A Newt For All Seasons

If Gingrich takes over the GOP, which of his personas will show up to claim the prize?

Matt Rourke / AP

A supporter of Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich waits to get an autograph before an event at the Tick Tock Restaurant, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, in St. Petersburg, FL.

Early last year an editor friend of mine asked me to write an article about the rumored presidential candidacy of Newt Gingrich. "Nah," I said. "He's not going to run."

A month or two after Gingrich announced he was going to run, the same friend asked me to write about the kind of campaign Gingrich would conduct. "Forget him," I said. "He'll be out of the race by summer."

Autumn came, and another friend asked me how Gingrich managed to stay in the campaign despite empty coffers and microscopic poll numbers. I told him the point was moot. The Gingrich campaign...

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