NBC's Michael Isikoff reports this afternoon that potential presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is counting on the backing of an unusually powerful behind-the-scenes donor: a billionaire casino mogul whose business empire stretches from Las Vegas to Macau.
Gingrich’s financial angel is the publicity-shy Sheldon Adelson, chairman of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., and the fifth wealthiest man in America as recently ranked by Forbes Magazine.
Adelson, who has an estimated net worth of over $23 billion, has personally pumped $7 million over the past five years into Gingrich’s main political advocacy organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future. His contributions account for more than ten percent of all the organization's funds and have helped the former speaker promote his conservative causes and stay in the public eye.
And:
Adelson and his gambling company have been plagued by legal troubles in recent months. The Sands recently disclosed that it is being investigated by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Nevada and Hong Kong regulators have opened their own probes, according to company disclosures.
The inquiries grow out of a wrongful termination lawsuit filed last fall by Steven Jacobs, the former top Sands executive in Macau where Adelson’s Venetian casino has become a major profit center for his company.
Jacobs alleged in court papers he was fired because he objected to Adelson's “repeated and outrageous” demands that he use “improper leverage” with Chinese officials to obtain valuable government concessions and that he retain the services of a Macau lawyer who was also a local government official.


I really hope this isn't an April Fool's Day joke!
For some reason this morning I remembered my high school French from years ago---they say April Fish.
Talk about throwing the Nasty Redhead some raw red meat to pounce on, I guess all her boot-licking and ass-kissing is paying off.
When I first read this, I thought it was an April Fools joke. But Michael Isikoff doesn't joke around. The only real joke is Newt Gingrich himself...Along with about 10 other GOP/TP hopefuls.
Joe: Give me a clue, what is the value of your comment?
Awww how cute it THAT?
Jerk-off Joey's got his panties in a bunch!
Or any of them for that matter?
PS: How did you know I prefer by red meat rare?
Say- I've heard casino moguls make excellent presidents! Especdially wealthy ones!! With 'big' hair!!!
Ron: Give me a clue, what is the value of your comment?
How about you pick out something Newt stands for and comment on why he is wrong?
BTW- I had to un-collaps Joies post to see what he had said.
I still don't get it.
Newt might want to see if he gets included in this proposed project, seems he'd fit right in, and charge, of course, for using his image:
NEW COMMEMORATIVE DOLLARS PROPOSED TO “HONOR GREAT AMERICANS, REBUILD NATIONAL UNITY, AND CREATE A TREASURY SUPLUS”
PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 1, 2011 (Public Relations Wire Service) – Conservative think tank Forward America today proposed the U.S. Treasury take a clue from a century ago and issue a series of commemorative one-dollar bills, retaining the standard front side but on the back featuring portraits of “great Americans whose values and achievements set standards for a nation in moral danger.”
Not only would the bills renew attention to “vital values our nation needs to embrace again, and unify us as a God-fearing capitalist country” said the organization in a news release, but also would create a Treasury surplus.
Before the turn of the 20th Century, said Forward America, the U.S. Mint issued a series of bills featuring images from the bygone frontier era, portraits of scientists, entrepreneurs and inventors, and other scenes detailing American progress and principles. “These bills today are extremely valuable to collectors, but virtually unknown by most Americans,” the press release explained.
Forward America proposed the series include portraits and brief explanatory captions featuring “conservative icons from Rutherford B. Hayes to Ayn Rand, Barry Goldwater, Anne Coulter, John Wayne, Charlton Heston, and of course George W. Bush” - they left President Ronald Reagan out because “he wasn't really a true conservative."
The United States will not only benefit from a renewed appreciation of its past and present conservative principles, said Forward America, but also “the country can build a surplus in our Treasury. Most of these bills will never be spent, they will be kept and cherished alongside the family Bible, and preserved in collections worldwide.”
- END -
Anybody: What is the value of any of your comments?
Anybody have a political comment other than the same ole ad hominem stuff as yesterday and the day before?
Edit: Well I guess JohnA. tried.
Bob: (numbers)
That is quite a challenge; to think of something Newt was right about. As past speaker of the House, he closed down government. That was a bad idea. His personal life was a disaster. No need to go there. I give up...can't think of much to give him credit (for). But I bet you can think of a lot of reasons why he is a great guy. Remember, it's April Fools day.
