Human Events: Gingrich dynamic at Freedom and Faith event

I didn't see it until now, but Jarrett Stepman of Human Events wrote a terrific article about Newt's speech at the Iowa Faith & Freedom event. (For those who haven't had a chance to see it, here's the video of Newt's speech and the Q&A session that followed.)

Under the headline "Gingrich Dynamic at Faith and Freedom conference,:" Stepman writes:

Gingrich stood out because he stated clear and concrete policy ideas, discussed his opinions about the latest events in foreign affairs, and sprinkled in a healthy dose of history and beliefs about American Exceptionalism as well.

Putting the 2012 presidential contest in focus Gingrich marked the 2012 election as the most important since 1860.

“Next year we will decide whether the disastrous policies of class warfare, bureaucratic socialism, radical judges, and bureaucrats who treat us like as subjects rather than citizens will continue in office, or we will decisively repudiate an eighty year drift to the left,” said Gingrich.

And later in the article:

The setting for Gingrich seemed perfect and he received a far greater applause than the previous speakers. He demonstrated knowledge, ideas, and pitch-perfect political rhetoric that won the crowd over and will perhaps help his campaign on its slow climb to top-tier status.

Here's the link to the full article again.

(Video) More reactions from those in attendance at Iowa Faith and Freedom event

Link.



Link. She starts to discuss Newt at about the 1:58 mark.

Reaction from four attendees of the Iowa Faith and Freedom event

Link.

Some more of the reaction on Twitter to Newt's speech Saturday Night

Tony Lee of Human Events

Newt says Obama has energy policies that makes perfect sense in a Berkeley classroom but no sense in the real world!!! So True!!!! (link)

Gotta love Newt citing Montesquieu, Judicial Reform Act, TJ. Newt touches 14th Ad re personhood (re life) but not "jurisdiction thereof" (link)

Craig Robinson of TheIowaRepublican.com:

Newt strong at IFFC forum.

Gwen Ecklund, who is the Crawford County, Iowa, GOP chair:

It's pretty noisy in the back of the room as people leave early at #IFFC forum. @newtgingrich hit the grand slam tonight. #iacaucus

Jennifer Jacobs of the Des Moines-Register:

In audition w conservative Iowans, 6 candidates worked to outdo each other.Gingrich, simply put, was on fire.

Iowan Karen Fesler:

@newtgingrich as always doing terrific job. (link)

@newtgingrich giving outstanding lecture on the judiciary (link)

Jedidiah Bila, conservative columnist:

@newtgingrich really nailed it tonight. Very solid.

O. Kay Henderson, News Director of Radio Iowa:

Gingrich seems to get loudest applause of night

Dale Davis:

@Newt2012HQ I want to congratulate Speaker Gingrich on a superior performance last night in Iowa, at the Faith & Freedom forum.

Heath Reeves:

@Newt2012HQ GREAT speech in Iowa last night. I am sending video link to everyone I know and would encourage others to do the same.

(Video) Newt's speech and Q&A session from Iowa Faith and Freedom

Link to the speech.



Link to Q&A session.

Multiple hires coming in Iowa. C-SPAN to televise Saturday's Faith and Freedom Event

Newt 2012 will be announcing "multiple hires in Iowa," reports The Atlantic.

In other news:

Jennifer Jacobs of the Des Moines-Register on an event Saturday:

"C-SPAN will broadcast live the entire Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition fall banquet, featuring six GOP presidential candidates, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday in Des Moines.

And the network will trail candidates in Iowa Thursday through Monday (seven have booked campaign stops)."

(Video) Newt interview before Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference

Link.



The interview with Ralph Reed is quite good -- Reed brings up the fact that the "Clinton Prosperity" only started after Newt was sworn in as Speaker in January 1995.

The audio, however, is not great and does sync with the video very well. Might give you less of a headache if you just listen and not watch.

(Video) Newt's speech at Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition

Link.



(This video appears to be just a section -- at just under seven minutes -- of the speech, but it's all I can find. If I find the whole thing, I will post it.)

Newt's schedule for the next few days

Monday, September 19th:

Council Bluffs, IA – 6:00 p.m. CT – 912 Western Iowa hosts Newt and Callista for a screening of their documentary A City Upon A Hill.

Tuesday, September 20th:

Sioux City, IA – 2:00 p.m. CT – Lead at a Town Hall meeting at Morningside College with students, faculty and local citizens.

Thursday, September 22nd:

Orlando, FL – 4:30 p.m. ET – Participate in the Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition Presidency V Kick-Off.

