Hayward on Newt

At Power Line, Steven Hayward, while drawing up a strong argument for the candidacy of Newt Gingrich, ruminates on a very important point:  Newt's focus on bringing back on older style of politics more akin to that of the Founders.  Here is Hayward:

 But beyond handicapping the primary campaign dynamics, Newt is doing something interesting and maybe profound: he is trying to run for president according to an older model that stresses substance over sound bytes and gimmicky, targeted campaign strategy.  (Hence the emphasis on Lincoln-Douglas style debates that de-emphasize the place of the media questioners, among other things.)  It is a bid to see whether presidential politics can still be conducted along the line of the old republic that would be more familiar to the Founders, to the style of public argument more akin to what Hamilton had in mind in talking about “refining and enlarging the public view” through “reflection and choice” in Federalist #1.

Exploring this phenomena is all the more important in an age where the characteristics and traits needed to become president are getting farther and farther from the virtues and principles needed to be a good president.