An Attack Dog, Not a Lapdog

One view is that Newt Gingrich is a bomb thrower. A fire-breathing Republican Congressman from Georgia, he is more interested in right-wing grandstanding than in fostering bipartisanship in the House of Representatives.

Another view is that Newt Gingrich is a visionary. An impassioned reformer, the six-term lawmaker from Jonesboro, Ga., brings innovative thinking and a respect for deeply felt American values to the House.

Whether his congressional colleagues regard him as a hero or a hothead -- there seem to be few opinions in between -- Newt Gingrich, 45, accomplished a feat last week that not many of them would ever...