No, Not Gingrich

Treating Newt Gingrich with respect as "one of his party's most creative thinkers" is hogwash.

This Gingrich profile in the Times floats down on the readers from above with passages like this: "Rival Republicans marvel at his deep well of ideas, his innate intellect and his knowledge of government. They also point to the strategic approach taken by the Gingrich team in the 2010 elections, including holding training sessions for a new generation of elected officials." Does any of this perhaps relate to the debacles in Wisconsin and elsewhere?

The story does refer to Gingrich's hypocrisy and disgrace in 1998 over ethics, happening as he led the effort to impeach Clinton back then, but it doesn't mention that for all the illusory fiscal claims by Republicans since the 80s and 90s, their party has never managed to run the country in the black.

I think the timing and the placement of this story is part of a much larger sickness at the Times, and indeed, in all American journalism. We treat politics as a kind of celebrity auction, maybe even a reality show. OK, voter, will you choose bachelor number 1, or ... As the story says, Gingrich may well announce his long-delayed run for the White House.

For an antidote to this, in the very same edition, read the mild-mannered, fair piece about what happened in Indiana when Gingrich-like ideas were adopted.