Newt Gingrich: Buy Candidate, Not Yacht
on Sunday, May 31, 2015Newt Gingrich Money Quotation saying big money in politics comparing value of between a pleasure yacht and your very own candidate. Newt Gingrich said:
“What seems like really big money is less than a yacht, this year, instead of buying a new yacht … spend $70 million on a candidate” — Newt Gingrich
In this quote, Newt Gingrich is providing perspective on political campaign spending levels compared to other luxury expenditures. By referring to $70 million as less than the cost of “a yacht this year,” he seems to be implying such a large donation or spending amount by a single donor is relatively modest in the context of great wealth.
Gingrich appears to be suggesting that for billionaires, contributing tens of millions to a preferred candidate could be viewed as a worthwhile investment and act of support, rather than an exorbitant sum.
His point of comparison to yacht purchases also conveys the view that big political contributions are a form of spending one’s money on causes or candidates believed in, similar to other expensive hobbies or possessions of the very rich. The quote serves to normalize multimillion dollar donations as almost ordinary for the wealthiest individuals.
Birthday: June 17, 1943