An Attack Dog, Not a Lapdog

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Gingrich employed a different device. According to the Washington Post, he persuaded 21 supporters to contribute $105,000 to promote Window of Opportunity, a book on the "American future" that the Georgian co-authored in 1984 with his wife Marianne and a science fiction writer, David Drake. Though the book sold only 12,000 hard-cover copies and failed to make a profit for its publisher, the investors reaped tax benefits for their contributions. They also paid Marianne Gingrich nearly $10,000 for her efforts. Gingrich admitted last week that his book deal was "as weird as Wright's." But unlike the Speaker, said Gingrich, "we wrote a real book for a real company that was sold in real bookstores."

Democratic lawmakers plan to ask the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to investigate Gingrich's book arrangement. After Gingrich's election last week, Wright sent the new whip a copy of Reflections of a Public Man with a pungent inscription: "For Newt, who likes books too." When asked how Gingrich, in his new leadership role, would deal with Wright, Gingrich replied, "Politely."

Most Democrats expect anything but courtesy from Gingrich. In fact, they view his combativeness as a potential plus. "Newt probably unites the Democratic Party more than any other single Republican," said House Majority Whip Tony Coelho of California. If Gingrich lives up to his loose-cannon reputation, he could further hinder the President's crusade for congressional bipartisanship. Of course, if Gingrich has his way, there will not be a Democratic majority in the House for long. "Newt wakes up in the morning, and < the first thing he thinks about is how to become the majority party," says Charles Black, a Republican political consultant. Gingrich is hoping the G.O.P. will win a strategic edge from the redrawing of congressional districts in 1991, an unlikely outcome since Democrats control a majority of the state legislatures that will be redefining the districts.

Moreover, there has not been a G.O.P. majority in the House since Dwight Eisenhower's first term in office. Despite victories in the past three presidential elections, the Republicans have actually lost 18 House seats since Ronald Reagan was first sworn in. Because roughly 98% of congressional incumbents can count on re-election, the Democrats have a tremendous advantage. Bomb thrower or visionary, Newt Gingrich can probably plan on being in the minority party for a long time to come.