Trump Is Considering Gingrich As His Running Mate

Bloomberg: Trump Has Discussed Gingrich As His VP. Bloomberg reported that “Trump has discussed in recent days the possibility of selecting former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as his running mate, according to people familiar with the talks.” [Bloomberg, 5/11/16]

Trump: Gingrich Is “Absolutely” On His Short List For VP. The Fox News morning show Fox & Friends asked Trump if Gingrich was on his short list for vice president. Trump responded: “Absolutely. I'll say yes, because he's been such a supporter. I mean, anybody that supports me is on the shortlist as far as I'm concerned.” [The Hill, 5/20/16]

Gingrich Has Suggested He Would Accept The VP Slot. Gingrich stated during a Fox News interview that he would be “very hard-pressed not to say ‘yes’” if offered the spot. [The Huffington Post, 5/16/16]

Trump Aide: Staffers Were Informed Gingrich “Will Have His Hand In Every Major Policy Effort.” National Review reported of “Gingrich’s ascent to Trump’s inner circle”:

Gingrich’s influence within Trump World is widespread. Inside Trump’s newly established campaign offices in Washington, D.C., his fingerprints are everywhere. “Right from the minute I joined we were told that Newt will have his hand in every major policy effort,” says one Trump aide. “So one of the things I do when I’m researching or writing anything, in addition to looking at what Trump has said about anything, I look at what Newt has said.”

Gingrich’s ascent to Trump’s inner circle — and potentially to the vice presidency — marks a reversal of fortune for the speaker, who in recent years has fallen out of favor with party elites over his vocal criticisms of the Iraq War and Paul Ryan’s proposal to reform Medicare. On both issues, the views that irked GOP insiders were squarely in line with the unorthodox positions Trump has espoused on the campaign trail. [National Review, 5/23/16]

Huff. Post Reports On “Gingrich’s Sad Audition To Be Donald Trump’s Vice President.” The Huffington Post’s Igor Bobic and Jason Linkins wrote that Gingrich was launching a “sad audition” to be Trump’s running mate:

There’s a difference between dropping hints and looking plain desperate, however. And Gingrich’s fanboy campaign has been anything if not obvious. Given his inability to stop talking about the job, it’s hard not to walk away with the impression that he’s practically begging for it.

“I think we’d have to think through what does he think the job involves. If he could convince Callista and me that it’s doable and that it’s serious and that we would, in fact, contribute, I think we’d be very hard-pressed not to say `yes,’” Gingrich said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“I don’t have any interest in the sense that I’m going to go out and try to become his vice president,” Gingrich said last week. “I would obviously have to listen carefully if he called. He’s an old friend and I think any time a potential president calls a citizen, a citizen owes them an obligation.”

But Gingrich has been lately going out of his way to signal interest in the job and his overall ardor for The Donald. On Friday, Gingrich bragged about his access to the candidate, telling Fox News that he has “regularly talked with [Trump] for the last five or six years during the campaign occasionally. [The Huffington Post, 5/16/16]

Gingrich Is A Fox News Contributor With A History Of Unethical And Shady Dealings. Gingrich is a Fox News contributor who previously worked as a CNN host and commentator. He is also a senior advisor for the lobbying firm Dentons. His media work has crossed multiple ethical boundaries, including by posing conflicts of interest. He also regularly launches false and incendiary attacks on his opponents. Gingrich served as House speaker during the 1990s and was “the first speaker of the House to be punished by the House for ethics violations,” according to CNN.com. [Media Matters, 5/21/15, 12/17/15, 3/4/16; 3/2/11; accessed 5/23/16; CNN.com, 11/16/13; FoxNews.com, accessed 5/18/16]

Gingrich For VP Gets Heavy Backing On Fox News

Sean Hannity To Gingrich: “I Would Pick You.” During a May 16 interview on Fox News’ Hannity, host Sean Hannity told Gingrich he had his support as the “best” running mate for Trump based on who could get “the job done”:

SEAN HANNITY: You know, Donald Trump said he wants to hire the best. You were the architect. This goes we (sic) back before the “Contract” was ever written or even thought about or any though (sic) of Republicans coming into power for the first time in 40 years.

You put together a series of tapes called “Renewing American civilization.”  I still have a copy of those tapes, which really was the intellectual underpinnings of the “Contract.” If I'm mistaken, correct me.

So you were successful. Trump likes successful people. You brought Republicans back to power. You were the last speaker to balance the budget. You were the last speaker to be transformative in terms of doing big things in Washington like welfare reform and maybe a few other things you'd care to mention.

That to me naturally makes you a top contender for the VP. I think that's the best choice if Donald Trump's criteria is not geographical, it's not gender, race-related in terms of thought (ph) as others would suggest, but the best person to get the job done. You've done it.

Can you name anyone else that has more experience and gave -- and has more success in terms of a track record in D.C. than you?

[…]

HANNITY: Then who better that could work with the House and Senate? I would -- if it was -- if anyone listened to me -- nobody ever does -- I would pick you. I'd pick you because you have that relationship. You have the intellectual capacity. You have a knowledge of history. You said this weekend that you would likely take it, but you didn't give an affirmative.  Why? [Fox News, Hannity, 5/16/16, via FoxNews.com]

Hannity To Gingrich: “I Did Have A Poll On My Web Site, Hannity.com, And You Did Win The Poll.” Hannity then suggested Gingrich would help Trump balance the federal budget:

SEAN HANNITY: Well, I would like to see maybe even a team of rivals like the Rick Perrys and Bobby Jindals and Rick Scotts and John Kasichs and Rudy Giulianis and Newt Gingrichs, you know, be named ahead of time and show that, Hey, he's serious about bringing serious, successful people that have governed well into government, which leads me to this, the question you'll hate.

