by religious zealots and true conservative values (Govt out of people's live and fiscal restraint) went out the window.

From the vehement replies to such an innoucous commentary about Newt and the Republican party, I doubt I will ever come back to the fold.

"He also compares George Bush to Lady Thatcher (prompting me to think though not say, "I knew Lady Thatcher, Lady Thatcher was a friend of mine, and Senator you're no...")"

Justin, if Newt's comparing Bush to Thatcher why are you thinking Gingrich is no friend of yours? YE GODS! That's a DOUBLE segway!

One would logically expect you to think "Newt, I knew Lady Thatcher and Bush is no Lady Thatcher"

I am no FOX watcher nor a Republican nor a Bush lover but Justin! you are all over the map with your hate muttering against conservatives!

I welcome a return to the days of Truman Democrats, an intelligent Democratic Party. You are no Truman Democrat. Your left wing hate muttering brethern also scare me from voting for them due to their hate blurred objectivity.

We need clear minded reporters and clear minded politicians void of hatred and rage and the unconscious hate mumbling that goes with it.

Good God man!
Here I am with my busy day and gave a moment to read Justin Webb.
Every day my hopes for editorial leadership seem to be again diminished, or should I say dessicated? Ugh!

Takeover, plot, dessicated, seeker after power? Does the author realize how hopelessly biased all this appears to many Americans? In our country there is a vibrant conservative media, something this author may not have come to grips with yet. Please take the opportunity to wean yourself from this parochial, leftist EU mindset.

I am disappointed by the tripe that Justin Webb pawns off as analysis, as well as the furious one-liner diatribe of Doctor Texas. I think that this base sloganeering is what makes democrats the "Dumber" of the "Dumb & Dumber" two party monopoly we have in the US. The dems (and lefties in the case of Webb) only have criticisms of the current administration (and there are quite a few, even from conservatives). But that's not a platform, nor are the lascivious exploits of a now-disgraced congressman a solution to what we do about the future of Iraq, or Afghanistan, or the US for that matter. May be this is the reason why most of the real debate occurring in American politics is happening within the republican party. And I am still trying to figure out what exactly the democratic party believes in, other than republikkkans/bush-hitler/cheney-inc, etc are bad. So how about some real analysis Justin....Don’t the taxpayers of the UK, who foot your salary, deserve better?

It's quite obvious that a lot of Republicans have lost (if they have ever had) the capacity to stand criticism. So just CALM DOWN and get one thing into your heads: Being critical of Republican politicians does not mean being anti-US. As a free European I take pride in the following statement: I love America, I cherish the values upon which the US was founded, the most important being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I am grateful for the sacrifices Americans made to ensure Europe is safe and free. But the Bush Administration is jeopardizing these values and the respect America deserves for promoting them. America is great, but it seems to have lost its way under George W Bush. So I think all those who are pro-American should hope that nothing really bad happens until the end of 2008 and that the next administration, Republican or (even better) Democrat puts the US back on track.

Mr. Webb,

I would just like to point out that we (the States) are still mopping up the disasters your government caused/ fabricated/ designed all across the globe: Iraq, Who was it that re-drew those borders (?), oh yeah, Israel, well who thought that up post WWI (?). It appears that for all your talk (and please don't take this more than what it is I still love you!) Britton has caused more than its fair share of this discontent that we (USA)deals with today! Had we chose the other side in WWII do you really think we would have these problems today? Well? Harsh but fair question isn't it? Just remember, the people in this country protesting the war, refusing to do what is necessary were the same people that said "Let Europe fight Europes wars" all through out the last century. Thank goodness (for you) most of us didn't listen.

Regards,
Wayne

ps...go MAN U!

Have any big ideas of your own? You think you are so important. Go drink a martini and leave the thinking to a real man like Newt Gingrich.

I don't know why I continue reading articles put out by the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú. I guess its some kind of masochism in which I pervetedly enjoy being intelectually insulted and angered to the point of speechlessnes(sigh). Well, at any rate I know I can always depend on the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú and good ol' Justin to continue pleasing my sordid desires.

Jason (hick from Alabama)

Newt Gingrich wants us to think of the Republican party as the party of the, "big ideas." I've come to think of it as the party of extremes.

The Republicans who seem to frequent this blog reflect their party's leadership:they are people seeking simple solutions who are unwilling to accept the criticism of others. They are people unwilling to admit that the wrongful acts of the Bush administration have seriously damaged our international reputation.

If the polls are accurate, the November elections will mean new leadership in our Congress---and perhaps in our Senate as well.

Newt, Bush and cronies do not speak for, nor act in the interests of, all US citizens.

Which big ideas was Newt involved with? Enronomics? Welfare for Corporations? Tax-breaks-for- billionaires-screw-the-little guy? Can hardly wait to see the next big idea he has up his sleeve. He's a lifetime cast member on the GOP Shows: *Dealing for petro dollars* and *Who wants to be a pauper?*

It's so great to see Newt embarrassing himself again! Which GOP coverups and scandals is he involved in? These GOP hacks are all starting to look and sound the same.