I read this response from Jerk-Off Joey under a previous thread:
It's finally occured to me that these tea baggers believe they have a corner on the *snark* market!
If we say something it's considered 'hateful' but when THEY say it it's *snarky*
Logic certainly isn't something they concern themselves with, that's for SURE!
Like you always say Joey - I am SO LMAO@UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
"How about you pick out something Newt stands for and comment on why he is wrong?"
Newt: "I'd establish a no-fly zone, and do it now"
Newt: "what's Obama doing, setting up this no-fly zone?"
OK- ONE of those is wrong. (and my apologies- I know my name isn't Ron...)
Ron,
Gingrich wanted to slow the rate of government spending - conflicted with the President's agaenda for Medicare, education, the environment, public health spending. (Sound familiar?) Congress did several CRs which Clinton vetoed. It shut down. Who really caused it?
Besides Ron, you guys are always bragging about Clinton's surplus, the balanced budgets. Anybody think we would have had balanced budgets without his stand combined with the re-election of a Republican majority?
So what was bad about?
Anyway, this is probably where you give up.
Nontheless - thanks for your comment Ron.
Too funny. Newt, who previously implied his roaming days are behind him, has apparently given up sex for gambling.
PS: How did you know I prefer by red meat rare?
It's finally occured to me that these tea baggers believe they have a corner on the *snark* market!
_____________________________________
Nasty Redhead: you seem to have an obsession with me calling you out for what you really are. Do you feel you resemble my remarks??
LMAO@U!!!!!
BTW, hijacking my LMAO@U!!!! just makes you look incapapable of an original thought and dull.
BTW2, I said FR was throwing you some "raw" meat, not "rare". Next time, read my posts slowly so that you might actually understand them.
Anna Molly:
You are being as ornery as I. Sex for gambling. That's funny. What is not so funny is he is courting the religious (Christian) right then goes after "sin city" casino moguls for dirty money. Now how Christian is that? Not so much.
I read this response from "Jerk-Off" Joey
_________________________
Nasty: I'm going to guess that refers to your "good old days" when you were in fifth grade and made yourself "popular" with the eighth grade boys by being "available". I remeber girls like you from my elementary school days and they all became bitter, obese, losers. I think you resemble my remarks.
LMAO@U!!!!!
Come on Jerk-Off Joey - Everyone here knows it's YOU who has the 'Feisty fixation'!
I didn't catch the copyright symbol after your LMAO@U - can you point it out for us?
Best I can do with your posts is a quick glance at best - you've seen one of them you've seen them all!
Someday Joey you may be Feisty worthy however, todays not your lucky day...
And YES I'M LMFAO@U little man!
PS: You guessed WRONG - AGAIN! still LMFAO@UUU & you're dismissed!
Imagine the impact $7 Million would have on feeding the poor, scholarships for underprivileged students, rebuilding run down neighborhoods and run down schools, rebuilding homes in Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, helping Nevada's citizens who are struggling to keep afloat. So much good $7 Million could do and Adelson spends it on Newt Gingrich's political advocacy organization--a couple hundred thousand, fine but $7 million. No wonder the US is falling behind other nations, we spend more on politics than we do on people.
"Best I can do with your posts is a quick glance at best - you've seen one of them you've seen them all!"
______________________________
Nasty Redhead: You put me on "Ignore Author" about a year ago and bragged about it, and then you quickly took me off it (If you really ever put me on it. LOL!!!)!!!). I have asked you repeatedly to put me back on it so I didn't have to read/respond to you addle-brained drivel. Once again, I ask you: If my posts are only worth "a quick glance at best - you've seen one of them you've seen them all!", then put me back on "Ignore Author".
Here's my bet FR: The Nasty Redhead can't live without me!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Ron -- no one is as ornery as I am, Ron. Not even Feisty and Judge Joe this afternoon. Sheesh.
Anyway, Christian, as I understand Christianity, anyway, doesn't factor into Newt, AT ALL.
You really don't have a CLUE as to how things work around here do you? *rolls eyes*
Here's one for you genius, why don't YOU put me on ignore author instead?
Like I said earlier, Joey can't get himself enough of the Feisty Redhead...
Still LMFAO@U little man!
PS: Anna Molly - I'm more of a Judge Mathis kinda girl! ;o)
Here's one for you genius, why don't YOU put me on ignore author instead?
