A reluctant Teddy Roosevelt wrote Senator Thomas Platt in 1900 that, “I would a great deal rather be anything, say professor of history, than vice president” [Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership, by James M. Strock, p. 39 (2009)]. Though an accomplished scholar, Roosevelt never had the opportunity to teach history. Now, a former history professor, Newt Gingrich, seems eager to become vice president and may well get his wish. But he shouldn’t.
After Gingrich opened for him in Cincinnati last night, Donald Trump said that “In one form or another, Newt Gingrich is going to be involved with our government,” and “I’m not saying it’s Newt, but if it’s Newt, no one’s going to be beating him in those debates”. [Donald Trump: Newt Gingrich Will Be ‘Involved With Our Government’, Fortune, July 6, 2016]
Gingrich is also popular with the GOP grassroots and with Trump’s base. He won a Drudge Report poll for VP candidates, and many of Trump’s most right wing supporters want him [Drudge Poll: Trump Should Pick Gingrich for VP, Newsmax, July 5, 2016].
I believe this is folly. Put bluntly, Gingrich would be a disaster, both by contradicting Trump’s core America First message and harming Trump’s electability. ...
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