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Gingrich urges Republicans to 'pull together' behind Livingston
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, November 9) -- Outgoing Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich passed the torch of Republican House leadership Monday, reflecting on his party's past accomplishments while giving the faithful a pep talk for the future.
In a speech to GOPAC, the political action committee that
helped fuel his rise to power, the Georgia Republican
stressed party unity and urged Republicans to "pull together"
behind his likely successor, Rep. Bob Livingston (R-
Louisiana). ( "This is another step in the right direction," he said. "If all of us work in the right way for the year 2000, I think that this party will be stronger, that we will achieve more and that we can build on the foundation of three consecutive elections, the first in 70 years to be won by the House Republican party," he said.
Gingrich spent much of his speech looking back on the accomplishments of the Republican-led House he helped sweep into power in 1994.
He even pulled out the original, laminated copy of the "Contract with America" and reeled off a litany of Republican accomplishments on everything from welfare reform to the Thomas system, which provides Internet access to congressional documents. ( "We kept our word," he said, referring to the promises made in the "Contract." He said his first duty as a private citizen would be to remind people how much the GOP has achieved. He also evoked the legacy of former President Ronald Reagan and credited him with defeating the Soviet Union and spurring the nation's current economic prosperity. Gingrich said it was a "tremendous honor" to be the first Republican speaker since 1954 and the first one re-elected since 1928. He thanked his thousands of volunteers, more than 100,000 donors and the people of Georgia for their support. He also thanked GOPAC for being the "farm team" for new ideas that helped the Republicans take control of the House. Gingrich reiterated his reasons for stepping down as speaker. He said he realized if he stayed he would be an "excuse" for a divisive leadership fight.
"The ideas are too big, the issues are too important for any one person to put their office above the good of the country and the party," he said. ( He promised to be an active public citizen, closing the speech by saying, "The venue changes, but the cause lives on."
Gingrich also touched on a host of familiar Republican themes: tax cuts, school choice, the war on drugs, litigation reform and America's military supremacy. ( He also spoke about the nation's religious beliefs, citing the Declaration of Independence, and saying it would be wrong for America to "walk away from God." Gingrich took some shots at the Democrats, as well. "The image of a President Al Gore and a Democratic Congress should be more than enough to unify us in two years of very diligent hard work," he said. He also said that Republicans should give part of the budget surplus back to the people before "liberals" like Gore and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) could use the money to create more bureaucracies. "The surplus belongs to the American taxpayer," he said, "not the Washington bureaucrats." He said Republicans could give taxpayers money back and still save Social Security, which President Clinton has said should be the top priority for the surplus. A clear path for LivingstonThe race to succeed Gingrich became a virtual done deal Monday, when Rep. Christopher Cox (R-California) withdrew his candidacy, a decision that cleared the path to the speaker's chair for Livingston. Cox said he realized Livingston had more backing among fellow House Republicans and would support their decision in the interest of unifying the party. "I do so in the interest of ... putting policy ahead of politics. We have serious policy differences with (Democrats) and with the Clinton administration, over spending, taxes, national security, education, health care and more," Cox said in a statement. Livingston, 55, chairs the Appropriations Committee and was elected last Tuesday to his 11th full term. Livingston calls himself a manager, not a revolutionary, and he's expected to play a more low-key role than Gingrich. Two now gunning for Armey's jobCox's decision may have settled the race for speaker, but Texas Republican Dick Armey's job as House Majority Leader is still in jeopardy, now challenged on two fronts. Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R-Washington) announced her candidacy for Armey's post Monday. "I am asking you to support me as a member who will serve as a fresh face for the party," Dunn said in an e-mail sent to her fellow GOP lawmakers. Dunn threw her hat in beside Rep. Steve Largent (R-Oklahoma), a former professional football star who announced his challenge to Armey last week. Unlike Gingrich, Armey is fighting to keep his job. He released a statement Monday that said he welcomed the challenge and stressed his role in pushing through much of the "Contract with America" agenda in 1995. Armey's spokeswoman said he had enough votes to assure himself of a new term and had told Livingston that. "He went over there to congratulate Livingston and to tell him he has the votes as majority leader and to talk about clearing the air and how they can work together," Michele Davis said. The two men have clashed in the past few years, largely over appropriations bills. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Monday, November 9, 1998
• Livingston moves a step closer to speakership • White House loses on privilege, Secret Service testimony • House panel wrangles over impeachment threshold • Clinton interviewed by Justice investigators • Judge urged settlement in Clinton-Jones case • Dole: Gingrich made the right move • Excerpts of impeachment hearing • Newly released JFK documents raise questions about medical evidence • Minnesota governor-elect says Clinton should get life in order • Hispanic voters growing force in U.S. • At long last, the public will really hear from Monica Lewinsky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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