Newt Gingrich continues to rely on his strong performances in the 2,671 televised Republican debates to boost his long shot campaign for the White House.

This week was no different as the ex speaker opened the most recent debate in South Carolina with a blistering attack on the news media. The subject of his riposte was a sensational story about his marital antics based on testimony from his ex-wife.

Gingrich lashed out at CNN for discussing this topic during a presidential debate, thee Republican audience responded with a standing ovation, which was all caught on camera.

The CNN anchor made little defense.

Gingrich continued to berate the “liberal” news media for their soft peddling on Obama and over-aggressiveness with Republicans.

This is an interesting assertion as the media appears to be predominantly conservative (according to this research).

Perry admitted, “I know when it’s time to make a strategic defeat”.

Speculation on the cause of Perry’s demise span from his poor poll numbers recently to a number of memorable gaffes. After all, what other candidate has threatened to secede from the union, attempted to make the HPV vaccine mandatory (after receiving $30,000 in endorsements from the company that produces it), and forgotten the name of the third federal agency he would have eliminated had he been elected? (Not to mention this cherished ad we previously covered).

Yes, Rick will be missed. But probably not by Mr. Gingrich, who stands to gain from Rick’s endorsement following his departure. And Mr. Gingrich could use the boost, as the most recent Gallup poll still shows Mr. Romney leading the pack with 33% of voters and Mr. Gingrich trailing at 17%. With four candidates left in the race, who will drop next? Our money’s on Santorum.

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (NIV)

¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection:
Hudson Taylor was a missionary and director of the China Inland Mission in the 19^th century.  He was often asked to interview potential candidates for the mission field. As he asked the applicants why they wish to go as a foreign missionary some of their replies were,” I want to go because Christ has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” and another, “I want to go because millions are perishing without Christ.” Then Hudson Taylor said, “All of these motives, however good, will fail you in times of testings, trials, tribulations and possible death.  There is but one motive that will sustain you in trial and testing; namely, the love of Christ.”

Everything is from God – reconciliation with God, our new lives, the message and ministry He has called us to.  We are indeed called to bring His forgiveness to others so that they may also be reconciled to God through Christ and also receive His call to be His ambassadors; but we are to do this first and foremost by Christ’s love which compels us.  May Christ’s love richly fill and compel us.

Responding to the message:

Let us spend time reflecting on how God has saved us and loved us.  Lift up a prayer that Christ’s love will fill and compel us to reach out to those who need to experience God’s forgiveness and grace.

UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III takes your questions.

Q. Considering that Time magazine named The Protestor as its 2011 Person of the Year and knowing your own active involvement in the civil rights movement, what are your thoughts on the amount of violent opposition present-day protesters are facing across the nation?

— Joseph Cooper IV ’08, English

A. People have the right to protest. I have to remind people about that at times. America was built out of protest. If we had not protested, we would not have America.

At the same time, a number of institutions have not known how to be effective in responding to these protests.

People tend to protest out of frustration, when they feel that the regular process used for change is not effective. At the national level, people are frustrated by the widening gap between the rich and the rest of America. What’s challenging is that people don’t know how to change the direction in which the country is moving.

What some may not know is that it’s not just students or young people who are frustrated by that widening gap. When I talk to Nobel laureates in economics, I hear them raising the same concerns about the future of America. And some of the wealthiest donors we have also express those concerns, and are very generous in giving gifts. When you listen to the Gates family, for instance, they understand that there is a certain level of responsibility that you have when you have that much money.

Unfortunately, some people don’t feel that way. They get wealthy and they think: “Wow, I just did this on my own.”

The most important point is how we use these opportunities to have robust conversations on campuses as to why these things are happening and about the deeper meaning of things – whether it’s the role of protest in society or what is happening in the economy. How do we prepare students to be responsible citizens as they think about what role they may play in all this?

Q. You’ve chosen to use the $500,000 Centennial Academic Leadership Award that you received in November from the Carnegie Corporation to create the Hrabowski Fund for Academic Innovation at UMBC. Will specific initiatives receive immediate assistance? How will faculty, staff and students be encouraged to further these goals?

— Richard Byrne ’86, English

A. The award is the seed money for a much larger fund that will focus on innovation in teaching and learning and entrepreneurship. I expect that we will be raising money over the next few years. We’re already getting contributions. It will help us keep taking more steps in the direction for which UMBC is becoming known as a place for innovation in teaching and in learning.

There will also be a university-wide competition established this semester for departments to look specifically at courses where they need to redesign to help students more actively engage with the subject matter. Because we also tie innovation to entrepreneurship at UMBC, we want to see what comes out of the campus community. It will be a chance for people to think broadly about the possibilities.

Have a question for Dr. Hrabowski? Please visit retrievernet.umbc.edu/askthepresident