Freedom's Just Another Word for Nuthin' Left to Newt

James Wolcott
Vanity Fair blog

From DougJ at Balloon Juice, we learn of Newt Gingrich's shameless-floozy attempt to attach his suction cups to the Tea Party movement and steer it to his own aggrandizing ends.*

Newt’s organizing another tea party:

Then, we should make July 4, 2009 “American Freedom Day.” Tea Party activists across America should plan to go out and recruit supporters from every Fourth of July celebration in their community.

Don’t we already have a name for July 4th?

This seems lot worse than saying “Happy Holidays” at Target. This is like renaming Christmas “Happy Holiday Day.”

How tiresome, and yet how completely in character, for Newt to profane the lazy-ass patriotic splendor of America's beloved summertime holiday with a lame-ass recruiting effort with him as bandleader. Newt's co-optation of the Fourth won't impinge upon me, since I will be spending the holiday as I always do, letting my eyes light up with wonder at the glory and majesty of a great tradition.

(More here.)