Fresh off South Carolina Loss, Romney Lets Loose on Gingrich as ‘Failed Leader’
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(Image credit: Charles Dharapak/AP Photo)
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — Mitt Romney wasted no time going after Newt Gingrich this evening, slugging the former House speaker with insults, telling the crowd that he is a “failed leader” who “resigned in disgrace.”
“Now Speaker Gingrich is also a leader,” said Romney, speaking to a rally of hundreds in the parking lot of a building supply warehouse. “He was a leader for four years, as speaker of the House. At the end of four years it was proven that he was a failed leader and he had to resign in disgrace.
“I don’t know if you actually knew that,” Romney said. “He resigned after four years in disgrace. He was investigated under an ethics panel and had to make a payment associated with that and then his fellow Republicans, 88 percent of Republicans voted to reprimand Speaker Gingrich. He has not had a record of successful leadership.”
The rally this evening was the first public event Romney has held since coming in second to Gingrich in South Carolina, and it was apparent he was energized and ready to take on the next leg of the primary race — the 10-day slog to next week’s primary in Florida. He spent more 30 minutes after his speech working his way down the long line of supporters, shaking hands and signing autographs for the crowd, many of whom said they had gathered as early as 2 p.m. for the event, which was called for 6 p.m.
“Florida needs you,” one supporter told Romney as they shook hands, to which the candidate responded: “Well, I need you guys.”
In addition to hitting Gingrich on his ethics fine, Romney repeated his call for the former speaker to release the records from when he acted as a consultant for the mortgage company Freddie Mac.
“Over the last, what, 15 years, since he left the House, he talks about great bold movements and ideas. Well, what’s he been doing for 15 years? He has been working as a lobbyist. He was working as a lobbyist and selling influence around Washington,” Romney said. “He was working for Freddie Mac — heard of those guys? He says that he’s just been a historian, I would like him to release his records, what was his work product?
“What was he doing at Freddie Mac?” Romney went on. “Because Freddie Mac figures prominently into the fact that people in Florida have seen home values go down. It’s time to turn that around.”
And then there were attacks by Romney that alluded to Gingrich’s outspoken personality and the recent attacks on the former speaker’s integrity.
“We’re not choosing a talk show host, all right?” Romney said. “We’re choosing a leader. We’re choosing the person who should be the leader of the free world. I believe leaders have integrity. I believe they are people of sobriety, judgment, thoughtfulness, reliability, high ethical standards, all the elements of leadership I think you’re going to have to look at as Floridians to decide which of the people who are running for president in our side of the aisle includes the qualities of leadership.”
Romney’s energy seemed only to surge when he was interrupted by a group of protesters, who instead of telling them his usual line about how he’s glad we live in a world where free speech is accepted, yelled at them to “take a hike!”
And in a rare move, Romney’s wife Ann strayed from her usual introduction of her husband, mentioning not only the five sons she raised but also her husband’s tax returns, a topic that has been one of great contention over the past week. After a week of saying he would not release the reports until April, Romney said this morning that he will release his 2010 tax returns and an estimate of his 2011 report on Tuesday.
“I understand Mitt’s going to release his tax forms this week,” Ann Romney said. “I want to remind you of where we know our riches are. Our riches are with our families.”
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Ann Romney says, “Our riches are with our families”.
I’m sure she’s a nice woman, but she is obviously out of touch with the reality of her riches. Some may be with her family, but most of those riches are in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
And let’s not forget the $12.5 million home in La Jolla, California… their $10 million estate in New Hampshire… the $3 million home they used to own in Belmont, Massachusetts… the $5+ million home they listed in Deer Valley, Utah…
No one begrudges the Romneys their wealth. Just that they pay their fair share.
Posted by: Cara | January 22, 2012, 9:55 pm 9:55 pm
Cara, they paid their fair share on that money when he earned it. Now they are paying taxes on it again at the capital gains rate. The government gives you a break when you pay for the same money twice. An idea of Bill Clinton’s to get people to succeed.
