The Flake Factor

Carol Platt Liebau | November 30, 2011 1:09 PM

As Guy notes below, on "The Hugh Hewitt Show," Newt Gingrich essentially conceded that there are "nuggets" of past writings or statements that could effectively be used for opposition research.

Indeed. In fact, there are "nuggets" in the Gingrich "oeuvre" that may well give voters pause -- and not just moderates or Democrats. Jim Geraghty has set out some of Gingrich's "not-so-greatest" hits -- including his advocacy of Republican "moderation," his rave review of Charles Schumer's book, and more.

Taken together, they raise the question of the "flake factor" when it comes to a Gingrich candidacy. There's a problem when you combine verbal indiscipline with the desire to cultivate a reputation for thinking deep thoughts: You are bound to wander into some pretty hard-to-explain territory sometimes.