[Hoot Gibson]

I have forgiven Newt for the couch sitting with Pelosi. A few mistakes have got to be forgiven IMO. Newt's knowledge, experience and what seems to be a real urge to serve our country outweighs his mistakes. I honestly believe that no one in the race is anywhere near the statesman he is. But it is a matter of opinion.

We have GOT to stop settling for less for a victory.

I can forgive mistakes by others but I am not convinced that Newt believes the Pelosi commercial was really a mistake, except that it robbed him of the political support of most conservatives, which he now needs. Newt articulates the American dream and the force for good that the United States has been throughout most of its history (not sure about these past few years) better than anybody else that I have heard speak. He is just not electable because people like me no longer trust him not to cut deals with the far left wing of the Democratic Party.

I defended Newt against the ridiculous character assassination attempts by liberals for many years. I watched most of the American History class that he taught while he was a Congressman and he is an outstanding college professor. (Liberals attacked him for the class, or the way that it was funded, and made it part of the bogus ethics charges against him.)

Finally, although I have great respect for Gingrich's intellect, his ego is roughly the size of the one that Obama's pencil neck supports. That is the main reason that I do not believe that he can be elected. He sometimes lectures with the same kind of arrogance that I see in Obama. Newt has the intellect, experience, and accomplishments to warrant a certain feeling of superiority, but letting that attitude come through in political speeches irritate most voters over a long campaign and makes him a very long shot to win the nomination, IMO.