Why Democrats are Playing Whack-a-Liberal

Hannity's America
Fox News Network
March 30, 2008

ANNOUNCER: From coast to coast, from border to border, from sea to shining sea, an all new HANNITY'S AMERICA is on. "The Real Barack Obama" exposes his record on abortion.

Gingrich and Powers explain why the Democrats are playing whack-a- liberal.

Well, Newt Gingrich on how the bitter battle among Democrats may be hurting their chance for winning the White House. That's coming up right after this break.

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY'S AMERICA. The in-fighting among Democrats seems to be getting nastier and nastier. Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama.
Clinton fundraisers versus Nancy Pelosi. Obama versus Geraldine Ferraro and everybody versus Bill.

And it seems these disputes could sink the entire party. Now, wouldn't that be too bad? Now, earlier, I sat down with former speaker of the house and author of the new book "Real Change," Newt Gingrich.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANNITY: Mr. Speaker, welcome back again - once again to HANNITY'S AMERICA. How are you?

NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It's great to be with you.

HANNITY: All right. You know, I want to talk about something entirely different than what we usually talk about. We are watching the chaos that is just breaking out within the Democratic ranks. And I am watching the Republicans in the House and Senate.

Now, you were the architect in 1994. And what I'd like to see is the Republicans in the senate and house come out with a plan that they bring forth to the American people and that they can show that they can lead. I don't hear anything from them. Do you think they are making a mistake?

GINGRICH: Yes, I do. I think that they have an opportunity right now to take some issues that matter to the average American. And to move those issues and to challenge the Democrats to help pass things that the American people believe in.

And there's just a whole range of things from very big issues like English as the official language of government to something as simple as extending the solar investment tax credit that matters a lot to one particular group of people. I have seen the Democrats totally bogged down now, being able unable to govern, unable to get anything done.

And what an great opportunity for the Republicans in the senate and the house to say, "Look this is where we ought to go. This is what we are prepare to go do. Why don't some of you, Democrats, join us and let's get it done." I think that would be a great strategy for them.

HANNITY: Look, I was a big proponent, big supporter of your contract with America. What have the Democrats - what have he Republicans in the House and Senate - They promised the American people the following things, "We'll secure our borders. We'll stay on offense on the war on terror. We'll come up with a plan for energy independence. We'll eliminate earmarks. We'll have tax cuts and free market solutions for healthcare."

And they make a promise and they sign a pledge. Wouldn't that go a long way to comparing and contrasting the infighting with the Democrats, with a vision for the future that the American people can count on?

GINGRICH: I think it absolutely would, and if they could work with the McCain campaign to actually have a unified approach where they could all be on the same side. And you know, there are some issues where the Democrats are very vulnerable. This effort to take away the worker's right to a secret ballot before being forced to join a union is about a 90 percent issue where most Americans feel deeply that that shouldn't be taken away. That would be a case where the Republicans could stand united and could indicate that they are going to protect worker's rights in America.

HANNITY: But I don't - they seem paralyzed. They don't seem to be able to connect with the American people. They are not moving. Here's an opportunity where the Democrats are basically leaving it wide open for them to be the party of solutions. And I don't hear a thing from any of the Republican leadership. I don't hear one word - not a peep out of them. And I'm sitting back, thinking why would you let this opportunity go by? Do you think the same thing?

GINGRICH: Well, look, I think they have - they get so absorbed in the daily infighting in congress that they have not put the kind of time and energy into the large picture, large choice that we need.

I think they have an opportunity particularly in the senate where Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton - to bring up a whole series of issues in coordination with Sen. McCain and to really force the two Democratic presidential candidates to either help them get real change now, or to prove in fact they are not for real change.

HANNITY: And again they would have all the time between now, while the Democrats are, you know, involved in this intramural battle than have all of the time between now and November to reinforce the point to the American people that you know what? We get it. We learned from 2006. We understand that people are fed up with Washington. There's widespread belief Washington is broken and that we have heard you and we are going to try and solve some of these problems. But I'm not - my expectations are not high in terms of the Republican -

GINGRICH: That's unfortunate because they ought to be aggressive. I'll give you an example, Sen. Obama in the last 48 hours said that he wouldn't mind an increase in the capital gains tax to 20 or 25 percent. This is in a country where a plurality of people now want to abolish the capitol gains tax.

I think the house Republicans would be well-put and that Sen. Obama would be well-put to introduce a resolution opposing any increase in the capital gains tax and force the Democrats to decide with Obama for a big tax increase or to split with their potential nominee.

HANNITY: Yes. All right. Let me ask you this, who would be - in Speaker Gingrich's opinion, who do you think would be a good choice for vice president for John McCain?

GINGRICH: Well, I am going to surprise you. I think that Rob Portman and John Kasich who was just on FOX on Friday night. And to be able to see them rightly, I think either of those would be a good choice. And the reason is they are both very popular in Ohio. They're both very competent people. And if they could put Ohio back into play, they'd change the whole nature of this campaign this fall. I don't know anybody else other than those two who could do that.

HANNITY: Any other names come into mind? What do you think of Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Sanford, Pawlenty -

GINGRICH: There are a number of great people. I think Gov. Pawlenty is a real possibility, a very innovative governor. I think Gov. Sanford may be as innovative as any governor in the country. There are a lot of places that Sen. McCain could go. Frankly, Governor Palin in Alaska may be the most aggressive reformer in the country. And she would be a real wildcard.

HANNITY: And if Speaker Gingrich got the call from Sen. John McCain, maybe even at 3:00 a.m. in the morning and said, "Mr. Gingrich, would you join the ticket?" Your answer would be?

GINGRICH: I have to ask him to go on hold until I called you and asked your advice.

HANNITY: My advice would be take it. I'd say go. Anyway, thank you, Speaker Gingrich. Thanks for being with us on HANNITY'S AMERICA. Appreciate you being here.

GINGRICH: Thanks.

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Comments

By GearMaven @ Tuesday, April 01, 2008 4:25 PM

This makes such sense! I've emailed the Senate and House Minority Leaders asking them to get on board!

Thanks!

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