Gingrich Plans Comeback?

It's hard to figure exactly what this is supposed to mean.

"GOP sources said Mr. Gingrich does not plan to run for president, but intends to be available as the savior of conservatives dismayed by candidates who seek to move the party to the left in the aftermath of George W. Bush’s presidency." (Here.)

Republicans were seriously hurt when Speaker Gingrich had to resign. Newt is one of the smartest and most creative politicians of the Republican Party.

Contrary to the common perception of him as angry and reactionary, he is very much a forward-looking and visionary public figure. Talk to anybody who has taken the time to think about America's space program, for instance, and Newt Gingrich's name is bound to come up. Newt has long been an advocate of government prizes as a way of jumpstarting the space program and commercialization of space.

The GOP could use his leadership these days and conservatives could use his wisdom. As it stands now the party and the conservative movement have swung way too far over in Pat Buchanan's direction. But how Newt could become the savior of conservatives in 2008 without running for president is a bit of a mystery.

Since we're indulging in speculation, perhaps Newt could get back his old job as Speaker of the House. The Constitution doesn't explicitly require the Speaker to be a Congressmember. Article I, Section 2 states "The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states ..." A subsequent paragraph in the same section states "The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers ..." (Here.) It may be implied that the speaker must be a duly elected member of the House but the text does not explicitly require the speaker to be a member. Newt might not even have to run for office. Wouldn't that be interesting?

-tdr