The 21st Century Contract has been downloaded 36,000 times

So reports Kathie Obradovich of the Des Moines-Register. Not bad for the first week. (And the number of views, now just downloads, is most likely much bigger.)

Here is the link to it on Newt.org. The download link is here.

Tony Lee of Human Events sent out two tweets about the Contract last week:

The strongest section of Newt's 21st Century 'Contract' is the jobs/prosperity section, specifically the optional flat tax section. (link)

Newt's Contract not just good bc of the outlines but bc of the explanations/arguments. Think many candidates will study up on it. (link)

Justin Arnold of iowa.conservativereader.com, who attended the Des Moines event last week, wrote an article about Newt's Contract.

I recommend reading the whole thing here, but I will quote the ending:

The bottom line politically is that Newt stacks up well to the rest of the field in many categories while largely lapping them in depth and substance. As the race wears on he, oddly enough, finds himself with many advantages to gain from and plenty of time to do it…and he certainly doesn’t have to worry about peaking too soon!

In terms of the release of the new contract and the impact it will have on his campaign the analysis is fairly simple. The concept of a contract with the American people was a great idea and a brilliant political vehicle in 1994…and it still is in 2011.