Newt’s just another distraction from the real issues:
Election Fraud,
Lying to Congress to start a war,
Warrantless spying, and
Subversion of the Constitution.
With friends like Newt, who needs Diebold?

Newt Gingrich is a liar of a polotician and is a promoter of the Republican left hand sexual venue like Mark Folley . The only reason the bushie structures are bringing him back is because they are at the back of the closet and he is all that is left. As I think a lot of my parents and my deceased mother how any american could forget his battle to keep the Susan B. Anthony statue in the basement of the white house rotunda;I don,t know . It sure makes you think about Dennis Haserstat not remembering Mark Foleys' e/mail inquisitions by others . If Iwas a mother ;female voter and a dedicated non Talibanistic American[as I consider myself :I would expect Newt to go play marbles with Mark Folley and Cheney's little boy and get out of polotics. Gary L. Hendershot

Shovan Das should put his eye patch back on. His current President has dont more to damage the American image world wide that all those before him who held that office.

I am not a party man myself, however the bias I have noticed is in the implicitly derogatory comments made by many of your European friends many of whom seem to believe Americans are a bunch of Shepherds, Farmers, and Rednecks. I'd say its clear that these people have never been to the states or met the types of people they are talking about. So what's wrong with being a shepherd or farmer or redneck? This nation was fought for and founded by them, perhaps they did not attend the London School of Economics, but does that mean their oppinion should not count just the same someone who did? I can't honestly criticize a man who puts in an honest days work, and loves his family, God, and country whether he lives in Missouri or Massachusetts. Apparently urban socialized europe has no need for such men anymore.

I'm a British politics student. In British politics (as I have no doubt very few of you know anything about, being ignorent americans and all-no offence) we have had our fair share of scandels. The Blunket Affirs, Archer, Mandilson, damn it, even the Hamiltons! The American political system is so out of tune, with your "holy" constitution and exceptionalism. I'm amazed you get anything at all done with the gridlock from Congress. Your whole political system needs a good shake up.

My best wishes,

Steve

1. "You biased Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú people; I will never trust Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú news again! Bad journalist!"

Oh, wait, this is a BLOG. Perhaps you got lost? News goes in the news sections, with the other news. This is not a news reporting medium--blogs are not a reliable news reporting medium--this is someone relating a personal experience, and giving opinion. Seriously, what would the headline of this piece be if it was news? "Newt didn't give me the time of day?" "Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú reporter thinks of somehting clever while conducting interview?"

2. "You insulted my intelligence!"

This from the person who thought a blog was a news outlet. Look, let's just make sure we can name all the letters of the alphabet and primary colors, and work our way up from there.

3. "You only disagree with me because you are a Brit/liberal!"

Funny, I happen to have supported Bob Dole for president, happen to have opposed (and still oppose) Democrat Jim Doyle's Governorship in Wisconsin, etc, etc. Both of which require that I be an American. (Wisconsin is in America; I can understand you might not have known given #1 and #2.)

As an oft-conservative American, it is my patriotic duty to affirm that Newt Gingrich is, and always was, a policy imbecile, and a general blot on our sometimes-great nation. ("Blot" means he was bad, not that he was fat. You are thinking of "blob.")

4. "Have any big ideas of your own? You think you are so important. Go drink a martini and leave the thinking to a real man like Newt Gingrich."

David, you are really making us look bad. I mean, seriously: "Go drink a martini?" Was that, what, a James Bond joke? Please just go have a lie down.

Everyone, please: Stop making conservatives look like complete idiots. All you ever do is keep the (now tiny) set of good ideas held by the Republican party from getting implemented, because only the truly stupid ideas grab you feeble attention clearly enough to get passed.

"16. At 04:38 PM on 09 Oct 2006, Mike Robinson wrote:
...Mr Gingrich should go back to the Deep South where his message appeals to those with rebel flags in the back of their pick-up trucks."

You allude to some of the finest political slight-of-hand of the 20th Century - the Democrats become the party of inclusion.

When did Newt become a Southern Democrat?

My how they'd laugh at that one in the Rice household...and the MLK Jnr. one for that matter.

I'm shocked by all the angry feedback and accusations of some kind of unfair bias. If you look up at the URL, you'll notice the word 'blog' in the address there. That, almost by definition, means this piece is a reflection of the author's opinion and personality.

I'm shocked by all the angry feedback and accusations of some kind of unfair bias. If you look up at the URL, you'll notice the word 'blog' in the address there. That, almost by definition, means this piece is a reflection of the author's opinion and personality. Claiming to be an patriot while condemning someone's freedom of expression in the blogging realm is not only hypocritical but shameful to other Americans like myself.

Wayne Gailey, you had me in gales (excuse the pun) of laughter for a while but thought I should respond anyway. Don't worry your little brain about who's responsible for re-drawing borders. The solution to your problem is simple. Get out of Iraq and pursue your isolationist policies of Monroe. Believe me, the world will be a better place. And then you boldly say "Had we chose the other side in WWII do you really think we would have these problems today?" Well, that means your 51st state, Israel, wouldn't be here today, they being the reason the US is so hated in the Middle East. Do you realise that you've probably also upset whatsisname Shovan Das and many extremists who have so far enlightened us on this strip?