Troubled youth

Washington Times
Inside the Beltway
(03/04/06)

Troubled youth

Inside the Beltway thought it would be fun to have former House Speaker Newt Gingrich autograph a pair of old black-and-white photographs that landed on our desk however many years ago ? one of Mr. Gingrich the collegian, sporting long sideburns that stretch practically to his Adam's apple; the other of young "Newtie" at age 7, posing atop a tamed pony and wearing a cowboy hat and bandanna.

"Do NOT publish these! Your friend, Newt Gingrich," he signed the pictures, while doing so recalling a story about the latter photograph that still irks him today.

In January 1995, the New York Times was pointing out childhood similarities between Mr. Gingrich and President Clinton, the pair growing up during an era "when postwar American horizons stretched forever, [and] a boy could grow up to be anything he wanted ? President of the United States, even. Or if he could think really big, Speaker of the House.

"But first he wanted to be a cowboy," said the newspaper, reproducing side by side in its Sunday edition childhood photos of Mr. Clinton and Mr. Gingrich, both dressed up as cowboys.

"As their futures unfold," said the newspaper, "the similarities of their pasts may fall away and their differences become more sharply defined. But if one searches these early portraits for clues, at least one difference is evident already: Newt has a gun."

"Can you believe that?" asked Mr. Gingrich, the observation from 11 years ago still fresh in his mind. "They actually saw fit to point out that I'm the one ? not Bill Clinton ? holding a gun."

At least he had one...

--WP