Newt Gingrich's Conservatism

In an op-ed today, David Brooks makes the case that even with all his political faults, Newt Gingrich does not have the temperament and character to be president.  This sentence is really scary, especially coming from a guy like Brooks:  "In the first place, Gingrich loves government more than I do."  At No Left Turns, Ken Thomas rightly sees that in making the case against Newt, Brooks "winds up moderating him in many ways."

But that's not ever the most important criticism of Newt. 

Brooks also recounts something Gingrich said in 2007, which is even more interesting in light of Obama's new "New Nationalism" speech: 

As [Gingrich] said in 2007, “It’s not a point of view libertarians would embrace, but I am more in the Alexander Hamilton-Teddy Roosevelt tradition of conservatism. I recognize that there are times when you need government to help spur private enterprise and economic development.”

Whatever their political similarities, Hamilton and Teddy Roosevelt surely cannot be in grouped together as conservatives.  Roosevelt rejected the principles and constitutionalism of the Founders in favor of gradually shifting government towards one of general powers, which would be constrained only by certain prohibitions expressly mentioned in the text of the Constitution.  Moreover, following in the footsteps of other progressives like Frank Goodnow and Herbert Croly, TR rejected the natural rights foundation on which the government was erected.  If Gingrich still sees himself in this way, that should tell you everything you need to know about his conservatism.