Is it legally permissable for citizens to raise the $30 million for Newt without him performing the exploration? I'm sure that many others would like to know. He has made comments several times that if there was that level of support, he would be compelled as an American citizen to run....

McCain/Feingold screws us again.

I am saddened by this news and am hopeful for 2012.

I attendend an American Solutions workshop yesterday so only learned this morning of the news that Newt will not run for president. Newt, you are the first man to ever break my heart this deeply. I feel like our party is left without a true leader. The workshop was incredible and the fact that you had to make the choice between being a citizen and a politician is a "sad day" in this country. How can one be an effective politician if you are not allowed to be a citizen first? I now want to know how the McCain/Feingold bill can be abolished. I feel sad for my son this morning who is serving in the US Army and due to deploy to Iraq in December. With the possibility of Hillary Clinton as his Commander in Chief, my heart breaks for him and every servicemember who has given it their ALL, mind, body and soul to possibly be led by such "incompetence". Newt, you are an important leader in American Solutions, but the thought of where we might be at by the year 2012 may be too late for you or anyone to do anything about. We are at a "critical" point in this country and leaving it in the hands of the "far left" will cripple this country. I truly believe you were the only person right to lead this country at this critical moment in our history. This decision has pretty much devastated me, I am at a loss for any more words.

I am deeply saddened by this turn of events...

In light of this I am now supporting Mike Huckabee...
http://mikehuckabee.com/

I was very saddened by the news I heard that Newt was throwing in the towel by not running for President I was prepare to start giving my pledge and also start my own campaign here in here Tennessee. I was thinking about very serious about getting a bumber sticker cause Newt is the very person we need for a President. I feel like he is the kind of person we need to get this country and this nation turned around I feel like it is going in the wrong direction especially the Republican Party. I feel like they are going to be Moderate and that is the wrong way. Cause I feel like if Hillary God forbid gets in we are in serious trouble cause I know the history behind the Clintons. I feel especially for the Military, I sense that many of them will be quitting the Military if Hillary gets in. I just hope that Thompson or perhaps Duncan or Huckabee will be the nominee. Cause the rest I am not hopeful. I do not agree with Romney, McCain, or Rudy Especially Rudy with his views on abortion. I just and hopeful that we have a strong leader like Newt cause I feel for this country since Newt isn't running.

Was soooo disappointed to hear you are not planning on running for president. As I read through your website all the things you are addressing are near and dear to many of my friends and families hearts, as we have seen this wonderful country slip further away from our foundational American roots. We have forgotten the values and premise this country was founded on and many of the issues you address are helping provide a vision to recapture America.

Come on, Newt. You can do much more as president than as head of American Solutions. I am sure there are other people that have your same views that would be smart enough to head AS while you are campaigning for President. You would have had to put someone else in charge anyway... you can't spend the time needed for a Presidential campaign and run AS, so that is a red herring, however unintentional. I can only hope that if you stand firm with your decision not to run, that some 'great right hope' will come out of nowhere to help save this country. I am sick of both parties, and believe the two party system is killing us. Can you run as an independent without federal funds and not be beholden to McCain-Feingold? A question that needs to be answered.

All I can say is get ready for the phrase, "Madam President".

Newt was the only Republican out there that could have made a difference in both the upcoming election, and America's future.

The Clinton machine will now march forward to victory, and we will have to put up with Hillary for four years.

I was actually excited about next years election with Newt in the race. But now, we will have to endure a year long death march to the '08 election. A death march that will conclude with Hillary's inauguration.

Newt, why could you not have resigned your post in American Solutions for the period of time to see if you could raise the 30 million? Then when you got the funding, keep resigned throughout the campaign year.

If you become president, what better way to get your idea's into law, if you lost (yea right!), then you could go back to leading American Solutions.

I am deeply saddened

I am disappointed in the comments I have read. Look folks life is full of problems and though this may appear unsurmountable, if we pull together it WILL BE SOLVED. Lets get going and work with Newt to solve this problem. Once this problem is solved the money will come.