______________________________
No way. The rantings of the Nasty Redhead way too Hillaryous to miss out on all the laughter.
Once again:
"Best I can do with your posts is a quick glance at best - you've seen one of them you've seen them all!"
So, put me on "Ignore Author"
Here's my bet FR: The Nasty Redhead can't live without me!!!!!!!
No WAY Jose! Then I wouldn't be able to watch you vote for yourself! ;o)))
It might be easy if I could just figure out anything that Newt actually stands for.
Except gambling, apparently.
No WAY Jose!
_______________________________
Nasty, I feel obligated to tell you that internet stalking is a crime in my state.
BTW, "o)))", do you really have that many chins??
Anybody know whether Feisty Redhead has had a post collapsed recently?
Anyone...?
Well Jerk-Off, guess you'll have to pull up your big boy panties and find some way to deal with it!
Now go ahead and vote for yourself will ya? ;^p
Anyone at all...?
Very lawyerly of you, Bag Boy, to only ask questions for which you already know the answers.
Jody - I have thought that often lately. Can you imagine what good could be done if all the money spent on buying politicians were put into fixing the economy and the infrastructure?
And I have absolutely no legal training whatsover, AM...!
Ain't it grand...?
Er...um...excuse me.
Decorum.
How am I doing, AM?
You always meet MY exacting standards, Bag Boy.
And what else matters? ;-)
Newt church hopping, wife changing, blaming his love of country for his many, many affairs, even left sick wives with cancer in the dust, why would we expect him to find an honest front man? Newt's MO take it from whomever, wherever, whenever you can, no rules barred.
Newt found a sugar daddy.
"Adelson, who has an estimated net worth of over $23 billion, has personally pumped $7 million over the past five years into Gingrich’s main political advocacy organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future. His contributions account for more than ten percent of all the organization's funds and have helped the former speaker promote his conservative causes and stay in the public eye."
There are often arguments among posters on here as to what the definition of "rich" is. I'd say having nothing better to spend 7 million dollars on besides keeping Newt Gingrich in the public eye probably qualifies.
Newt's just like President Obama...one day he's for a Libyan no-fly zone, the next day he's against it.
One day President Obama issues an executive order creating his own debt commission...the next day he basically ignores their findings and their Plan to address the the nation's debt crisis.
Which transgression is more significant...?
You decide.
Opportunistic politicians...eh, what are you going to do?
I certainly wouldn't vote for Newt...
JoAnne, PA. Good one. Newt doesn't have a job except to con people out of money to keep selling himself and his ideas.
Mixed, please show us where President Obama was against the No Fly Zone. He can't have been against it because getting a UN coalition put together to establish and enforce one happened in the 31 days before the first shot was fired.
Reading comprehension, Jody.
Where did I say that President Obama was against the no-fly zone?
I thought I said that NEWT was against it...and subsequently changed his mind.
No, Jody...
If you take the time to read, AND think...about what I said:
You'll see that what I was actually suggesting is that President Obama hasn't shown that he's serious about addressing our nation's debt crisis...AND that Newt Gingrich and President Obama are both political opportunists.
If you weren't such a partisan ideologue...you might actually have understood my comment.
The Debt Commission's recommendations were not implemented because the criteria for implementation was that 14 of them needed to agree to the findings and they were three votes short. They could not get enough votes to pass their own proposal. That does not reflect on Obama at all other than the fact that he required it be passed by 14 votes in order to be implemented. That is not a very persuasive argument for Obama being as inconsistent as Newt Gingrich.
Heartlight3-
Tell it to former Clinton White House Chief-Of-Staff Erskine Bowles and the founding Chair of the CBO (Congressional Budget Office), Alice Rivlin...both Democrats.
And, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators (3 Democrats, 3 Republicans) is trying to craft legislation based on the recommendations of our President's own debt commission.
Their arguments are persuasive... you can feel free to disregard mine, Heartlight.
Grinning Gingrich see's Green.......another billionaire to fight and die for. The Republican way $ $ $.
Hey Mr. Billionaire, be ready to get divorced once he see's the latest Green Bag in town.
"Little Green Bag"- Georgie Baker Group
Stop salivating, First Read Pavlovians.
Newt isn't going to be the GOP nominee...nor should he be.
Well then who is or will be? Maybe Trump or some other right wing Puss
TorpedoYou-
Not sure this far out...not sure we've seen the whole field.
