Newt Gingrich has drawn one clear lesson for Republicans from the midterms: They "must learn to quit underestimating President Joe Biden." The former House speaker notes in an op-ed at Gingrich 360 that Republicans have a lot of fun depicting the 80-year-old as a doddering old man. "We dislike Biden so much, we pettily focus on his speaking difficulties, sometimes strange behavior, clear lapses of memory, and other personal flaws," he writes. "Our aversion to him and his policies makes us underestimate him and the Democrats." The problem for the GOP is that Biden thrives on being underestimated, writes Gingrich, who sees a parallel in presidential predecessors Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
"Both wanted people to think of them as pleasant—but not dangerous," he writes. "They found being underestimated was a major asset. While people laughed at them, they were busy achieving their goals and getting their programs implemented." Gingrich makes the case that Biden has made a career out of doing the same thing, and his success in doing so has continued through his first two years as president. The GOP has much to figure out as it prepares to fight what Gingrich labels "Big Government Socialism," and that includes how to defeat Biden in 2024. "This is a much bigger challenge than I would have guessed before the election." Read the full essay. (More Newt Gingrich stories.)
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