# Vote Gingrich in 2012, because we need a War President **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 5, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067 "2009-04-05T18:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/1 "2009-04-05T18:38:39Z")
On Fox News Sunday: > [@](#): > > Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told “Fox News Sunday” that he would have disabled the long-range missile before North Korea launched it, saying too many people “do not appreciate the scale of the threat that is evolving on the planet.” > > “One morning, just like 9/11, there’s going to be a disaster,” Gingrich said. “I have yet to see the United Nations do anything effective with either Iran or North Korea.” > > … > > Host Chris Wallace asked Gingrich: “So you’re saying that President Gingrich would have taken out that” missile? > > Gingrich replied: “There are three or four techniques that could have been used, from unconventional forces to standoff capabilities, to say: ‘We’re not going to tolerate a North Korean missile launch, period.’ I mean, the world’s either got to decide that North Korea is utterly dangerous … I’d recommend, look at electromagnetic pulse, which changes every … equation about how risky these weapons are.” > > South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, appearing with Gingrich, said: “In the countryside of South Carolina, at some point, you’ve got to back up words with action. … There have been a long series of … intentional steps on North Korea’s part, and little in the way of actions from the standpoint of either America or the international community.” Video and more text available at [Politico](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/20903.html) First, allow me to apologize to those who are on the floor suffering apoplectic fits. The words “President” and “Gingrich” were in close proximity in the quoted text. Please don’t blame me. I’m not all that far out on either the right or the left political spectrum, but I am pretty far out on the cynical line. I’ll come out and say that I believe, wholly and truly and with no caveats, that there are some people who wish harm on America: Newt Gingrich is one of them. A terrorist attack (or similar) on American interests (or even against an ally) improves his chances of retaking a leadership position. Whether that’s true or not or only in his mind is irrelevant: his posturing to project an image of the right man for that job and creation of a firm record of I-told-you-so clips is banking on the hope — yes, Newt hopes — that some form of massive carnage will take place in the next four to eight years. Granted, I’ll never stray into Truther territory, and doubt that Newt would have any opportunity to forestall an attack, but I do believe Newt hopes for harm to you and yours as stridently as the most ardent sports fan hopes for his team to win a championship. I believe a ticket made up of such post-fratboy GottaProvers will plunge the world into such economic and military chaos that the Bush years will look tame, and the current economic crisis look rosy. A Gingrich/Palin or Gulliani/Gingrich ticket will be a hammer looking to find a nail, looking harder than Bush did in Iraq for some semblance of infraction in order to launch a Bush-Doctrine (whatever that will have come to mean) attack to grab their place in history as a protectornator. Whether a preemptive strike or other action against N Korea would have been called for is an interesting question, so feel free to take the broken clock route and champion his cause. In the meantime: fuck you Gingrich. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/2 "2009-04-05T18:50:29Z")
They tested a missile. They attacked nobody. They knew it would work ,they wanted everybody else to know it worked. Big deal. How many countries have missiles? We have them and use them regularly against other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/3 "2009-04-05T22:51:27Z")
There is a power vacuum in the Republican party right now, and Newt would like to fill it in the worst way. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/4 "2009-04-05T23:26:23Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > A Gingrich/Palin or Gulliani/Gingrich ticket I think that interview is supposed to be priming us all for a Gingrich/Sanford ticket. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/5 "2009-04-05T23:29:10Z")
Didn’t work all that well, though. Apparently, they’re claiming it’s broadcasting from orbit, despite that. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/6 "2009-04-05T23:30:26Z")
> [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](#): > > There is a power vacuum in the Republican party right now, and Newt would like to fill it in the worst way. And that’s exactly how he’d do it! (Oh, come on, straight line, man.) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/7 "2009-04-05T23:40:48Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Vote Gingrich in 2012, because we need a War President ## That’ll never happen. America [will never elect a Catholic President](http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=83610326-3048-741E-5724001399989464)\*. \*Yeah, I know, but will REPUBLICAN America ever elect a Catholic President? The Baptist wing of the party can’t be too pleased with this development. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/8 "2009-04-06T00:25:10Z")
Can a guy that cheated on his first two wives really capture the republican nomination? And since we’re here, fuck that hypocritical piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/9 "2009-04-06T00:35:03Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Can a guy that cheated on his first two wives really capture the republican nomination? Quite possibly; Republican “moral standards” mainly apply to non-Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/10 "2009-04-06T01:03:12Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Can a guy that cheated on his first two wives really capture the republican nomination? McCain, Reagan, and Dole did, though I think they only did it for one wife each. > [@Blank Slate](#): > > And since we’re here, fuck that hypocritical piece of shit. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/11 "2009-04-06T02:27:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Gingrich replied: “There are three or four techniques that could have been used, from unconventional forces to standoff capabilities, to say: ‘We’re not going to tolerate a North Korean missile launch, period.’ I like this part. I mean, really… why didn’t anyone think of just telling the North Koreans they aren’t allowed to launch their missile? A strongly worded letter would have changed their minds, surely. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/12 "2009-04-06T03:00:58Z")
Following recent Republican policy, Newt would respond to a North Korean missile launch by invading Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/13 "2009-04-06T04:54:53Z")
Unleash Chuck Norris! ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/14 "2009-04-06T05:06:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I like this part. I mean, really… why didn’t anyone think of just telling the North Koreans they aren’t allowed to launch their missile? A strongly worded letter would have changed their minds, surely. [That didn’t work too well for Hans Blix, did it…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0hk9vaqWUg&feature=related)😉 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/15 "2009-04-06T05:58:44Z")
Um, it’s Newt Gingrich. He’s GOP, & he has to get through the religious right. Considering his personal life, he’s not going to win the morality moralist moralizers, & he probably knows it. He’s probably happy to have the career of eternal crank on the airwaves that Pat Buchanan enjoys. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/16 "2009-04-06T07:49:53Z")
I imagine his chances are minewt. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/17 "2009-04-06T08:03:52Z")
> [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](#): > > There is a power vacuum in the Republican party right now, and Newt would like to fill it in the worst way. Well, yes, he would be the worst way to fill it. [QUOTE=Rhythmdvl] First, allow me to apologize to those who are on the floor suffering apoplectic fits. The words “President” and “Gingrich” were in close proximity in the quoted text. Please don’t blame me. [/QUOTE] I DO blame you for the fact that I’m gonna have to take an antacid, and then go lie down with an ice pack on my head. Ohhhhhh, man, I feel sick. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/18 "2009-04-06T09:52:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Can a guy that cheated on his first two wives really capture the republican nomination? Be careful, Newt has just converted to Catholicism those two marriages have been annulled, they never haappened. Newt is born again pure. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/19 "2009-04-06T12:35:42Z")
Vote Newt in 2012! Nuke them from orbit, it’s the only way to be sure! ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067/20 "2009-04-06T15:55:33Z")
How does he know that Obama wasn’t going to take out the missile? The way I understand it, the military and the CIA have been watching this thing closely. The knew they had about a 5 minute window after the launch to decide if it should be taken out. During that window they would track it closely and make a determination as to whether the launch was a success. The latest news is that apparently the launch was not a success. The was no need for action. Crisis avoided. Now Newt, knower of all things, has his stupid talking points. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vote-gingrich-in-2012-because-we-need-a-war-president/492067.md?page=2)