Howard Fineman Discusses Newt Gingrich On 'The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' (VIDEO)

Howard Fineman appeared Thursday on MSNBC's 'The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell' to discuss the recent resignations of multiple senior campaign aides to Newt Gingrich.

Fineman explained, "I think the staffers, the ones that I know, have been unhappy from the beginning with the way Newt Gingrich was trying" to run his campaign.

Summing up his feelings about Gingrich's presidential campaign, Fineman said, "it was never clear to me at all that he was ever really serious about it. And now we know for sure that he wasn't, at least in the eyes of all the people who quit today."

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Comments

[bmora]

09:14 AM on 06/10/2011

I have never heard Newt say an intelligent thing. Never.

[tinri]

08:47 AM on 06/10/2011

The Newt Gingrich campaign is a Fred Thompson campaign redux.

[big tom]

07:57 AM on 06/10/2011

finally gone... how much has he stolen from tax payers over the last 30 yrs....

[mpilkanis]

07:26 AM on 06/10/2011

Gingrich hasn't been a viable political entity since the Clinton administration. His absurd and laughable comments have been one of the staples of political satire for years. His vanity candidacy was just that - vanity. The fact that he crashed and burned so quickly comes as no surprise, what is surprising is how long the staff members put up with the nonsense. If even your acolytes can't stand you anymore, it's time to hit the showers. At this point the only person who doesn't realize that Gingrich is toast is Gingrich.

[ken derow]

05:47 AM on 06/10/2011

Is Newt going to remain in the race, I think the more relevant question is whether or not Newt was ever really in the race for the long-haul from the beginning (gosh, was the beginnng really just about 2 months ago-how time flies). Newt, the original model for the Pillsbury Dough-Boy, is soft, and, I'm not referring to his body-type, but, to being a truly disciplined politician, the fire in hs belly, was more likely from one hot taco too many, rather than a burning ambition to become President. Newt's best role is that of effete gadfly, and, all around PETA, to all others, including those in his own party. Somehow, Newt felt the need to recharge his spent batteries after a few "hard" weeks of campaigning, by taking in the inspiring sights of the Greek Isles, sipping fine wine, and, no doubt, re-thinking the disastrous start to his fledging campaign.

Newt, your time came, went, and went again, you are old news in a world with a 24-hour attention span. You made a successful transition back to private life after your House stint in the nineties, and I suggest you take the same road again , after all, you like to keep a runnning tab with the great jewerly store Tiffanys of around five-hundred thousand dollars, and the salary of the President is only four-hundred thousand a year, the financial burden would obviously be to great for you to bear.

[hollace]

05:09 AM on 06/10/2011

.......OPA!..................

[Tugar]

04:55 AM on 06/10/2011

GUYS, DON'T SWEAT IT ! .... Newt's toast now !

His "Breakfast at Tiffany's" tabs will have to be paid by him, from an honest, respectable income now !

[ManwithaParachute]

03:54 AM on 06/10/2011

It does not surprise me that Fineman is close to those people

[centsable]

08:15 AM on 06/10/2011

What? He's been in Washington politics for over 25 years, you get to know people, nothing wrong with that, he's a commentator and reporter.

[Paintio]

01:58 AM on 06/10/2011

K-------Newt, don't go Newt, we need you. Has it occurred to anyone else that newts prefer muddy water?

[wanderingsalmon]

02:54 AM on 06/10/2011

Actually, the Cascade Spotted Newt prefers clear mountain ponds.....

[Paintio]

04:54 AM on 06/10/2011

This thing that you say fits not my metaphor friend, please un-say it. If you would be so kind.

[AwShucks]

07:15 AM on 06/10/2011

And the white fluffy one prefers the Mediterranean Sea and Ouzo .

[FrostyTouch]

01:22 AM on 06/10/2011

He may be a soulless, hypocritical mudmouth but at least we knew he could read.

[MAX1]

01:21 AM on 06/10/2011

Newt on National Security...

===============================================
Gingrich: Gov. Should Allow Some Terror A-tax To Remind Us
http://youtu.be/d4lLLxbbOf0
===============================================

... Is that what a Ginfrich administration would do?

[blknightowl]

12:36 AM on 06/10/2011

Hmmmm.....Rats from a sinking ship....

[Citydancer]

12:34 AM on 06/10/2011

We've been saying since he pre-pre-pre announced that he was only in it for the money and publicity. The media is always late. Newt and Callista just took to a luxe vacation vacation on the contributors dime.

[Brian Meadows]

12:19 AM on 06/10/2011

Mr. Fineman,

WHY is it not possible to at least START a political campaign on Facebook, Youtube, etc.? How else can a person with good ideas but no connections to the Beltway Establishment--and who wants to rebuke the money power--at least begin a campaign?

[ConfuciusSay-]

12:59 AM on 06/10/2011

Campaigns probably begin sometime in advance of the point you are identifying. There has to be preliminary work and the formation of an initial war chest to kick start the process.

If the candidate isn't an established politician, he/she would have to have a surrogate mass audience- eg a media personality, or a popular artist, or maybe a preacher, or union leader.
Without some core group support, I really don't see how a person "begins" a Presidential bid.

You might look at how people run for Congress or the Senate initially to get better info on this.

[Brian Meadows]

09:39 AM on 06/10/2011

Thank you for your prompt reply. After getting advice from another pol I trust, I'm shelving the idea of a 2012 independent campaign and am offering my services as a Democratic stump-speaker. I will, however, save your advice and work toward 2016.

[shrinktalkingheads]

01:14 AM on 06/10/2011

Facebook, Youtube and other social media outlets can be part of an overall media strategy. but you need commitment from people with seed money. And those folks are reached with more personal glad handing . . . $500 per person dinners and hardcore fundraising techniques where high rollers can "look under the hood and kick the tires."

And of course, wink, wink . . . come to a personal understanding that in exchange for my large cash contribution . . .

That's my take on it anyways.

[Ponderus]

12:01 AM on 06/10/2011

More commentary from the Village People.