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

[ObamAtomic]

Pork Head is irrelevant,and (B) do not cry this time,funny ,eh?

[theducator]

Oh, you Reaganites and RepubliCains,

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes...again

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...strangers hand
In a...desperate land

Thank you Mr. Gingrich
Thanks to The Doors.

[jdw1981]

The only people who are "desperately in need of some stranger's hand" right now are the very wealthy who are trying to panic everyone in order to ram this Bailout down everyone's throat.

[JiminNC]

Why does Gingrich have access that other citizens do not?

[watchbird]

Good question! Gingrich acts as if he is still a member of the House of Representatives. He should sit down and shut up.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

the American rules of Politics after leaving office and earring a living have access to several job careers which also provides the MSM with a pool of last minute guess to fill the seat. on Sunday morning talk shows.

Lobbyist
Think tank member
Professor of well known universities
Owner of a think tank (president or CEO)

Newt has his own think tank and guess who is the CEO.

these jobs also

[MyVoiceHere]

All Democrats running for election need to start off saying that it was a Republican plan sent to Congress by the Bush administration. The Republicans call it the Paulson plan using Paulson as the scapegoat.

[Clarabell]

I would be very surprised of Boehner didn't know about this, and wasn't in on the stunt. I could tell from the way things were going several days ago, that the Republicans wanted this to be a Dem thing, do that they will be blamed for the outcome (which is likely to be not that good, if not horrible) if the bill had passed. But luckily, the Dems seem to be onto their tactics and so didn't get left holding the bag. It sure is interesting to hear all the outfall, but Barney Frank got it 100% right.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Nancy is a very smart woman. Just because the republicans keep saying nasty comments about her does not make it the truth.

Impeachment was taken off the table because the democrats need republicans to have enough votes.
the voters didn't put 60 democrats in the senate to pass and enough to override the president's veto.

But every time the republicans have a camera and mike in front of them they use the buzz words that the democrats are in charge.

[JoeBlough]

"passion for the taxpayer's money" - That would be Bush and the $100s of billions wasted on a dumb occupation.

[goldcoastsailor]

Next Gingrich is lower than whaleshit

[Clairvaux]

Newt thinks somehow, someway he can be president.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ...

[deeppeace]

I knew his whole family. They're freakin' delusional, every one of 'em.

[weeklyworldnews]

Bailout Boy to the rescue!

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/celebs/bailoutboy/

seriously - this needs to be solved soon......

[jdw1981]

This only needs to be "solved" soon if a reasonable solution completely unlike the Bailout Giveaway package that was presented yesterday is presented. Why is everyone falling for Bush's panic strategy? I guess if the media parrots over and over that a dire crisis is imminent, the hypnotic effect works.

FACT: Dennis Kucinich is against a Bailout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAGzLfmV4Ks

FACT: Michael Moore is against a Bailout:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=235

FACT: Al Gore said last weekend that a Bailout is much less important a priority than a renewable energy strategy:
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_10577439

This shouldn't be about Democrats vs. Republicans scoring political points against each other. It should be about sane citizens not succumbing to Bush's imperative. Obama is wrong on this issue, along with McCain, Pelosi and Boehner. There should be NO BAILOUT.

[pakiman]

Here Here!

[littleddemocrat]

Newt is very deluded if he thinks he can be president. Contract on America, anyone? He'd poll lower than Huckabee. Guiliani territory.

[ObamAtomic]

Hear me,,nod,,,,to you.

[onenation]

Newt stabed America in the back. Anything to have a run at the whitehouse? Do the NeoRepublicans have no honor? No, they have two religions. God (judao-Christian) and Reagan(Ayn Rand done by an actor with a deep voice)

[deeppeace]

What's scary is how few people remember that.

[MedinaM]

I heard about this story this morning. Gingrich is sooo shady! He's basically ruined his chances if he wants to run now.

[bluemike]

Newt should stick to abandoning cancer-stricken wives, cheating on another wife and receiving "intimate" kisses from another man's wive in her/their driveway. No one should pay attention to this yo-yo, let alone vote his way.

[mafina]

He needs to send Purdue a message about the gas shortage in GA. Advise, quit making the gas shortage a political fiasco. There is no gas shortage. This is a stunt to keep early voters out of the polls. Every repub on ballot this Nov.

[mafina]

The GOP is trying every underhanded trick and being exposed and defeated at each stance. This is what the American people have to show to the world, how corrupt this electoral process of presidential election can become when it is a win by any means necessary.

[Clarabell]

This whole thing was nothing but a ploy on the Repub side, to stick it to the Dems. Thanks Nancy for not falling for this.

[Slackajawea]

WTF? Newt Gingrich hasn't held elected office since 1999.

[Cakey4814]

When I heard that Gingrich or "Grinch" as he's known in other circles was involved that was my same reaction..WTF are they listening to him for? However, I also heard that he was responsible for McCain picking Palin so...