Bongo, Bongo, Bong, I don't wanna leave the Congo
Newt Gingrich, Washington Outsider
By Richard Cohen
WashPost
For his doctorate in history from Tulane University, Newt Gingrich produced a dissertation titled “Belgian Education Policy in the Congo: 1945–1960.” Based on this and his other scholarly endeavors, Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage insurer, paid him a total of about $1.6 million to be a consultant on matters historical. Is it any wonder this agency is in a hole about $181 billion deep? With almost no knowledge of the Belgian Congo but with a smattering of history to my credit, I could have told Freddie Mac it was making bad loans. For that sort of “strategic advice,” I usually charge well under $1 million a year.
As Gingrich insists, Freddie Mac would not have hired him for his influence as former speaker of the House, Washington figure and constant presidential candidate. Not a chance. Freddie must have gone from campus to campus, imploring historians who actually gained tenure — Gingrich never did — to accept $1.6 million but found no takers. Historians are an industrious lot, and it would take much more than $1.6 million — not to mention car fare — to lure them from Harvard or Columbia or even nearby Georgetown. Fortunately for Freddie, nearby was a first-class expert in Belgian Congo education policy and so, naturally, it jumped at the opportunity.
Poor Gingrich. Once again he is being pilloried. Freddie is just about the Republican idea of the devil. To a man — and some women — the party holds it responsible for the mortgage debacle. (It would hold it responsible for global warming, but there’s no such thing.) Gingrich has joined in the merry condemnation and here it turns out that he was on the payroll, so to speak. But did Freddie officials listen to him? No siree. He told them not to make those unsecured loans. He stamped his foot. He held his breath. One time he didn’t eat for an hour.
(More here.)
By Richard Cohen
WashPost
For his doctorate in history from Tulane University, Newt Gingrich produced a dissertation titled “Belgian Education Policy in the Congo: 1945–1960.” Based on this and his other scholarly endeavors, Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage insurer, paid him a total of about $1.6 million to be a consultant on matters historical. Is it any wonder this agency is in a hole about $181 billion deep? With almost no knowledge of the Belgian Congo but with a smattering of history to my credit, I could have told Freddie Mac it was making bad loans. For that sort of “strategic advice,” I usually charge well under $1 million a year.
As Gingrich insists, Freddie Mac would not have hired him for his influence as former speaker of the House, Washington figure and constant presidential candidate. Not a chance. Freddie must have gone from campus to campus, imploring historians who actually gained tenure — Gingrich never did — to accept $1.6 million but found no takers. Historians are an industrious lot, and it would take much more than $1.6 million — not to mention car fare — to lure them from Harvard or Columbia or even nearby Georgetown. Fortunately for Freddie, nearby was a first-class expert in Belgian Congo education policy and so, naturally, it jumped at the opportunity.
Poor Gingrich. Once again he is being pilloried. Freddie is just about the Republican idea of the devil. To a man — and some women — the party holds it responsible for the mortgage debacle. (It would hold it responsible for global warming, but there’s no such thing.) Gingrich has joined in the merry condemnation and here it turns out that he was on the payroll, so to speak. But did Freddie officials listen to him? No siree. He told them not to make those unsecured loans. He stamped his foot. He held his breath. One time he didn’t eat for an hour.
(More here.)
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2 Comments:
Wow - Two negative pieces on Nwt in one day,... Newt gives (and has) plenty of room for criticism, I wonder if liberals wish they would have lobbed more spitballs his way instead of wasting them on Cain? Will Vox Verax show that they actually care about the full truth and give similar coverage to politicians like Barney Frank who helped to protect Freddie and Fannie?
No, Vox Verax will just regurgitate the same attacks that the media started with Bachmann when she had the lead, then Perry when he had the lead, then Cain when he had the lead, now that Gingrich has vaulted to the lead, he'll be relentlessly attacked.
There is one GOP candidate who the media is not attacking. The reason for this is clear - the media wants this candidate to face Obama next year ensuring that no matter who wins - Obama or the one GOP candidate the media is not attacking - the presidency remains, at least, center-left.
The GOP candidate the media is not attacking and whom the media wants as the GOP candidate is:
Mitt Romney.
And for this reason, Mitt Romney will not enjoy my support for the nomination. But, these attacks on GOP front runners will continue until Romney is the only one left standing.
Notice how Cain is now a distant third and the brouhaha over his alleged sexual harassment are summarily third place news. The attacks are focused on Gingrich now that he's in the lead.
And the liberals have the effrontery to tell us there is no mainstream media bias...
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