Newt throws his hat into the ring!

Great God, he's going to do it!

Newt Gingrich finally steps forward and offers himself up to march in front of the Crazy Parade.  The grandest and most flamboyant of the GOP drum majors defiantly announces his arrival to the party like a flaunting, disgraced debutante.  "See how she laughs and smiles!  As if we didn't all know..."

And there is so much to know about Newt Gingrich.  Ethics violations, defamatory and reckless rhetoric, petty human cruelty; these form the milieu in which Gingrich operates.  I refrain from citing chapter and verse here.  It's all out there and readily available.  (Try googling "Gingrich baggage."  That ought to do it.)

But watch out, Mitt!  Newt brings a lot of firepower to the Republican nominating process.  He's always been an ace at raising money and he will not hesitate to attack his opponents viciously and scurrilously.  We can all anticipate a wonderfully ugly mud fight when the primaries get started.

In the end, I think Republicans will reject Newt.  Even they know he is a loser.  (A recent Quinnipiac poll revealed that 42% of general election voters said they "would never vote for" Gingrich.)

To tell you the truth, I'm gleeful at the prospect of a Gingrich candidacy.  For years, I have longed for the day when he would expose himself to the voting public at large, not just to some right-wing suburb outside Atlanta.

I've long held that the man is without shame, but I believe even he will be put to the test by the humiliation that is in store for him.  And let it be said:  if I ever live to see Newt Gingrich sworn as President of the United States, on that day I will know that the Universe is a fevered dream and that we are the playthings of cruel, insane gods.