Booked Solid: Crowds Jam Gingrich Fete

House Speaker Newt Gingrich drew the biggest crowd of his 18-stop book tour on Tuesday as about 1,000 fans crowded the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace. They were clutching copies of his “Lessons Learned the Hard Way” and remembering with nostalgia the days he barnstormed into Congress with revolution in mind.

“I adore him,” said Helen Watilke of Brea, a retired secretary who stood in line for hours for a chance to shake Gingrich’s hand and have him sign a copy of his book. “That smile. His ideas. His politics. It’s people like him I want running our country.”

Watilke’s tone was typical of the crowd, made up primarily of dyed-in-the-wool Republicans whose only complaint of Gingrich was that he hasn’t been aggressive enough, even though Gingrich concedes in his book that his rhetoric during the heady days of 1994 went a little too far.

Hugely popular for his anti-government stand at a time when Republicans were swept into Congress, Gingrich sunk in the opinion polls after a series of political gaffes, which are outlined in the book. But judging from their comments, most of those who came to see him Tuesday never faltered in their support.

“I think he was misunderstood for a long time,” said Watilke. “But this book is going to change all that.”

Many said they hope the pendulum will swing back in his favor, perhaps enough to push Gingrich into the presidency. Although Gingrich has denied he wants the job, speculation about a presidential bid is rampant, fueled in part by book tour stops in the key primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

“I’d vote for him in a hot second,” said Cindy Ellis of Pomona, who with her 16-year-old son, James, had waited in line since 8 a.m. for the noon event. “The only person I’d rather see in there is Dan Quayle, but there’s no way he’s going to run.”

Ellis’ son, also a staunch Republican, agreed. “I haven’t caught him in a lie yet,” he said of Gingrich. “That means he’s an honest man.”

Gingrich scored big points in the crowd for not only admitting his errors, but devoting an entire book to them. “We all make mistakes,” said Dewell Cooper of San Dimas, who came with his wife, Norma, and two daughters, one 2 years old and one 2 months old. “But I have to give him credit, because he’s man enough to admit it, and he’s willing to learn from them.”

Waist-high to most of those in line were 9-year-old twins Steven and Tom Adams, dressed in neat white shirts and ties, standing rather solemnly with hands in their pockets. The twins had come with their grandmother, Nancy Adams of Placentia, who also took the boys to Nixon’s funeral service on the same grounds.

“We’re training them early,” she joked with friend Mary Korte of Yorba Linda. “We need more young Republicans.”

Indeed, when asked why they liked Gingrich, the boys shyly smiled and declared, “because he’s a Republican.”

Korte was among those whose support for Gingrich hasn’t faltered over the years. “It’s hard because he does speak his mind, he doesn’t beat around the bush,” she said. “And I think some people were offended by his frankness. These days, you can’t say what you think without offending somebody.”

The crowd included eight high school seniors who pinned pictures of Gingrich to their sweaters and shrieked when they finally reached the book-signing table. “Oh my gosh, I’m gonna faint,” gushed Kim Fate, 17, of Long Beach. “You’re, like, our favorite guy.”

Gingrich beamed as the seniors, all members of the same government class, crowded around him, posing for pictures, but quickly returned to the task of scribbling signatures, one every few seconds.

Meanwhile, the students--flush with excitement--huddled and stared at his handwriting.

“We just love Newt,” said Jennifer Nagle of Long Beach.

Another high school senior, Kenney Taylor, 17, of Ayala High School in Chino Hills, was less impressed with the white-haired icon at the table. “I don’t like him at all,” said Taylor, who is president of his school’s government club and wants to enter politics himself--as a Democrat.

“I think he’s too aggressive, and he’s very negative, especially to minorities,” said Taylor. “But it was a pleasure to meet him. After all, he is the speaker of the House. I can’t wait to tell my Mom.”