GOP is back. A little bird told me.

"Whoever the party leaders selected for last night's [GOP Senate-House fundraiser] keynote could legitimately claim a modicum of heir transparency," observes the WaPo's Dana Milbank. "Hence the intrigue over the two would-be keynote speakers, Gingrich and Palin, each with an eye on a 2012 presidential run." See below for details. Above, Newt keynotes as GOPs "intellectual center" (Tucker Carlson's words) while Sarah the "It Girl" flashes a bit of political ankle. (C-Span screen grab, left, Getty Images, right)

"Like broken clock, TIME got it right. McCain's tweet at GOP funder was moment of truth: GOP = back!" we twittered in response to a Howard Kurtz twitter query this morning. More about the unanticipated effect McCain's tweet had on us, but first, Kurtz's query:

Is Twitter just a fun hangout, or do you buy the Time-cover argument that it's changing the way we communicate and get information?

We're with Ed Morrissey, who twittered back "Both." Take that McCain tweet referenced above. It was fun, informationally enriching AND had an energizing psychological effect that traveled instantaneously over the internet from the Washington Convention Center straight into our own heart and mind:

Great to see Sarah and Todd at the dinner tonight — nice reunion!

We just happened to have been on our Tweet Deck and caught it live. We missed the dinner speeches at the time but caught some of Newt Gingrich's keynote in wee-hour C-Span reruns. Good, substantive stuff that's music to the ears of anti-statists like us. Will try to catch up today. We heard emcee Jon Voight was a smash, "taking a bite out of the Obama administration," as Fox & Friends hostess Gretchen Carlson described his crowd pleasing welcome. There'd been a frenzied buzz amongst the commentariat about whether Palin would or would not show, would or would not speak:

Palin was invited to be the keynote speaker at the dinner. What happened next, however, is a matter of hot dispute. Party officials say she accepted and reneged. Palin loyalists say she was merely mulling the offer. Either way, the party moved on and invited Gingrich to be the substitute keynoter.

In recent days, Palin was reinvited to the event, but that invitation was rescinded over concerns that the darling of the conservative base would steal the spotlight from Gingrich…

Finally, a compromise of sorts was reached: Palin would attend the event and be given a seat of honor, but would not have a speaking role.

Instead, she would be speaking to a much bigger audience, having taped an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity (viewership in excess of 3 million). It was scheduled to air at 9 p.m. — exactly the moment Gingrich was scheduled to begin his keynote address.

'Sounds like her handlers know how to put a little flash of ankle to good use. Press reactions this morning were all over the place, from the WaPo's Dana Banks's intoxicated "Keynoter or Not, Palin Steals Spotlight at GOP Fundraiser" to CQ Politics's soberer "Gingrich Trumps Palin at GOP Gala." Take your pick. There's room for both Sarah's gung ho charisma and Gingrich's equally gung ho gravitas in this big Republican tent. As Newt told Fox & Friends this morning, "I'm an inclusionist, not an exclusionist. I think it's more fun to be a majority." Besides, Sarah's a quick study and was heard seamlessly incorporating Newtonian ideas and phraseology — duly credited — into a speech she gave last week. Enter, stage left, a Palinophobe looking for dirt:

Newt Gingrich takes no issue with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for using his words in a speech she gave last week. In fact, he'd be happy if more Republicans espoused his ideas, a spokesman for the former House speaker said Monday.

Blogger Geoffrey Dunn, who is writing a book about Palin, accused the former Republican vice presidential candidate [in a Huffington Post piece] of lifting phrases and ideas at length from an article co-written by Gingrich in 2005.

Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler said the accusation was comical. "If she used Newt's ideas in a speech and gave him credit for them, there certainly is zero issue," Tyler said.

As we twittered Jake Tapper in response to a tweet of his quoting that Gingrich spokesman:

Lefties fear charismatic Sarah, armed with Newt's words she agrees with & credits, will be unbeatable!