If President Obama seriously goes after the debt crisis, I might just vote for him...and all Republican Congressional candidates.
I don't like him at all with a Democratic Congress.
Keepin' 'em honest, eh TY?
lol
LoL Now the truth can be told. Just how many Congressional races do you vote in, anyway?
And wasn't that conservatives who were complaining about voter fraud?
Two Houses of Congress, Anna Molly.
Three candidates, overall.
And please note, I don't want another misunderstanding, Anna Molly:
A vote for President Obama is most definitely conditional.
He's been a far better national defense President than this national defense conservative ever imagined he could ever be...so much so, that most of us First Readers are now military interventionists (present company excluded, of course).
If he (finally) gets to work on preventing a U.S. sovereign debt crisis...
Well then, Anna Molly...the jeers might turn to cheers for me here at First Read.
I'm not holding my breath on that one.
Oh...before I forget, and again...
I always tell you what I really think.
Always.
Well, then, as I just observed on another thread, I think I done died and gone to heaven. ;-)
And heck, Bag Boy, MY vote for President Obama in 2012 is "conditional."
But I do have to ask, how do you get three candidates out of two houses of Congress?
Two Houses of Congress...the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Two U.S. Senators + one House member in my own District= three candidates.
And...I suspect that MY vote for President Obama is a whole lot more conditional than yours.
I could be wrong about that...
I can't imagine you ever voting for a GOP candidate.
Too bad...I always keep my options open.
AM - Maybe MB votes twice for the same senator -(although Senatorial races are usually staggered so you don't vote for 2 senators at the same time - of course unless maybe that's the republican way of doing things ie voting twice - and they are afraid of the dems doing that...)
@ Bag Boy: Ah. I forgot for a moment that we get to vote for both senators. Mea culpa. Again.
You could be wrong about both those things. And you could be right.
Tell Paul and the rest, Anna Molly.
Staggered elections or no...the principle remains the same.
Our community seems to think you really got me.
Ahh...well.
Who knows, eh?
:-)
Little things like facts and reality get in Mixed Bag's way.
"9/11 Truther' Paul lectures me about "reality"?
lol
You, Rosie O'Donnell, and Charlie Sheen...
"Winning"...
Eh, Paul?
Paul, are you refering to the "facts and reality" that come in on your tinfoil hat antenna that tell you Darth Cheney and his Death Star were behind 9/11??
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only you, Bag Boy. Only you.
The FACTS and REALITY tell us that a subpoena empowered and security clearanced investigation of 9/11 was disallowed.........for a reason, guilty demeanor.
LoL Joe -- Paul isn't -- you are.
Anna Molly-
Puhleese...
Tell me you don't agree with Paul, Rosie, and Charlie about the 9/11 attacks...?
This is absolutely a dealbreaker...
Really, AM?
Is that what you said?
The Mass murder of 2979 Americans on 9/11 going essentially uninvestigated for nine years should be a "dealbreaker" for any right thinking American. No subpoenas, no truth.
Anna Molly?
LoL Not what I said. I was only riffing Judge Joe.
But what "deal" are you talking about, anyway?
The "deal" is this:
You act like a relatively sane person...I do the same.
That means, in practical terms...
You don't give me "truther" nonsense...
I don't give you "birther" nonsense.
Everything in between is pretty much cool.
Do we have a deal?
You betcha. I look forward to it. Although sanity is probably not the strong suit for either of us.
So practice will be required.
Have a wonderful weekend.
There is no equivalence between 9/11 TRUTH and "birtherism". If you can try to tell me that 9/11 was properly investigated without the employment of subpoenas, then yours is the sanity which should be questioned.
I have no problem with the impanelling of Truth Commission to look into any and all of the citizenry's questions, but "birthers" occupy a special category of willful ignorance of the evidence made available to them. ANTI-"Truthers" like Mixed Bag, who can't admit that the first 9/11 Investigation was an obvious whitewash, run a close second.
Another fine example of Republican Family Values. With Newt, as long as there is money, or, a new wife, these are family values to fight for.
hq2- That's why I don't like the pompous pr*ck. He comes to Iowa and runs his mouth about God and family values in front of a bunch of people that have to go to church twice a week, because once isn't enough to make 'em feel good about themselves. And there he is, in all his hypocritical, boorish glory!
