Gingrich warns of Republican meltdown [updated]

The Newt seems to be sentient.  He is warning the GOP that the Republican brand has simply lost the trust of the American people and can expect massive losses unless something drastic is done.

What he suggests as a cure seems to be same-o/same-o.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is calling on Republicans to seek "real change to avoid a real disaster" in the wake of another Democratic victory in a special election on Saturday.

In a letter to House Republicans posted on www.newt.org, Gingrich urges House leaders to call an "emergency meeting" of House Republicans to address what he describes as a "catastrophic collapse of trust in Republicans."

The Hill.

There's more.

Newt says the way out is to push for "real change" and "real action."

Somewhere he got the idea that the American people are looking for "agents of change reform."  Huh.  Ring any bells?  And who might those "agents of change" be???  Well, if you're a teenager who has run your dad's new car into a brick wall - well, ya just got to convince dad that YOU are the one to be put in charge of its future care:

The American people know that Washington is broken, and we have to convince them that we can fix it.

NRCC Chairman Tom Cole, agreeing with Newt, also warns their buddies to stay well away from McCain during the coming election.  They aren't going to make it into office on McCain's coat tails:

He also stressed the importance of having a platform and message unique from the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

"Simply relying on the message of our Presidential nominee and the failures of the Democrat Majority is not enough to convince voters that in a time of war and economic unease that Republicans should be handed victory," Cole stated.

With all of the Democratic angst in the air, I thought this would be a good day to see what life looks like on the other side of the fence.  I like our side better.

[update]  You can read it straight from the Newt at his web site.

His web site article says:

The Anti-Obama, Anti-Wright, and Anti-Clinton GOP Model Has Been Tested -- And It Failed

The Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama, anti- Reverend Wright, or (if Senator Clinton wins), anti-Clinton campaign, they are simply going to fail.

This model has already been tested with disastrous results.

In 2006, there were six incumbent Republican Senators who had plenty of money, the advantage of incumbency, and traditionally successful consultants.

But the voters in all six states had adopted a simple position: "Not you." No matter what the GOP Senators attacked their opponents with, the voters shrugged off the attacks and returned to, "Not you."

The danger for House and Senate Republicans in 2008 is that the voters will say, "Not the Republicans."