Report: Gingrich Stabbed Boehner In Back, Whipped GOP Opposition To Bailout

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was working aggressively behind the scenes to defeat the Wall Street rescue plan minutes before he himself released a public statement in support of the package, NBC's Andrea Mitchell reported on Tuesday.

Gingrich was whipping up votes for the opposition, Mitchell said, apparently without the knowledge of the current GOP leader, John Boehner, who was responsible for recruiting enough support from his caucus to help ensure the bill's passage. Ultimately, the GOP was only able to rally roughly a third of its members.

"Newt Gingrich," she said on MSNBC, "I am told reliably by leading Republicans who are close to him, he was whipping against this up until the last minute, when he issued that face-saving statement. Newt Gingrich was telling people in the strongest possible language that this was a terrible deal, not only that it was a terrible deal, it was a disaster, it was the end of democracy as we know, it was socialism -- and then at the last minute [he] comes out with a statement when the vote is already in place."

Indeed, as Mitchell noted, shortly before the bill's failure, Gingrich "reluctantly" came out in favor of its passage: "Therefore, while I am discouraged at the final collapse of the Bush Administration, and frustrated by the Democrats' passion for the taxpayer's money, I would reluctantly and sadly vote for the bailout were I still in office."

The rest of the set of Morning Joe had some interesting takes on the news nugget. Joe Scarborough called Gingrich's backstabbing of John Boehner "undercutting his own."

Mike Barnicle offered his own bit of reportorial insight: "Andrea, I could hug you for saying that, because I was told last night by two or they members of Congress that this was the opening salvo of Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign four years hence."

And Mika Brzezinski summed it up succinctly: "Talk about a crap sandwich," a reference to how Boehner described the bailout bill.

Comments

[w8aminute]

It's what Newt has always done best - stop progress, boost his own ego, and blame everyone else.
How he became such a 'messiah' to the right-wing neo-cons is just mindblowing.

[obamagal]

Here's a glimpse of Newt Gingrich behind-the-scenes. Check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAKjJOnVD60

[G8R4Obama]

Well, well, well.... so much for 'Nancy Pelosi's speech was the problem!' - Republicans are not interested in governing, they are only interested in absolute power. The US is in real trouble.

[chronic]

EXACTLY!!

This has been the situation with the right wing for decades now.

[shortgirl]

Newt Gingrich had to leave Congress for the same nasty crap that he is pulling now. Nothing new to see here.

[rmreddicks]

Right. I guess it's probably not odd that the 'news' folks never mention his ethical 'lapses'.

[HypnoToad]

See this is how many in the G O P think of everyday Americans, they are simply pawns in their political games. They put everything before country and ordinary citizens.

[Olerist]

Newt would sell out his children for air time and power

[cmilburn]

Of course he would. Newt has no agenda except "me first." Remember how he dumped his wife when she was in the hospital with cancer to take up with the other woman? Holier than thou Repubs will get in the end. And god bless Andrea for having the guts to say this.

[RabidRightRebel]

No surprise there, McCain already has forgotten about his first child, family values is just a campaign slogon!