In her comment on a previous post, my friend Elephant's Child (a Thompson orphan) threw her support behind Newt Gingrich, to which I cried "foul" since Gingrich is not in the race.
Maybe I spoke too soon. I just saw Michael Reagan on television talking about the prospect of a brokered convention (a possibility I have heard mentioned more than once in the past few months), and the one and only name he dropped as a potential draftee to unify the GOP base was Newt Gingrich.
This could get interesting.
Showing posts with label Newt Gingrich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newt Gingrich. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
FDR's D-Day Prayer
Tomorrow marks the 63rd anniversary of D-Day. Newt Gingrich has launched an effort to encourage radio stations around the country to play the prayer offered by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on that day. Here in its entirety is the text of the prayer. I think his words are particularly poignant in light of current events as well as when one considers the unlikelihood that any of the current field of Democratic presidential candidates would utter similar words:
“My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen."
Amen.
“My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen."
Amen.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Disillusioned but Hopeful
I am finally ready to admit it. As fine and sincere and good-hearted a man as I believe he is, this president has failed terribly. In case you missed it, here is the best summary I have seen of the point to which he has brought us:
Too Bad
Now, here in my opinion is the current best hope for a restoration of true conservative leadership in this country:
Fox News Sunday
When I watched the Republican candidates debate several weeks ago, I was hoping to find at least one candidate that I could embrace not only for his leadership ability but also for his principles. That did not happen. Candidate Giuliani has the first of these but not the second. Several of the other candidates (McCain, Romney, Huckabee) seem to have elements of both, but none yet strikes me as comprising the total package (in time I could change my mind). Yet every time I see Newt Gingrich on television or read his writing, I am newly impressed by his brilliance and his willingness to speak the truth. I also respect that he has not yet announced his candidacy, waiting to see if another candidate emerges who is willing and able to effectively represent the GOP's conservative base.
So far that hasn't happened. If Fred Thompson announces, maybe it will. But if not, I'm counting on Newt.
Too Bad
Now, here in my opinion is the current best hope for a restoration of true conservative leadership in this country:
Fox News Sunday
When I watched the Republican candidates debate several weeks ago, I was hoping to find at least one candidate that I could embrace not only for his leadership ability but also for his principles. That did not happen. Candidate Giuliani has the first of these but not the second. Several of the other candidates (McCain, Romney, Huckabee) seem to have elements of both, but none yet strikes me as comprising the total package (in time I could change my mind). Yet every time I see Newt Gingrich on television or read his writing, I am newly impressed by his brilliance and his willingness to speak the truth. I also respect that he has not yet announced his candidacy, waiting to see if another candidate emerges who is willing and able to effectively represent the GOP's conservative base.
So far that hasn't happened. If Fred Thompson announces, maybe it will. But if not, I'm counting on Newt.
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