CQ's Crawford Suggests Newt Gingrich For HHS

Over at Congressional Quarterly, Craig Crawford is having himself an idea on who might be a good replacement for Tom Daschle. On the one hand, there's Howard Dean, who would have to find himself on better terms with Rahm Emanuel in a hurry for that to happen. On the other hand, theres...:

Gingrich? Now before you lefties have a collective heart attack, think about it. Something as big as overhauling our entire health care system will be tougher to get done on a purely partisan basis. There are Republicans who want to play.

Oy. If bipartisanship truly was the cure-all that people make it out to be, we wouldn't need universal health care. I'd just get my prostate evaluated by the House Judiciary Committee and call it a day. But, more to the point, while Newt Gingrich might be worth reaching out to on a narrow issue or two -- Newt's basically on board with the conversion of paper medical records to electronic versions, for instance -- it's impossible to see what you gain from having someone hostile to the cause of universal health care heading up HHS. One would presume that appointing Gingrich would create -- oh, I don't know...impediments? -- to an effort on which the administration has said it wants to go "deep and long."

So how does Crawford evaluate Gingrich's ability to secure the administration's desired reforms?

As much as it would infuriate liberals, picking Gingrich would be a hyper-bipartisan move. Would it confound the GOP into submission on health care? Maybe not, but it would be a bold move to change the political dynamics that have killed reforms in the past.

So, let's see. You appoint Gingrich, alienate your supporters, and then probably fail to "confound the GOP into submission?" Isn't that a high-concept recipe for defeating the purpose? Sure! BUT WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE "HYPER-BIPARTISANSHIP?"

Comments

[Osusuki]

Craig thinks he's funny. Most of the time, he is. Not this time. FAIL, Crawford, MAJOR FAIL. After what he's done, and what more he wants to do to this country, Newt deserves a cell at Gitmo more than a place anywhere in the government.

[grata2ude]

JUST SAY NO TO NEWT. Id' rather have one of Nancy Pelosi's rat be appointed.

[MaximMaximus]

As a janitor perhaps. Some physical work might help this 330 lbs panda to shed some weight. His faculties are useless otherwise.

[JohnLloydScharf]

Speaker of the House Gingrich was the author of the revolution that brought budget surpluses in our lifetime. You REALLY did not think it was Clinton, do you? Presidents can only sign or veto bills. They cannot write them.

[MaximMaximus]

The President and his cabinet can spearhead a bill. Gringrich and his cronies did squat. The so-called revolution he has led expedited the GOPs downfall. In that sense, I am quite glad. Gringrich is one of the biggest hypocrites out there. he's just another country dimwit whose marginally educated to impress the well-known GOP demographics.

[slarabee]

He can suggest whatever he likes but there is NO WAY that the Obama administration will appoint someone as divisive as Newt to a post.

[JohnLloydScharf]

Why would former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich want to betray his priniciples by attaching himself to a fiscal disaster that these next six years will bring?

Of course, like President Carter, what the US needed was another Democrat in the Whitehouse to prove how the principles of the Democratic Party are inept and dangerous to foreign policy and economics.

[J-Rome]

Let's see: Republican­s/conserva­tives plunge this country into a w ar that has resulted in the d.e.aths of 4,000 plus US soldiers, and 10s of thousands of Iraqi's in the name of i.mperi.al­ism, fail to capture the chief financier and spir.itual leader of the t.er.rorist organization that att.ac.ked this country on 9--11 and k.i.l.l.e.­d) approximately 3,000 US civilians, and somehow republican­/conservat­ive policies and ideals aren't dang.erous to the safety and secu.rity of this country?

U sir r an id.iot.

[Vladdycat]

Keep that flannel mouthed yahoo as far away from healthcare andthe progressive movement as possible.

[MajorKong]

I understand the concept of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" but this is still a monumentally stupid idea. You might as well put PETA in charge of McDonald's.

[Scarllatti]

Putting Gingrich in-charge of health care is like putting an undertaker in-charge of folks in the hospice.
Remember, even the devil can quote the Bible.

[Scarllatti]

As usual, water-mouth, Craig Crawford talks before he thinks. He once predicted Obama was not "electable". I wonder what he thinks now.

[truestarr]

Republicans DO NOT believe in universal health care. To them it's a complete boondoggle that is a waste of their taxpayer dollars. With a Republican in charge it WON'T happen.

[mcfried]

AAAH ! No. Also this bi-partisan stuff is getting old. I am all for talking to citizens who happen to be Republicans and most I know are reasonable but the party members themselves are not. Honestly you reach out and they see it as a sign of weakness. The only thing these blowhards understand is hardball. Enough ! The best analogy I have heard is the Republican are behaving like the naughty kid in class, you know the one who kicks and bites and throws a tantrum till everyone does what they want. I think it's time to stop caving and put them in time out where they belong.

[army193]

"This weekend, House Speaker Newt Gingrich admitted giving incomplete and inaccurate information to the House Ethics Committee regarding the role of a Political Action Committee in a college course he taught." This is just one problem... http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/december96/gingrich_12-23.html

[bpress]

I thought I was reading a 23/6 lol article. Then I thought about what you must be puffing! Forget the Newt. Since you are in fantasy-land how about Michelle Obama? She is an attorney and worked in administration at University of Chicago Hospitals. At least she has experience in the medical community and would be sympathetic to her husband's idea of universal health care coverage.

[naijaman]

Hey Craig...pu­ff...puff.­..pass, man! Let me get a hit of that bong you're smoking!

[jcwtts1]

no No NO NO! NO!! NO!!! NO!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!

We refuse to rehabilitate this jerk

[raymondjiii]

Why not just take it one step further and nominate Rush or Joe the (fake) plumber.