It turns out that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich isn’t the only one trying to rekindle his glory from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker is back with a book, “Rocker: Scars and Strikes.”
In an appearance promoting the book on the “Mike Silva’s New York Baseball Digest” radio show, Rocker recounted the controversy he encountered after making some ill-advised racist, homophobic and sexist remarks to Sports Illustrated in 1999. But he has a favorite in the 2012 Republican presidential race: fellow Georgian Newt Gingrich.
“I have always loved Newt Gingrich,” Rocker said. “I mean I know he’s not the most charismatic guy out there. I love to hear him talk. I love to hear his commentaries on whatever forum I can find him on, God the last 10-15 years. I mean, he is an absolute genius — just a marksman in historical value of pretty much anything you want to discuss.”
Rocker continued his fawning over Gingrich, even though he said he would prefer someone who wasn’t “a lifetime politician-type.”
“I think he’s an absolute genius,” Rocker declared. “He’s got obviously the intelligence. He’s got the experience. I don’t necessarily like that he’s the lifetime politician-type. I would just as soon see us go back to a Herman Cain, someone who’s been in the citizen form, if you will, for the better part of his adult life. But I just like Newt Gingrich. I have always liked him. He’s always intrigued me, you know — things he’s had to say. I have always liked him. I would like to see him get the nomination.”
Listen:
[dcvideo videoid=”24779733″ name=”ndnPlayer_24779733″ type=”ndn” /]