Is Newt loosing it --- or just (politically) suicidal?

First Gingrich opens his campaign by offering himself up to David Gregory on NBC's 'Meet & Be Pressed' where he is immediately skewered as a racist and worse. He is obviously not - but when Gregory owns the microphone - it's hard to make a point.

Then he continues the self inflicting gun rampage on the same program by attacking Congressman Paul Ryan's budget proposals............ the only sane or workable proposal put out by anybody so far. Attacking a popular and hard working Republican committee chairman is not great TV for a wannabe GOP nominee.

Now......... on Radio Iowa - he proposes that local boards should be established to grant 'legal' status to illegal immigrants!!! Here's the exact quote:

“This is, at the risk of — as I do on occasion — of getting into trouble with the news media,” Gingrich said, in answering the question, and a few people in the audience chuckled. “…I’m looking seriously at the way the Selective Service Act used to work in the 1940s and World War II where a local Selective Service board who knew the local people made the decisions…because I think we are going to want to find some way to deal with the people who are here to distinguish between those who have no ties to the United States and therefore you can deport them at minimum human cost, and those who, in fact, may have earned the right to become legal, but not citizens.”

Okay Pilgrims........ here is a Pop Quiz: We have one of these boards set up in one of our so called 'sanctuary cities', like Boston or San Francisco. Can you imagine them turning anybody down, except maybe a convicted serial killer -- but then ask him to reapply after six months of behaving and not killing anyone?

On the other hand, in the more conservative parts of the country (aka - 'saner'), do you reckon that every Thomaso, Ricardo and Habib would get an instant free pass and Green Card. Neither do I....

Nor do I have any idea what the hell, the former Speaker of the House, for whom I've always had great admiration, is smoking lately. But he sure ain't drinking from the well of common sense!