I spent yesterday in "mourning" after I left my comments. I am not going to give up hope. I will continue to pray that God touches Newt and brings him to the realization that he is the leader we need at this critical period in our country's history. I believe in miracles. I understand how much he has put into American Solutions and I attended with great enthusiasm on Saturday. It is a real shame that this country does not allow him to incorporate both solutions and running for the president. It seems like a "no brainer" to me that the two go hand in hand. Exactly the crisis we face in the USA at this very moment...partisan politics with NO solutions or willingness to work together. The Republican party has no other leader with the "fire in their belly" as Newt has. In my opinion he is a genius. I was so excited to roll up my sleeves and do whatever it took to support Newt. I have no desire to get behind any of the rest of the candidates. My heart is just not there. Without Newt FRONT AND CENTER, the media will NEVER get any of his messages or solutions out and therefore I do not see how he can be as effective playing a more "hidden" role. It will take me awhile to get over this one. My son who is in the Army plans on getting out when his tour is up for fear that he will be serving under a "liberal democrat"...my sense is that he is not alone in these feelings. A sad day in America.

Mr. Speaker, I have to agree with some earlier posts and say that this was indeed a sad thing for this country. I truly believe that if the american people watched you debate some of those running (on both sides) that they would have come to the realization that you are the man to lead this country. I am now forced to believe that some "higher powers" got to you and lead you to believe that there was no shot. If the american solutions workshops are that needed,do you not believe that becoming president would be the best way to effectively change things??

WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING???

Don't be discouraged!

Don't give up!

It's time to stoke the fire in the belly and do some "heavy lifting" of our own . . . .

DRAFT NEWT ! ! !

Wtite a heartfelt letter or email to everyone you know and explain to them that this man is the best choice in 2008.

DON'T LET THE EMBERS DIE!

I don't think Solutions Day could have possibly ended on a more sour note than Newt announcing he is not running. I don't even have the will to watch any of the online workshops I planned on watching. Totally depressing. Here comes President Hillary.

Newt has already launched the American Solutions movement. It CAN be handed off to other high profile people to run. Citizen activists that want to develop solutions and bring about "real change" now have an outlet for doing so.

What is much more important right now is that we have a field of fatally flawed candidates that can NOT beat Hillary. When we have higher taxes, weaker national security, national healthcare, liberal supreme court nominees, abortion on demand, etc... will Newt STILL think he did the right thing?

NEWT: The American Solutions movement is underway, and will now grow naturally as a result of all the excitement it generated. I think the biggest DETREMENT to the future success of American Solutions is you allowing Hillary Clinton to march unchallenged to the presidency.

I don't remember the last time I felt as let-down as I did at your closing speech on Solutions Day. If you care as deeply about this country as you say, you must run and defeat Hillary. You are the only person that can do it.

I agree with Michael Harbison "don't give up"! Newt will have "fire in his belly" when his supporters have "fire in their belly". I have stopped supporting and contributing to the RNC and RNCC because I have not found candidates worthy of supporting. Newt is the only one that I believe deserves my support and I suspect that there are many others that share my thoughts. With the belief that there are other like minded people I would like to once again build off of Michael Harbison's suggestion to "email everyone" I have never done an email campaign but I believe that we need email addresses to start, can someone get the RNC to work with us? What will we email? How about some suggestions, my first thought is a type of petition that individuals could send to Newt showing support and why we believe that he is the best candidate.

I am also saddened that Newt is not going to run. If the $30,000. in contributions is obtained will he change his mind and run? Where can the contributions be sent? I noted something scary today on the internet. It was a disturbing article saying evangelical leader James Dobson and the religious conservative right are considering supporting a 3rd party candidate because of family value issues. By the way, Dobson said he would support Newt.
A 3rd party candidate would be a disaster and deju vu all over again with Hillary's winning the Presidency. Remember back to 1992 and the 3rd party candidate Ross Perou. That is exactly how Bill Clinton was elected.
I will do everything I can to help with Newt's campaign. Please advise what I can do to help.
Carole Ostergren, Wallkill, NY

Newt, Newt, Newt.... You would have my vote and I'm sure I could have swayed many others. Reconsider!

