Gingrich casts eye toward presidency in 2008

(via the Agonist)

Please, please, pretty please.

I think I share the sentiments of a large segment of lefty blogtopia when I say Gingrich is one of the ten people I most want as a representative of the Republicans.

Dude just reeks of unlikeability. I think he's at least as radioactive and laden with long half-life baggage as Hillary. Plus, we've already seen his tendency toward self-destructive hubris.

Also, like Hillary, he speaks to a certain constituency (you know, reasonably well educated, fairly wealthy white conservatarians who think they are radically more sophisticated and intelligent than they actually are) and this means he might actually peel away from George W's heir apparent. I'm thinking food fight.

Generally speaking, anything that sows division and brings out egos on the Republican side pleases me. Likewise, via Digby we get Adam Yoshida, everyone's favorite Canadian fruitcake, suggesting Roy Moore, he of the granite 10 commandments, would appeal to the conservative base in 2008.

Now, in general I regard theocrats with a racist following with some fear and suspicion, as, who knows, it would be very bad if Roy Moore developed some sort of enormous protofascist movement, but if you peel racism and religious zealotry from the Republicans, what do they have? Lower marginal tax rates for millionaires? Basically, in this circumstance, competing Republicans have either to more aggressively and overtly appeal to racism and fundamental Christianity, or to pitch that constituency off the side. Either way, bad for Republicans. I especially like that Moore has identified with a Third Party. Wallace revisited.