But woman does not live by Twitter alone. Video of the GOP Senate-House Dinner, start to finish, now available at C-Span:

Fmr. House Speaker Newt Gingrich stressed getting back to “first principles” as he addressed the 2009 Republican Senate-House Dinner. Criticizing Pres. Obama’s “utopian idealism,” Mr. Gingrich said the GOP now faces opportunities to regain the White House and Congress.

This just in on Fox from commentator Tucker Carlson, who acknowledges the excitement Sarah brings to any gathering but notes: "Newt Is emerging, I think as the intellectual center of the GOP. People are looking to him for ideas, and I think he's running for president."

Update: Maggie's links.

Comments

[Gayle Miller]

I don't "tweet" and I don't Facebook. I think at age 67 the fact that I blog is enough! I'm not a social person and a social networking site is hardly my style. My sister is busy building a farm on Facebook and harvesting her watermelons. What the heck is THAT about?!

[goomp]

Hail to the Repulicans who are not playing dead for the economiaclly ignorant Liberals now leading our country toward disaster.

[Teresa]

My problem with Newt - his commercial (last year) with Nancy Pelosi about global warming.

The man is a politician, it's as if he didn't stop to think about the effect such a commercial would have. Apparently that is the case because he sat down with Nance and put his face and words on record. In the minds of the liberal left - this is akin to saying "I'm all for your way of thinking!"

He has clarified that stance, since the commercial came out, but you know most people will never hear about it. EVER. I didn't know about his clarification until I went looking today after reading your post. This puts him firmly in the "used by liberals to further their agenda group".

And if he allows himself to be used in such a way when the consequences of most global warming legislation is so economically devastating... I have a hard time thinking he would be the leader that many conservatives believe he would be.

As for McCain's tweet - very nice, but I think far too much is being read into 140 characters or less.

[Sissy Willis]

Gayle: I'll twitter so you don't have to. :-)

Hi, Goomp. Excellent comments, as always.

Teresa: I, too, cringed at Newt's drivel about "andropogenic climate change" at the time. Had forgotten. Don't know whether he mentioned it last night. Have yet to listen to the whole thing. As for McCain's sweet tweet, I can dream, can't I? ;-)

[Teresa]

LOL - we can all dream. ;-)

[Gayle Miller]

The Left is continuing their vicious assaults on Sarah Palin. This to me is a shining proof that they are terrified of Sarah Palin and all that she stands for. David Letterman, however, should be spanked good and hard for his utterly inappropriate remarks about Governor Palin's children (whether he was referring to 14-year old Willow or 18-year old Bristol is immaterial - in either case he was way out of line). His ratings are dismal and have been since I can remember - he isn't funny and only keeps his job because he's a liberal sweetheart. However, David has a wife and a child himself - how would HE feel if those remarks were directed against his family?

[HNAV]

i think you are right about the GOP, but in my humble opinion, they were never gone.

they got a very bad wrap, not suggesting they were perfect, but the more and more i study the Bush Administration's response to 9-11, it is the stuff of legends in the most heroic light.

but i am sorry, Mr. Gingrich is not the most attractive in many aspects, for myself personally.

i am glad he may be back on board, but remember his photo with Hillary as he peddled for his own opportunism.

Newt's blowing with the winds on the efforts in Iraq are still very memorable.

sadly, in terms of copying ideas, it was more copying a speech closely in context, and really doesn't reflect well on Gov. Palin.

i like Mrs. Palin, find the ugly debasing of Democratic Partisans truly pathetic. it is the same ugly games they have pushed dehumanizing fine Americans they perceive as their opposition, like the Bush Family, President Reagan, Judge Bork, Justice Thomas, Kathleen Harris, etc, etc, etc.

it is sad, for the hatred and bigotry is providing a closed mindset, and pushing vapid policy.

but i hope the hype regarding the very young Governor of Alaska is based on reality.

we need a team effort, celebrities can help, but we sincerely need the best for the job...

i have had enough with Mavericks, and those who ran on a Maverick 'i stuck it to my party' mindset.