Let's take a little detour from January 6 and gas prices and remember a couple of people who turn 79 this weekend.

First, we remember Newt Gingrich, who came out of Georgia to lead the 1994 GOP revolution.  He has become one of the real statesmen of our time.  I no longer think of Newt as a politician, but rather as one who has his eye on the big picture.

My friend Barry Casselman, a friend of Newt, wrote this a few years ago about one of his books.  Beyond a book review, I think Barry understands that Newt has graduated from politician to statesman:

Some might characterize Gingrich as a cheerleader or advocate for Donald Trump, and I think it would be fair to do so. But that does not diminish the value of Gingrich's writing on the subject because the whole phenomenon of Donald Trump's candidacy and subsequent presidency is so unprecedented and so often misunderstood that lucid analysis and explanation is vitally important for both his partisans and his opponents.

So there you have it.  The other half of our story is Barry Manilow, who delighted millions with his songs years ago. 

Manilow started his career writing music jingles for commercials.  In 1974, he hit the charts with "Mandy" and went on to sell over 80 million records worldwide.

We remember Manilow as a great performer and songwriter.

So what was God thinking when he gave us Newt and Barry on the same day in 1943?  I cannot get into God's mind, but he probably wanted us to have serious political discussions, à la Gingrich, and then dance the night away at "Copacabana" à la Manilow.

Thank you, God, for Barry and Newt.  Yes, God indeed have the last laugh with those two.

Homework for this weekend: Read one of Newt's books and listen to a Manilow CD.  They will distract you from thinking about $4.99 gasoline and President Biden blaming everybody else for his failures.

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Image: Gage Skidmore, Weatherman90.