Orlando, FL – 9:00 p.m. ET – Participate in the Fox News-Google Republican Presidential Primary debate.

Friday, September 23rd:

Orlando, FL – 7:30 a.m. ET – Speak at CPAC-Florida Chairman’s Breakfast.

Orlando, FL – 9:45 a.m. ET – Address attendees of CPAC-Florida.

Orlando, FL – 2:15 p.m. ET – Newt and Callista introduce their documentary Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny at CPAC-Florida on the third level in room S330C.

Saturday, September 24th:

Orlando, FL – 1:30 pm ET – Address attendees of Presidency V. NOTE: Newt 2012 is not actively campaigning to win the straw poll.

NOTE: Newt will campaign in Iowa on September 29th and 30th prior to traveling to Kansas City, MO to participate in the National Federation of Republican Women's 36th Biennial Convention on October 1st.

Ralph Reed: Newt was the only one to show up at FFC last year

There has been some criticism of Newt because he is the only 2012 GOP Presidential contender who will not be in person at this weekend's second annual Faith & Freedom Coalition (FFC) Conference. (He will send a video message.) The reason is that Newt had long scheduled a vacation this weekend, but it has not stopped some from blasting him over it.

However, the head of FFC, Ralph Reed, had this to say when asked about Gingrich's absence:

“Newt was the only one of all these candidates who was here last year....Newt was at the first conference and he’s a dear friend. He would’ve been here if he could’ve been.”

Now, in my opinion, it says more about a person to show up at an event -- helping launch a new group at that -- when they are not seeking office than to only show up when they are looking for votes.

Newt was at a Faith & Freedom Coalition meeting back in March:

Link.

Newt at the Faith and Freedom forum

He details his four proposed executive orders I mentioned earlier today. He also again focuses on 2+2=4.

Most importantly, he stayed on message.

Gingrich's proposed executive orders

Four executive order proposals from Newt would, in the words of the Des Moines Register columnist Tom Beaumont, "send a signal to conservatives how quickly a Republican president could set the nation on a different path." Two of the proposals "are aimed squarely at appealing to social conservatives, who form a core constituency of Republican activists in Iowa, expected to host the leadoff nominating caucuses next year."

The four proposed ideas, described below by Beaumont, were released before the Faith and Freedom Forum Monday:

-- "prohibiting funding to international family planning groups that provide abortions"

-- "reinstating a George W. Bush administration rule that doctors and nurses have the right not to participate in abortions"

-- "ridding the White House of a series of so-called czars -- high-level officials who oversee a particular policy who in some cases have received Senate confirmation"

-- "relocating the U.S. embassy in Israel to the capital of Jerusalem, a policy backed by national security conservatives and evangelical Christians" (Israel is the only country that we do not allow to pick where our embassy will be located.)

Monday Night's Faith & Freedom Coalition Forum

Five prospective Republican candidates for President -- Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, and Buddy Roemer -- will address the conservative audience.

"The forum will mark the first time that multiple prospective 2012 contenders will share a stage in the nation's first voting state," writes Scott Conroy.

"Of all the potential candidates scheduled to speak at the forum on Monday night, Gingrich's performance will perhaps be the most closely watched."

The Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition has one of the most extensive political reaches of any interest group in Iowa. Organizational director Drew Klein said that the group made over 560,000 individual voter contacts in the state during the 2010 midterm elections.

Although fiscal matters dominated the discourse during the midterms and figured to play a leading role in the presidential race, Klein indicated that his group would work to ensure that social issues remained at the forefront of the discussion in Iowa over the next year.

'We want to see a true conservative candidate. We want a candidate who knows how to manage things financially, as well as someone who has the spine to stand up on moral issues,' he said. 'Certainly we know we're not going to find the perfect candidate, but I don't think we need to water down our message.'

The recent Obama administration decision not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court is expected to be a major issue at the forum.

Newt will be in Iowa a day before his possible announcement date

From Tom Beaumont, who I figure to be quoting a lot of over the next year:

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is scheduled to participate in a forum of Iowa social conservatives on March 7, the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition said today.

The addition of Gingrich to the list of speakers, which includes fellow 2012 Republican presidential prospects, comes as Gingrich has said he expects to announce his plans within the next two weeks and as early as next week.

Former CEO Herman Cain, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, all weighing 2012 GOP presidential bids, are expected at the Faith and Freedom event, to be held at Point of Grace Church in Waukee from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.