Gingrich To Speak At New School On Inequality
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The conservative politician and political strategist whose Contract With America presaged the surprising Republican congressional sweep of 1994 will be coming to New York tomorrow to give a talk at the New School.
Newt Gingrich will be speaking on political and economic inequality in America, specifically regarding the intersection of poverty and health care.
Since October 2004, the former speaker of the House has been co-chairman of the National Commission for Quality Long-term Care, a bipartisan panel dedicated to improving health care for America’s elderly. The president of the New School, Bob Kerrey, a former Democratic senator of Nebraska who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, is co-chairman of the commission and will appear with Mr. Gingrich.
Mr. Gingrich has been mentioned as a possible 2008 Republican presidential contender, and he has made numerous visits to the key primary battleground states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Last year, he said “there are circumstances where I will run.”
“He’s behaving as though he’s seriously considering a run,” a professor of political science at Stanford University, David Brady, said. “Now’s the time politicians go around scouting to see if people will give them money. New York is a spot where there’s money.”
Larry Sabato, who studies politics at the University of Virginia, agrees that Mr. Gingrich is giving signs he’s running for president, but is circumspect about what that means. “He’s smart enough to know that you want to appear you’re running for president if you want people to listen to your ideas,” Mr. Sabato said. “Whatever you think of Newt, he is one of the most creative and policy-oriented people in politics.”
Although Mr. Gingrich retired as speaker of the House in 1998, he has maintained a high profile, appearing regularly as a commentator on a variety of news programs. A former college professor, Mr. Gingrich is the author of numerous books, including most recently “Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America,”which outlines policy proposals on topics ranging from combating terrorism to reforming the tax code to improving health care.Tomorrow’s talk will largely draw on ideas from his book.
The discussion will be at Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy at 66 W. 12th St., first floor, at 6 p.m. Admission is free, but reservations are required.
