Lessons for those who used to be in the know

Newt Gingrich had to apologize to Paul Ryan yesterday.

Gingrich, his nascent campaign in jeopardy, has shifted into fervent damage control following a furious conservative reaction to his comments — and is even expressing a rare bit of contrition.

It used to be common knowledge that no one, no one, would allow for any tampering with medicare/Social security. Common knowledge has changed.

We are ready. (We being those not currently dependent on medicare/social security.)
Yes, the media will spin any changes in order to scare seniors. Seniors are not idiots. Paul Ryan is not a radical.

Gingrich learned this the hard way. Milbank is trying to help him out. It’s too late. Gingrich will be out soon.

UPDATE: Actually Morgan has a great post on this subject titled:

Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment 1, Newt Gingrich 0

……

I’m beyond sick & tired of what Newt Gingrich tried to do here. “I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering,” everyone who’s been paying the slightest bit of attention knows what that means. Two decades straight, we’ve been watching this nonsense go down. Oh yes, we get it: “You have the fringe kooky moonbats over here, then you have your teabagger nutbars over there, and then there’s me.” Pause for dramatic effect, fold hands over your chest as if in prayer, gaze skyward and wait for halo to appear over head. Yes, rally behind me and I shall lay my healing hands upon the nation’s rift.

We’re all sick of it. And we know we are ready to grow up. Are you oh political leaders of the day?