Newt Gingrich, a right-winger whose bid to become US President looks to be crashing and burning after many of his senior staff walked out on his campaign, is not an obvious role model for British politicians, especially those not on the right.
But at heart quite a few all across the political spectrum would, I suspect, be rather pleased if he ends up doing well. That’s because the cause of the falling out is Gingrich’s insistence on doing two things that will strike a chord with many politicians and a fear into many election agents.
He has kept on taking lengthy holidays at the expense of spending time on the campaign trail. That itself caused friction with the now ex-staff, but even more friction came from his insistence that his campaign should be heavily based on him talking, speaking and writing at great length on weighty policy matters.
In other words, strike out much of the campaigning and replace it with holidays and policy wonkery.
If he succeeds, that’ll make him a very popular role model. But alas, before any politician gets their hopes up, so far preferring holidays and detailed policy over conventional campaigning ain’t working for him. Election agents can breathe easy for a while yet.
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One Comment
David Steel writes with great wit in his memoirs about how, when he was on the campaign trail in the US with Gary Hart, he advised Hart to end each day with a decent steak, a bottle of wine and just one or two close advisers; Hart repeated this advice to his campaign team, who were unamused. One of Hart’s team asked Steel why he had not been at a breakfast at which Hart had wanted to introduce the Liberal Leader to some US Governor or other. “I trust you told him that I was where any sensible politician should be at that hour – in bed,” responded Steel.
I know what you mean, Mark, but, it’s funny how our party, which most prioritises the sort of activities that you refer to here as “campaigning”, hasn’t actually won a General Election since 1910, while the other two parties have won several.