Let Bill Clinton Run Against Gingrich

The Comeback Kid would trump Newt in debates: David Maraniss
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 23, 2012 4:33 PM CST
Let's Revive Bill Clinton to Battle Gingrich
Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich: perfect presidential opponents?   (Getty Images)

If the GOP can revive Newt Gingrich from his political grave, Democrats are allowed to play retro too—and bring back Bill Clinton, David Maraniss writes in the Washington Post. True, "the law prohibits the Comeback Kid from coming back to serve a third term, and Obama might not go for it, but only old-school twits would let any of that get in the way," chuckles Maraniss. Plus it's a perfect matchup: Bill and Newt's foibles would brilliantly balance each other out, banishing "pious baloney about sex" from our national debate.

Clinton could also satisfy Gingrich's desire for 3-hour Lincoln-Douglas-style debates, because Bill, "who was born talking and never stopped, can match him word for word, hour after hour, until the last dog flaps its ears down. It would be a blabfest for the ages." Most delicious advantage for Clinton: In Gingrich's own words, "I melt when I'm around him." Writes Maraniss: "Clinton ate Gingrich alive back then. There is no reason to believe he has lost that magic spell." (More Bill Clinton stories.)

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