Oh yeah ...good old Newt ...family values lying adulterous Newt ! How many married woman did he diddle ?.... while being a cheerleader for family values ? Lets see was it 3 or 4 ...that we know about ...oh yeah wasn't he the guy who left a woman because she had cancer to ? He doesn't sound to Christian to me !
Hey, 'spose Newt will pose in front of a poster depicting a manure-spreader next time he bloviates in front of a TV camera? Priceless, Newt. You go, lard-boy!
Strange but true stories:
May 10, 2010 ... Glenn Beck Says His Waning Popularity Due to Alien Abduction …
Beck stated that he has been visited several times after his first abduction and they are brown skin with big eyes and are in a big green spacecraft. Behind the spacecraft is an escort vehicle carrying an assortment of equipment. Each time they come he can here loud buzzing all around his house, after which his property has been mowed and the hedges are perfectly sculptured.
Did their spacecraft have sounds emminating from it that sounded like, oh, marimbas and accordians and maraccas? They might have been from Alpha Centauri or somewhere WAY out there....
No, but thy left Pink Flamingos in his yard and he is scared to look behind a tree, because he hears a blowing sound like the wind of a turbine.
Does he smell 'weed'?
He smells fear because they might be communist in disguise. They have red hair so he not sure. Never can tell who is hiding behind the box woods.
Best laugh of the day and there's been quite a few. Pinko, commie flamingos for sure. Poor Lonesome Roads Beck.
But the scary part is:
May 10, 2010 ... Glenn Beck Says His Waning Popularity Due to Alien Abduction …
Is a head line from an actual story and you can hear all about it on becks web site.
Let's not forget the fact that Newt turned his back on his lesbian daughter too. He has a thing about dissing women don'cha think? A wife with cancer must have been as problematic for Newt as a lesbian daughter. He left both in the lurch. Can you say CAD!
Having that guy for a male role model woud turn YOU to women, too, if you were one already....
The second wife he left had multiple sclerosis if memory serves me right.
plutocracy
w bush
plutocracy + oligarchy is called plutarchy
What ever one wishes to call it, our government does not represent the will of the countries population nor does it give a damn about their well being. The wealthy protecting their wealth by purchasing Congressional favor that's how it's done here in the good ol' u.s.of a., the people are left with a meaningless token vote which can only be cast for a candidate that has already pledged their allegiance to the powers that be. A system of government that history has taught us is doomed to eventually face the wrath of a desperate and highly motivated populace that figures they have nothing to lose, and government will reassure itself it can't happen here, until it does.
Good reporting, NBC , on Gingrich's "financial angel".
We need to know who may have contributed 10% of Gingrich's campaign funds....
Let's wait, now, for hardhitting NBC journalists to report on Obama's "financial angels"...
Um, no hurry, we'll wait... perhaps after he leaves office, then? No?
Bob you spend your time bashing Dems, others on here bash Repub's, you do realize that is how the wealthy rulers of this country keep the people in check don't you? If the people spoke as one abandoning our corrupt political system completely things could change for the better, and Bob change for the worse is all that awaits us if we continue to play "their" game. The boogie man is real Bob and it owns D.C.
W bush, as long as the people with all the wealth and power continue to pit the middle class against each other, they have nothing to worry about. They can sell the fact that the rich and powerful are great for our country while union workers like teaches are destroying it.
Wow...how ironic considering the next thing Newt wants to do is become President and gamble with our future!
Sad part is that the GOP may just decide to Double Down!
"Nutty Newt" is now going to run a "Casino Campaign" for the Preidency in 2012. I wonder if "Nutty Newt" will have his campaign headquarters at "Trampy Trump's" Casino of Political Corruption. "Hoaky Hannity" and his fellow fascist friend "Willy O'Really" will be their for the "Nazi News Network." AKA. Fox News. "Nutty Newt" will have all his important economic meetings at the Black Jack Table, and discuss on how to role their poltical dice. The "Tea Beggers" will hold their rallies at the casino while gambling all their money at the craps tables. These are the same individuals that want to destroy the unions, give huge tax breaks for the rich, and socially send Civil Rights Laws back 50 years. Now. If the Tea Beggers do not win at the casino tables? They will blame President Obama for not helping them to win, causing the "Brainless Bush" recession, and starting the "Bush War" in Iraq. What a joke America!