DeLay in memoir disparages Gingrich
Mr. DeLay [in his new memoir, “No Retreat, No Surrender” ] credits Mr. Gingrich as having a gift for politics, but the tensions between the two were no secret. He is dismissive of Mr. Gingrich’s tenure as speaker after he led the effort to break the 40-year Democratic grip on the House.
Mr. DeLay, who defeated Mr. Gingrich’s choice for party whip, calls Mr. Gingrich an “ineffective speaker of the House.” “He knew nothing about running meetings and nothing about driving an agenda,” he writes. “Newt wanted to turn the ship of state on a dime. Nearly every other day he had a new agenda, a new direction he wanted us to take. It was impossible to follow him.”
The comments have drawn the attention of Mr. Gingrich, who is considering a presidential bid. In an interview, Mr. Gingrich listed a series of accomplishments during his reign in the House, including the first tax cuts in 16 years, welfare changes, institutional improvements, a balanced budget, increased intelligence spending and the holding of a majority after the ousting of the entrenched Democrats.
“What I would say is take that list of accomplishments, and you can then ask Mr. DeLay what the comparable accomplishments were after I left,” Mr. Gingrich said.
Read entire article at NYT
Mr. DeLay, who defeated Mr. Gingrich’s choice for party whip, calls Mr. Gingrich an “ineffective speaker of the House.” “He knew nothing about running meetings and nothing about driving an agenda,” he writes. “Newt wanted to turn the ship of state on a dime. Nearly every other day he had a new agenda, a new direction he wanted us to take. It was impossible to follow him.”
The comments have drawn the attention of Mr. Gingrich, who is considering a presidential bid. In an interview, Mr. Gingrich listed a series of accomplishments during his reign in the House, including the first tax cuts in 16 years, welfare changes, institutional improvements, a balanced budget, increased intelligence spending and the holding of a majority after the ousting of the entrenched Democrats.
“What I would say is take that list of accomplishments, and you can then ask Mr. DeLay what the comparable accomplishments were after I left,” Mr. Gingrich said.