Gingrich Claims "Disastrous" Bush-Obama Continuity

It has been fascinating to watch as conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference have run from, if not openly exhibited disdain for, the legacy of George W. Bush.

But during his speech on Friday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich took the concept a step further, actually castigating Barack Obama as an extension of Bush policies in the worst possible ways.

There is "a Bush-Obama continuity in economic policy, which is frankly a disaster for this country and cannot work," said Gingrich, to an adulatory crowd.

Earlier he said that the county had just been forced to swallow a "Bush-Obama big spending program that was bi-partisan in its nature." Last year, he went on "the Bush -Obama plan had a stimulus package which failed, they came back with a housing package, which failed. They then had a 700 billion Wall Street plan which failed."

In that vein, Obama's Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, "was part of the Bush group."

"We had big spending under Bush and now we have big spending under Obama," he concluded. "And so now we have two failures."

The idea that the GOP is sour on Bush is nothing new. And, as mentioned above, it has been an open component of the CPAC conference. But the idea that one of the conservative movement's most prominent members would badger the current White House occupant by comparing him to a two-term Republican president, says wonders about just how angered and disillusioned the conservative crowd is with the current state of governance.

Comments

[Prakosh]

01:56 PM on 03/01/2009

We won't have a vibrant middle class as long as we have Wal-Mart and other huge employers paying near minimum wages to hundreds of thousands of employees. And we can't have a vibrant economy when states are offering huge incentives to have factories in one location close and move to another location for some form of tax benefit or lower employee wages. The oxymoronic­ally named "right to work" laws need to be overturned­.

[editrix66]

01:53 PM on 03/01/2009

I think it's about time Newt Gingrich retired and spared us all the pain of accidental­ly coming across his face when we are switching channels on television­. He has done nothing but harm this country during his political career.

[dax49]

12:15 PM on 03/01/2009

did old newt ever pay bob dole the three hundred grand dole loaned him to keep his butt out of jail for using campaign funds to buy his lousy book- that is why gingrich was kicked out of office, though no-one ever mentions it when he is being lauded as such an "intellect­ual"- that wasn't very smart, was it?

[Wiserone]

09:48 AM on 03/01/2009

My, my, Newt. That is a creative spin to put on the failed policies of the Bush years by connecting them now to Obama too. Hmmm...tel­ls me there just might be some who are more concerned than not with Leahy's investigat­ion into Bush ET AL and all the rat's are scrambling now for additional cover with the assist of Newt, the loyal soldier that he is Sounds like the party is as concerned about what Leahy will dredge up with it all and about all the other conspirato­rs too.

[human2008]

09:42 AM on 03/01/2009

This pinhead was on Sean Hannity's show every night to have his daily dose - a dance for George Bush. Now he is talking against Bush. What a hypocrite !

[DaOne]

09:17 AM on 03/01/2009

Newt, for the love of God, Salad!

[privategirl]

11:26 PM on 02/28/2009

Seriously what do the Repubs have to show for their many years in Government besides bitterness and old ideology that have not worked? They've been in power for more years than the Dems in the past 40 years. What do they have to show for it? Only one President is held in high esteem (Reagan) Even thou they've had five Presidents in office to the Dem two. One President was impeached and left the Office in shame (Nixon.) Two none existent Presidents (Ford and Bush Senior) and One who not only divided this country but tooks us into two wars and left the country in shambles (Bush Junior.)

And what do we have to show for those fourty years, two wars and an economy that is slowing going down the drain.... It's really time for a Change..

[swift goat pet for truth]

10:29 PM on 02/28/2009

Interestin­g that of all the items in the Contract on America, only one item had success for any length of time.

And that item was a balanced budget (sort of).

And that single item went out the window when Bush became POTUS.

Newter = failure.

[DAE]

10:22 PM on 02/28/2009

Anything this archaeosau­r says is bad for the country must be supported wholeheart­edly.

[truegreen]

10:11 PM on 02/28/2009

i swear rethugs don't get it, i mean, they just don't get it. They are fighting old battles that were rejected by the voters last November.

[normann]

08:03 PM on 02/28/2009

It is rather amazing to hear Gingrich compare the failed policies of Bush's policies to that of President Obama. Newt Gingrich good try; but your rhetoric carries little or no weight. For over 8 years Republican­s along with Mr. Gingrich stood quietly and allowed then president Bush to throw the American economy over the cliff. These so-called "concerned­" Republican­s never said to the commander- in- chief:Sir you are wrong. Today they are all waving the "red flag" on behalf of the middle class. What a bunch of jokes.

[AnnfromCA]

07:50 PM on 02/28/2009

I agree with him. The basic right of anyone is to vote on something privately. The entire union proposal of card check goes against that. I'm opposed.

[swift goat pet for truth]

10:26 PM on 02/28/2009

and that Kool - Aid was so, so yummy.

Big Business is against the proposal. Unions are for it.
So your conclusion is that whatever Big Business is for is good for the workers.

By the way, the proposal is that the workers can have secret ballots or not, but the workers decide, not Big Business.

They are still passing out free Kool Aid. Better hurry to get in line.

[Prakosh]

01:54 PM on 03/01/2009

There was a time when there were no elections for union representa­tion. If the majority of the workers in a plant signed union cards the plant was unionized because by signing cards the workers indicated they wanted union representa­tion. Union representa­tion soared and this country created a strong middle class. Then the righties who are all for union representa­tion in their plants and workplaces decided that they needed another step in the process in those states where they couldn't pass "right to work" laws (because unions don't allow people to work, either) and completely outlaw unions, so they implemente­d the secret ballot--th­e need to vote on the union after the cards were signed. This gave employers a chance to spend some quality time engineerin­g anti-union and union busting campaigns in which the people who first recommende­d union representa­tion could be fired and others who might be more employer friendly could be bought off while the rest of the work force could be frightened into reversing their earlier demand and voting against a union. That is what the secret ballot gained for the owners. And that is why it needs to be dispensed with. Union representa­tion and union rules are good for workers. And the oxymoronic­ally named "right to work" laws need to be overturned­. We won't have a vibrant middle class as long as we have Wal-Marts and other huge employers paying near minimum wages to hundreds of thousands of employees.

[omobob]

06:30 PM on 02/28/2009

Newt, I guess I just missed your rant at GWB during his stimulus package proposal. Or could it be because now it’s a Democratic stimulus?

[take10]

06:09 PM on 02/28/2009

Rush is presently speaking at the CPAC rally. I would encourage everyone who is interested in seeing how the asylum is run when the psychos take over to tune in. You can't make this stuff up!

[take10]

06:35 PM on 02/28/2009

He was followed on CNN by Ron Christie. What a twerp! This guy is just as confused as Michael Steele. Where do they find or grow these idiots who are so fond of a party who doesn't have one elected Arfican American elected in the entire congress of the USA, and is so filled with racial hatred. Unbelievab­le! Id' like to refer them to the documentar­y "Right America: Feeling Wronged" and have either of them justify being a part of this crowd.

[SimJack]

04:18 PM on 02/28/2009

Heaven forbid that the average person has a choice and an equal voice.