Newt Gingrich had led the congressional Republicans to triumph in 1994; but then, between the infamous "government shutdown" and ethical questions concerning him personally, he had become seen as damaged goods. Mrs. O'Beirne had been the first to ask publicly whether he shouldn't step down as Speaker of the House. On this show, she and her colleagues give us gloom and doom in the most entertaining way. JO: "Although the Republicans won in '94 and survived to win again in '96, they still have an opposition mentality.... If you're a successful Republican in the House of Representatives, you may get respect there, but the moment you go, say, on the Today show ... you're treated as if you're some kind of weird creature from the black lagoon."