You're the last guy that balanced the budget, last speaker of the House to balance the budget. You brought welfare reform. This was a real transformative speakership that you had. Your name keeps popping up for VP. If asked, would you accept it?

NEWT GINGRICH: Well, I'd certainly talk about it. I wouldn't turn it down automatically. And Callista and I are both aware of how -- the importance of being good citizens. But I have to say, it keeps getting brought up because you keep bringing it up.

HANNITY: No, no. It's not me. I did have a poll on my Web site, Hannity.com, and you did win the poll. And I didn't -- I'm not -- are you accusing my audience of being biased?

GINGRICH: No, I'm accusing you of being biased. The audience is just (INAUDIBLE)

HANNITY: Well, tell me who else is going to balance the budget? Who's going to...

GINGRICH: Look...

HANNITY: Who else is going to literally -- I don't think this is a time for half measures. I'm being serious now. [Fox News, Hannity, 5/11/16, via FoxNews.com]

Hannity Panel On Gingrich: “He's A Genius,” “The Guy's Got A Giant Brain.” During a discussion on Hannity, radio host Gina Loudon said Gingrich would be her choice for vice president, claiming that he would bring in Christian conservatives and that “he's a genius.” Conservative commentator Charles Hurt replied that “the guy's got a giant brain and he understands, he has thought about all these issues that Donald Trump has had a hard time with.” Hannity replied, “I don't know if you can do better than” Gingrich, saying, “He is the last guy that had any significant impact on advancing conservatism and making the country a better place.” From the discussion:

SEAN HANNITY: Who do you like for VP?

GINA LOUDON: I like Newt Gingrich.

HANNITY: Newt Gingrich.

LOUDON: I like Newt Gingrich. I like him because I think he coalesces that Christian conservative, some of the never-Trump people I think he can bring it. Plus he's a genius.

HANNITY: He's the smartest guy in the Republican Party. Charles, who do you like?

CHARLES HURT: I think Newt would be a good choice, but I also could see Donald Trump doing something that no political consultant would ever advise, and that is pick somebody just like him from the business world. Carly Fiorina put herself out of the running for that, but it could be something that nobody expects.

HANNITY: I think you need somebody, though, that can reach out to Congress. Look, Newt has the credibility. Look, he is the last guy that gave us a balanced budget in this country. He is the last guy that had any significant impact on advancing conservatism and making the country a better place. I don't know if you can do better than that. There are great governors, as I've pointed out. There are some good people in the Senate, but I don't know. Final words?

HURT: As Gina said, the guy's got a giant brain and he understands, he has thought about all these issues that Donald Trump has had a hard time with. Newt Gingrich has thought about these issues at the deepest levels. [Fox News, Hannity, 5/10/16, via FoxNews.com]

Bill O’Reilly To Gingrich: “You Would Provide Him With The Working Knowledge Of Congress. … I Think You Are Going To Get It.” O’Reilly predicted that Gingrich would get the running mate spot and praised him for having a “working knowledge of Congress” and being “a conservative with bona fides that [Trump] doesn't have”:

BILL O'REILLY: But you don't know how many -- now, all right. So, that would be interesting Trump-Gingrich ticket. Because you would provide him with the working knowledge of Congress which he doesn't have. You are also a conservative with bona fides that he doesn't have.

[…]

O'REILLY: Now, and I don't want to be bold and fresh here even though that's my description. You know a lot more about policy than Donald Trump knows. Would that, you know, would the VP --

NEWT GINGRICH: Well, there are a lot of very good candidates. That know a great deal. And he has been very clear that he wants an insider because he understands that while he has done an amazing job arousing the country, building a real movement, to get things done in Washington, as he proved in the visit yesterday, you have got to sit down and talk to the legislators. You have to work out a strategy. But he has got a number of talented people he could call on. You know, so I think the list is -- I don't know who is on the list.

O'REILLY: I know pretty much who is on the list. I think you are going to get it. I think that he is going to choose you. I mean, this is, again, I'm making this not based on any inside information I want the audience to know. I don't know that nobody has said that to me. But I do know who he is considering just by a deduction. And I think he will select you. And I think Rudy Giuliani, he is going to say is going to be Homeland Security guy. Chris Christie is going to be Attorney General. Ben Carson is going to be Health and Human Services. So, he is going to go into the Cleveland convention with his whole crew which is going to mollify the Republican establishment because you are the Republican establishment. Are you not? [Fox News, Hannity, 5/13/16, via FoxNews.com]

Laura Ingraham: “Gingrich Would Be A Great Vice Presidential Pick.” While appearing on Hannity, radio host and Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham said, “Gingrich would be a great vice presidential pick. I think Newt would be good.” [Fox News, Hannity, 5/2/16, via FoxNews.com]

Peter Johnson Jr.: “A Great Choice Would Be Newt Gingrich.” Peter Johnson Jr., a Fox News legal analyst and the personal lawyer for Fox News head Roger Ailes, said: “I think a great choice would be Newt Gingrich. He would bring tremendous stability, tremendous gravitas, incredible intellect, judgment experience over many decades in American government. … No one understands the history of government better the Newt Gingrich. It would be a dynamite ticket in my view, dynamite.” [New York, 10/25/12; Fox News, Hannity, 5/17/16, via FoxNews.com]