But like a born actor who only really wants to direct Gingrich has always been unsatisfied with what he's brilliant at. He can't still his hunger to deliver grand pronouncements on life liberalism conservatism religion and whatever else swims into his consciousness.

Newt Gingrich is one of the brightest people in the Republican Party and he's always been a little unorthodox in his approach to politics but that's what makes him Newt Gingrich.

Newt Gingrich has a restless and outsized intelligence that is tragically unleavened by any kind of critical sensibility.

There are no ideas in the Republican Party right now in the Congress. They're the party of no. They desperately need some intellectual leadership. And whatever you think of Newt Gingrich he can supply intellectual leadership. So I hope he does run.

What would be the nicest thing I could say about Newt Gingrich? He may be one of the great supporters of the humanities because you have people who don't want to study the social sciences because it's not profitable and now Newt as the highest-paid historian in American history may be an encouragement to people to study history.

I think Gingrich has embarrassed the party over time. Whether he'll do it again in the future I don't know. But Gov. Romney never has.