I would like to thank Jeff George for the courage to be honest. I like him went into the American Solutions workshops with GREAT enthusiasm only to have it dampened with the announcement that Newt was not going to run for President. I think we were excited about the fact that American Solutions AND Newt to work hand in hand for a bid to the presidency. What a grand idea it was! I know the McCain/Feingold bill has stamped out that possibility. I came home eager to watch the workshops online that I had missed. I have not done that yet for the enthusiasm seems to have left me. I know that is not the way I should be reacting but you just do not know how hopeful I was that Newt MAY have had a shot at winning the next presidential election. I think the odds of him getting the nomination AND winning were very high. Once all the others were pitted in a debate against him, the contest would have been over (for the rest of them that is).

This makes no sense...Someone else could head up AS! The potential to make change is far greater from the position of President than from the position of head of AS...come on! You are too intelligent have just now figured this out! Did you think you would not be able to raise the funds or are you doing something else? 2012 will be too late! Major changes/decisions are looming on the horizon for our country and we need a true conservative leader! Get in it let someone else run AS and if you lose next November pick AS back up!

Dear Newt,
Many conservatives me included are very sad about your decision not to run. I have no doubt that you will make a great president. I heard you speak at our college 14 years ago when you swept the house with the contract with America campaign. Ever since then I have admired your wit and charisma. You are a great leader and you are well liked by millions in this great nation of ours. Please reconsider your decision and I will be your loudest supporter in Illinois. God bless,
Dan

If Newt would run, then Dr. Dobson and all of us Christian conservatives would actually have a candidate we could proudly support! Otherwise I'm scared people will feel compelled to vote for a third party candidate, which would do nothing but give half a vote to Hillary. I've heard it said recently that we need to quit wishing for a candidate like Reagan and focus on those that are actually running. It's frustrating that we have to settle for second best when Newt (the next best thing to Reagan) has the capability of running!

Mr. Speaker,
I, too, am heartbroken to hear of the news that you have decided not to run in what, to me, is the single most important election of my lifetime. I heard you say (and I absolutely agree) that Mrs. Clinton has an 80% chance of victory, given the current stagnant line-up of republican candidates. If this is true, we therefore have an 80% chance of America moving toward socialism. I further heard you state that you felt it your civic duty to run for President to prevent that from happening (provided you could get the requisite $30M). Mr. Speaker, you and I both know you can get the funding, so that isn't an issue. I ask that you honor your word and put your well-intentioned charitable organization on hold and lead America through its gloomiest forecast since the 1970's. As a red-blooded American who has lost further faith in this once great system, I am now forced to begin the process of building an escape hatch out of the country as a back up plan. I never thought I'd see the day. I hope you reconsider, sir, for you can always re-start American Solutions after your terms.

I hope Gingrich will change his mind. Somebody else can run his think-tank, can't he/she? What good are "American Solutions" if America's been dissolved by hillary clinton and the like by the time Gingrich decides it's time to run for President? I know this sounds faithless, but I cannot help to worry about the future of my three young children.

Once there was an American Revolution. And I hope to goodness we have a bloodless American Revolution soon before we have another bloody foreign attack. And how soon is it before socialism smothers liberty?

Now is not the time to hem and haw. The time is nigh to gather a new American Revolution, and put a bit of "oomph" behind the past 8 years. (I don't believe George W. Bush's election was for nothing, and I don't believe he created the problems we are in today.)

Please re-consider a run for President, Mr. Gingrich.

Sincerely,
A Hardworking Stay-At-Home Mother of Three

I read yesterday somewhere that Newt "would seriously consider being Vice-President" if he were asked?! That leads to the question...... could Newt keep running American Solutions and serve as Vice President at the same time?

A Huckabee/Newt ticket would be spectacular.