Newt joins the PHB 2012 GOP Clown Car

Newt Gingrich is throwing his hat into the ring under the Big Top to earn his seat in the PHB 2012 GOP Presidential Race Clown Car today, a crowded field of fundie-courting Republicans with exploratory committees. He announced on his Facebook page:

I have been humbled by all the encouragement you have given me to run. Thank you for your support. Be sure to watch Hannity this Wednesday at 9pm ET/8pm CT. I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United States.

You have to click over and read Tim Murphy's piece at Mother Jones, "Newt in His Own Words: 33 Years of Bomb-Throwing." A snippet:

1988 Gingrich discusses his midlife crisis: "I spent a fair length of time trying to come to grips with who I was and the habits I had, and what they did to people that I truly loved. I really spent a period of time where, I suspect, I cried three or four times a week. I read Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them and I found frightening pieces that related to...my own life."

1989 He explains to the Washington Post why he fights with his second wife, Marianne: "It's not even that it matters to me. It's just the habit of dominance, the habit of being the center of my staff and the center of the news media." Newt gives the marriage a "53-47" shot of surviving.

Well he certainly has the over-developed ego and narcissism necessary to promote himself even after a boatload of hypocritical bigotry over the years. David Mixner in his piece today, "LGBT Americans Prayer: "Oh Dear God, Please Not Newt," outlines the anti-gay record of the former House Speaker.

For the American LGBT citizens he is particularly harsh. He supports:

-an amendment to the Constitution of the United States banning same sex marriage.

-banning all adoption by LGBT parents

-banning LGBT citizens from becoming foster parents.

-stopping LGBT Americans from serving in the military at all costs.

-against the passage of ENDA

-against the repeal of DOMA

-had his political committees give $350,000 to anti-LGBT hate groups

-says Obama should be impeached for not defending DOMA in court.

-believes that all homosexuals are sinners.

-he stated that there is a 'gay and secular fascism in this country'

This, from a man who has a half-sister, Candace, who is Lesbian. Sorry, but people don't come any more despicable than this.

Ari Melber's piece in the Nation had the LOLZ quotes of the day - "Gingrich: The Most Serious Joke in the GOP Presidential Race."

If you look at the historical precedents for reaching the presidency, Gingrich is simply not positioned to be a serious candidate. He resigned from the last elected office he held, in the House 13 years ago. He has never won statewide office, held a cabinet position, or served in the military.

By contrast, every president elected in the 20th Century had previously served in the military, or held national or statewide office. Gingrich's presidential path is not just unlikely-it is unheard of in the modern era.

Gingrich is a serious joke, however, because of the silly company he joins. The speculative GOP field is packed with green room performers (Trump, Bachmann), entertaining interlopers (Paul, Cain) and thin sequels (Romney, Santorum). Almost anything looks sober by comparison.

"Gingrich will add substance to the Republican field," says former McCain strategist Mark McKinnon. That seems like the kind of faint praise that damns everyone in the equation.