Odd Couple: But, Why?

Newt Gingrich and Hillary Clinton on the same stage, somewhat agreeing on unsubstantiative issues.

Why?

The New York Times has a piece here that may explain:

Exactly why Mr. Gingrich has been so effusive about Mrs. Clinton is an open question. He says he has been impressed by the job she has done since becoming a senator.

But others say that he gains as much politically as she does by sharing a stage with her, at a time when he is said to be mulling over the possibility of running for the presidency in 2008

“It’s mutually beneficial,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist. “He gets to appear to be a mainstream figure and she gets to appear as someone who is willing to work with everyone, no matter their ideology.”

But Mr. Gingrich may end up paying a price politically for engaging in what many conservatives regard as heresy. “He is trying to change his image into a softer and more gentle Newt,” said Michael Long, the chairman of the New York State Conservative Party. “That is a major mistake on his part.”

Mistake or strategy?

Stay Tuned!

Update #1

Rush Limbaugh weighs in with his opinion here:

RUSH: I want to go back to this Hillary Clinton ( news | website ) and Newt Gingrich ( news | website ) relationship here and give you three sound bites to put this in perspective. Newt has been making some appearances on the media to explain himself. Among other things he’s saying is, “Hey, look. I mean if we can’t put differences from ten years ago aside move forward jointly, there’s not much hope for the country.” I understand. Both Hillary and Newt want to be seen as unifiers because the country here is “a partisan cesspool.” It’s just constantly divided. It’s getting worse and worse and worse, and I’m sure there are some people out there thinking if they can be the ones perceived as uniting us, that they will be loved and they will be cherished and they’ll be promoted and they’ll have their praises sung — and if Newt thinks that they’re going to say that about him, he has another thing to think….

RUSH: Oh yes! So Gingrich needs to do this, and Gingrich needs to do that. Hillary just has to show up. That’s all Hillary has to do: just show up. Gingrich? He’s got to show his compassionate side because everybody knows he’s a conservative, mean-spirited, extreme, cold-hearted, cruel, racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe! Right, Bill. That’s what you think of Newt. Newt, let me tell you what’s going to happen here. If this plan were to succeed and let’s say through the magic of Health Care for America you and Hillary manage to unify the country, I hate to say this, but I say it with love and respect, it will be Hillary that will be given full, 100% credit for it. Newt will be portrayed as somebody who tried to tag along. Newt will be portrayed as somebody who’s trying to soften his image and show off his compassionate side. If anybody thinks that anybody other than Hillary Clinton is going to get any credit whatsoever if this country is unified — and that’s a joke anyway. She’s the most partisan person in the country! She causes more political division in the country than anybody around possibly could. She’s going to draw more negative turnout if she actually ends up being their nominee — something I’m not guaranteeing, but if she ends up as their nominee — she’s going to cause more negative turnout than anybody has ever seen in this country.

The idea that she’s a unifier? It’s a crock. Everybody is trying to share some of her light and it’s only the light of spin. It’s the light of spin that the media gets. McCain’s trying to sidle up to her and Lindsey Graham is trying to sidle up to her and Chuck Hagel. They all want to be seen in her glow, they all want to be reflected in her light, the essence, if you will and I for one do not understand the naïveté on the part of anybody who thinks this light. It’s going to be darkness. You get into the sphere of Hillary Clinton you get consumed with darkness, because she soaks up all the light. She soaks up all the oxygen with the media. If and when she becomes the candidate, there’s not going to be anybody else that matters and nobody who has participated in her or anything is going to be given any credit for it so all this is serving to do is elevate and advance her, but the idea that she can unify the country that’s the biggest joke that I’ve heard come down the pike since I’ve been hosting the program…

Rush has a point?

What say you Newt?

Hat Tip: Huggington Post