Washington (CNN) - With his busy travel schedule and penchant for wading into heated national debates, Newt Gingrich has gotten plenty of presidential buzz.
But the former House speaker is doing more than just grabbing headlines: he's also starting to put in real legwork on the ground in Iowa, giving political insiders there plenty of reasons to believe he's finally serious about running for the White House.
On Friday, Gingrich will make his sixth visit to the state in recent months to attend the Iowa State Fair, a traditional stomping ground for presidential aspirants.
Gingrich plans to open the day at the Iowa Republican Party booth and sign copies of his book, "To Save America," an appearance sure to help the state party touch a number of potential voters as they seek to re-capture the governor's mansion and a handful of House seats.
And according to a GOP source in the state, Gingrich also has a meeting planned at the fair with several GOP donors.
After a morning dose of glad-handing and livestock-watching, he is slated to headline two fundraisers: One for Sen. Charles Grassley, who is seeking a sixth term in Washington, and another for the People United for Republican Sisters' Election (PURSE) political action committee, a group formed to assist female GOP candidates.
Gingrich's Friday swing will come on the heels of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's visit to the fair, scheduled for Friday. Another likely 2012 candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, will attend the fair later this month.
From CNN Politics
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Why is Time Warner Cable one of the underwriters of the upcoming gingrich/bush syposium series in California's Coachella Valley? Just asking .....and informing those who aren't aware.
I hope that all of his moral failings are not forgotten; remember the whole time he was trying to impeach Clinton Gingrich was having an affair with one of his office interns- and divorced his 2nd wife to marry the intern. The first wife was served divorce papers while in the hospital for cancer surgery. This man has no moral compass and I want nothing to do with a nation who elects such people. If he runs and wins I WILL leave the country, because the city- D.C.- my hometown, and the country I grew up in will be gone.
Like him or not, agree with him or not, Newt Gingrich is an extremely intelligent man, and very knowledgeable about politics and political affairs, and would do the Republicans a great service by running for President.
We haven't had an intelligent man in the white house in quite a long time.
Bring on the little pervert,he doesnt have a clue or a chance.hahaha
He was my representative when I lived in Georgia and he was Speaker of the House. He's a real jerk, a hypocrite. Ask him about his "family values." Marries his High School math teacher. Serves her with divorce papers while she's recovering from cancer surgery (rumored while still in the hospital). Marries second wife (mistress during first marriage). Divorces second wife. Marries third wife (mistress during second marriage). Do you see a trend here?
He's a scumbag of the first order.
All this guy knows how to do is toss out bombshells. He has no ideas and no brain.
Palin and Gingrich Republican presidential 2012 candidate, what a world we live in. "They will Save America,"
Has everyone forgotten his sleazy lies? His philandering? His hypocrisy? He cheated on his first wife when she was recovering from cancer, cheated on his second wife with a congressional aide who is now the third wife. Family values, anyone?
ha ha ha ha
Bill Clinton benefited more from having Newt Gingrich around than from ANYTHING he did on his own. Looks like Obama may have the same luck. AND THAT FOOL SARAH PALIN TO BOOT!
ha ha ha ha ha
Which FOX News employee will Roger Ailes deem worthy of the GOP nomination in 2012? Stay tuned and find out!
I've always recognized the intelligence and ideas that Mr. Gingrich brings to any policy debate and I believe he should be taken seriously as a candidate. However, his move to the extreme right, at least in his comments of late, is a real problem for me and I'm sure for many moderates. I do think, should he be in a position to govern again, that he would move much cloer to the middle. Let's hope so.
