Coach honed debating skills of young Newt Gingrich
http://host.madison.com/news/national/government-and-politics/coach-honed-debating-skills-of-young-newt-gingrich/article_3ae64bc6-108d-5366-87f7-b7d0103e85f2.html
In their coaching sessions, Gibson said he filmed Gingrich speaking so he could see his mistakes. The students on Gibson's debate team _ one was Randy Evans, now Gingrich's longtime attorney _ listened and critiqued Gingrich's speeches. They researched the positions of his political opponents and constructed arguments. Gibson traveled with Gingrich to debates so they could practice in the car.
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"He just worked endlessly and worked us very hard because he was as competitive as all get-out," said trial lawyer Paul Weathington, one of Gibson's debaters and a nationally ranked debater in college.
Gibson told Gingrich to work on his body language. When listening intently to another speaker, he tended to frown _ a bad habit that Gibson said the Republican candidate has not fully stopped. In fact, Gingrich recently told reporters that his granddaughter told him to smile more and that she counts his grins during debates.
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Gingrich understands how to exploit TV debates and has avoided any major gaffes, said Mitchell McKinney, a communications professor at the University of Missouri who studies presidential debates. When his campaign was lagging, Gingrich baited the front-runners to engage him during debates, which helped him get airtime. He also picks messages that are sure to be replayed on TV. It adds up to free publicity.
"These moments get captured and played over and over," McKinney said.
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