◼ Gingrich suggested that the new McConnell plan -- which Gingrich earlier called "an irresponsible surrender to big government, big deficits, and continued overspending" -- is a tactical blunder in a fight that should go to the very last moment. - Byron York/Washington Examiner
...he cited the government shutdowns of 1995 and 1996 as examples of battles in which Republicans refused the back down and -- despite declarations of disaster by many in the press and some Republicans -- eventually prevailed. "I have no idea what [McConnell's] motivation is," Gingrich said. "I do know from my experience that we got to four balanced budgets, we got to welfare reform, we got to the first tax cut in 16 years because we weren't prepared to back off. Clinton eventually came to the realization he could only function as president working with us, because we'd never back off."