Gingrich has been married three times. He first married Jackie Battley, his former high school geometry teacher, when he was 19 years old and she was 26.[55][56] They had two daughters. Gingrich left Battley in the spring of 1980 after having an affair with Marianne Ginther[57]. According to Battley, Gingrich visited her later that year while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery to discuss the details of their divorce. Six months after it was final, Gingrich wed Ginther in 1981.[58][59]
Gingrich began an affair with Callista Bisek, who is 23 years his junior, in the mid nineties, which continued during the Congressional investigation of Bill Clinton and the Lewinsky scandal.[60] In 2000, Gingrich married Bisek shortly after his divorce with second wife Ginther was finalized. He and Callista currently live in McLean, Virginia.[61]
A Baptist since graduate school, Gingrich converted to Catholicism, his wife's faith, on March 29, 2009.[62]
Maybe he is just in search of wife number four!
Newt Gingrich as President would bring a whole new era of corruption to the White House. Newt's administration would probably be worse than the Bush administration, although we will never know because the Bush administration was one of the most secretive organizations in presidential history, ran by a man who should be serving time, Karl Rove.
see, his encouragement of Palin to run for Pres was just a GOP bait and switch tactic they are SO famous for. He wants her to run – because between her and him – he shines.
However, can you imagine what the GOPers would do to what's left of Middle America if elected? I
I find it sad that the Republicans see him as a potential leader in our party...he went after Clinton, caused the intense participation of CIA & FBI, and spent $100,000,000 investigating Clinton....when he (Gingrich) was doing the same thing w/ his secretary.
I personally think Gingrich is a disgusting hypocrite and hold him responsible for the loss of national security that allowed 9/11. He used our national defense resources, tax money, and focus for something that many of our politicians, including Gingrich, were doing anyway, and left our national security vulnerable. They were also more worried what Gary Condit was doing than national defense.
How many would be left in the Senate and House if they were examined as Bill Clinton was? I'm afraid not many, Cyn
All the 'saviors of America' under one roof. How can one be so blessed to stand on the same sacred ground and be surrounded by all that stupidity in one dose?
These clowns clamor to 'take back our country' -
But they are the ones that screwed it up for the rest of us.
Lets not be so foolish to entrust them again to such a titled position.
I read a story where Gingrich was attending a dinner and sitting next to Bill Clinton when he was president. The conversation went something along the lines...."Mr. President, I actually like many of your ideas for the country." Clinton replies, "then why do you vote against them?" Gringrich says, "because we can." They have always been the "Party of No." This says what type of president he would make.....the "President of No."
And the rats begin to scurry for crumbs already.
He's certainly a lot more equipped for the office of President than our current President.
His years in office culminating in Speaker, his life as a professor of history, his sharp political mind, would be welcome as we go from the current trend towards socialism back to capitalism this November 2010 when the House (and possibly the Senate) return to Republican control.
Obama will be a lame duck President and his government takeover of healthcare will be recinded.
Oh, goody, its his turn. He has about as much chance of winning as Palin (none) but he could stop her from getting the nomination, which would save the GOP from running off of the edge of the cliff.
Palin vs. Gingrich.... the classic story of Beauty and the Beast... oh dear, how will I ever decide?
I do not know why gingrich would even consider a run for the presidency......it would be such a waste of time.......nobody wants you to be President- newt-get over yourself!
Democrats and independants can only hope Gingrich get's the rublican nomination. With his shameful past and the Clinton debacle he would not stand a chance. Gingrich/Palin in 2012! We can only hope.
Maybe Newt can win, but would he bring real change, the kind that must come if we expect America to avoid becoming a third world nation? I'm not so sure. My money is on the most honest man in D.C. Congressman Ron Paul. His understanding of economics is impeccable and his lifelong dedication to the preservation of liberty and the Constitution is amazing. He is a modern day Thomas Jefferson and true statesman. Only Ron Paul tells the truth about how the Federal Reserve and central bankers along with the corporate elite and military industrial complex are destroying the middle class and our nation. Everyone else blames it on the corporations but stop short of exposing the true evil which they pander to themselves, the Federal Reserve and international bankers who have a stranglehold on our government! Ron Paul in 2012 the revolution is coming!