Sr Gingrich Campaign Staffers Demanded Gingrich End Films&Books:'We Didn’t Sign Up to Be Hucksters"

[kpete]

Source: ABC

Senior Gingrich Campaign Staffers Demanded Gingrich End Films and Books: 'We Didn’t Sign Up to Be Hucksters'
June 10, 2011 5:34 PM

ABC News' Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) reports:

ABC News has learned that one of the major issues between former Speaker Newt Gingrich and his (now former) senior campaign staff revolves around the myriad projects he and his wife Callista work on, which staffers describe as a constant distraction from the campaign.

Senior staffers demanded that Gingrich focus on pressing the flesh and fundraising and stop touring the country promoting film projects with his wife. At one point Gingrich was so focused on film premiers and book signings, one senior staffer emailed the team: "We didn’t sign up to be hucksters for products for sale"

But sources say Callista controls the schedule. They say she refused to allow the candidate to attend a Memorial Day Weekend parade in key early primary state South Carolina unless a film screening was set up in the state.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/06/senior-gingrich-campaign-staffers-demanded-gingrich-end-films-and-books-we-didnt-sign-up-to-be-hucks.html

[tanyev]

1. Actually you did sign up to be hucksters.

But maybe a different kind than what Newt and Callista had in mind.

[eppur_se_muova]

16. Exactly !!

They thought they were aiding a different criminal enterprise.

[SpiralHawk]

19. Bingo !

[left on green only]

22. Newt Getricher. A name by any other wing would smell as right.

[JackRiddler]

2. Surprise! Palin has a more functional business model than the Brainy Newt.

It's the difference between fancy theory and actual experience as a practicing entrepreneur. Plus good instincts. She knows to hire from her own family and always take payments on the front end. Also, the wink is incredibly important. Lardass presented himself far too seriously. His hires didn't understand kayfabe and he wasn't around to explain it to them.

(Well, he's brainy for a Newt.)

[underpants]

4. Why do you rob banks? Because that's where the money is

- I forgot the famous bank robber who said that

Newt and Palin both know that they are just milking a very milkable group (the Repubs) and they are going to get as much as they can while they can.

[JackInGreen]

7. I'm pretty sure

that was John Dillenger

[NBachers]

8. Willie Sutton

"robber Willie Sutton, who reputedly replied to a reporter's inquiry as to why he robbed banks by saying "because that's where the money is." He denied ever saying that, in a 1976 book he co-authored, Where the Money Was."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton's_law

[Hardrada]

17. I actually have that book. Guess I should read it!

[SoapBox]

3. Hilarious...it just gets better by the minute with these RushThugs...

Huckster...creep...criminal...crook...hypocrite...thug...bully...cheater...

OK, so it's an endless list.

[wordpix]

5. well you DID sign up to sell Newt, which is snake oil sales right there

or newt oil sales, in this case.

[wordpix]

6. "the couple was about to go on an extended luxury cruise" after a night at the opera

This follows Mr. and Mrs. Newt's jewelry spending sprees at Tiffany's worth $250-500K. Whatta great presidential candidate, truly a man of the people. :sarcasm: :puke: :crazy:

[Joe Bacon]

11. I love that his staff served DIVORCE papers on him while he's on the Love Boat!

I think Newt's gotten himself into a "GREECE-EY" situation!!!!!! :rofl:

[SomeGuyInEagan]

13. +1 n/t

[wordpix]

28. don't know when this was or which wife you're referring to---there were so many

:can't keep them all straight :rofl:

[Enrique]

9. he's got a big Tiffany's bill to pay off n/t

[Joe Bacon]

10. I'm sure Tiffany's is cutting Newt a break on the bill!

After all, Newt's probably going shopping there to get something for Mistress #4, Mistress #5, Mistress #6...

[defendandprotect]

12. Sadly, that's what our politics are they days -- about people enriching themselves ...!!

[yellerpup]

14. Hilarious.

Newt has met his match in the heartless spouse category. Interesting.

[tblue37]

15. I think Newt knows he cannot be eleced, and that like Palin,

he uses his flirtation with elections as a way to raise his profile and thus his ability to sell his products and command high speaking fees.

He is a media figure, a RW "celebrity"--like Sarah--so he needs to do things that will keep him in the public eye.

Since he is yesterday's media darling (yesterdecade's, actually), he had to actually throw his hat in the ring to get the kind of attention she gets for just taking a pointless bus tour.

[PoliticAverse]

20. I think you've basically nailed it. n/t.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. Rachel Maddow has insisted this is what he's up to.

Every time she covers Newt she points out how the whole campaign thing is phony.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

26. Been saying that about Palin for a long time ... and Trump ... and Bachmann ...

... but have to admit, I haven't really given any thought to Newt since the '90s, the last time he had any significance in the nation.

Well, maybe I did crack a joke or two about his multiple marriages, but really, he hasn't been worth the effort to think about.

[Canuckistanian]

18. We know who wears the pants in that family

[No Elephants]

25. Bit of a backward concept and expression.

[Canuckistanian]

27. Nonetheless

It describes the situation for a backward man who constantly uses backward expressions and ideas.

[No Elephants]

23. I'm not buying anything I've heard about this mass exodus.

On Washington Week, a reporter said that everyone in the campaign he'd called to try to get info on this told him, "I'm leaving, too," so the initial 16 or so were only the tip of the iceberg.

It would be interesting if the media followed up on this story by figuring out where all these people ended up--where their next paychecks came from.

But, that would require journalism, which apparently died long ago.

[sofa king]

24. Yep, this is just Lie 2.0.

Although it does have a ring of truth. My suspicion is that campaign money was being misused, and dovetailing a political campaign with personal profit from books and films would be perfectly in keeping with Gingrich's greedy, self-consumed ways.

But I know Newt pretty well, well enough to know this isn't the whole of the story. I wonder if he went back to his famous old book-buying scam?

[wordpix]

29. I'm sure this is all about $$$---guessing he didn't pay staff or told them

they'd have to volunteer "for the cause" indefinitely until he could shake down more rich donors