As for the Cayman Islands, that’s for Bain to do business with foreign countries. Pretty basic stuff cuz even I get it!
Posted by: CajunW | January 22, 2012, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm
Romney is right. Gingrich did a seriously poor job as Speaker. He strikes me as a lousy manager. In my 50 years of business experience, 25 of them as a CFO, I have found this often to be true of academically bright individuals. Just because he knows a lot about American history doesn’t mean he’s up to performing well in the toughest job in the world.
Posted by: excfo | January 22, 2012, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm
CajunW | January 22, 2012, 10:12 PM, SAID:
“Cara, they paid their fair share on that money when he earned it. Now they are paying taxes on it again at the capital gains rate. … As for the Cayman Islands, that’s for Bain to do business with foreign countries.”
================================
LOL! …. Like the old “LIFE” cereal commercial, “Give it to Mikey, he’ll eat it, he eats everything!”, except in this case, it’s ….. “Feed the Fox News bullogni to a minion, they’ll believe it, they believe everything!”
(hehehe!)
Posted by: Forrest Gump is DEFINITELY a Republican | January 22, 2012, 11:44 pm 11:44 pm
don’t see where romney is doing anything wrong by sheltering his money and paying the least amount in taxes. it’s what we all do when we file our taxes, we search for deductions or buy real estate or anything we can do reduce our taxes. if any of us had enormous wealth, we would do what we could to minimze taxes just like we do right now. there is nothing wrong with what romney is doing and being successful is what we all want to be financially and otherwise. romney found his wealth apparently by being successful in business by being a top manager. romney even manages his wealth which is appropriate and we all do it. at this point, obama will win re-election but things could change but unlikely with the likes of newt on the scene. newt is like the palin of 2008, poisonous.
Posted by: david | January 23, 2012, 3:19 am 3:19 am
Maybe the answer is to keep the 15% rate for lower gross income incomes and progressively raise it for higher income earners. All this tells me is most of Romney’s income is from capital gains. Must be nice.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 7:48 am 7:48 am
LOL!!! I see the Republicans are still — yes, still — being complimented by being called “Forrest Gump,” even after the idiocy and irony of this has been pointed out countless times. Some folks never catch on to the super duper obvious, LOL! Of course, the “failed leader” is Obama, also super duper obvious.
Posted by: Elmer Fudd Is Definitely a Dim Dem | January 23, 2012, 7:48 am 7:48 am
It’s looking more and more like Obama will lose, no matter who his opponint is. But as an older gay man who receives government assistance, I will be voting for Obama no matter what.
Posted by: same again | January 23, 2012, 7:51 am 7:51 am
“I want to remind you of where we know our riches are.”… Should we be sitting down when we see this? Sounds like it’s going to be a lollipalooza.
Posted by: sameagain | January 23, 2012, 7:51 am 7:51 am
The Obama supporters need fewer cut and paste posts, and more better talking points, lol!
Just sayin’, lol.
Posted by: Kimberly | January 23, 2012, 7:52 am 7:52 am
I still just am hoping that Obama can demagogue his way back to respectable approval ratings, and squeak out a win in November. Bigger, better government is the only way to go. And a shout out to Same Again // Searambler.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | January 23, 2012, 7:57 am 7:57 am
“I want to remind you of where we know our riches are.”… Should we be sitting down when we see this? Sounds like it’s going to be a lollipalooza.”
Another fake post in my name, quoted above. I am also Searambler, just so my true fans will know.
Posted by: SameAgain | January 23, 2012, 7:59 am 7:59 am
Alas, and hilarious…Nothing has changed at all: Obama still sucks, and he will still suck just as much come November.
Posted by: Sai | January 23, 2012, 8:02 am 8:02 am
Sounds like some liberal Democrats want to go back to treating all investment income as earned income. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, although it didn’t seem to hurt the economy when Bill Clinton and a Republican Congress did just that in the ’90′s.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 8:04 am 8:04 am
Sameagain (7:59 AM); Fans? Really?
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 8:09 am 8:09 am
The Republican Party does not need another Reagan clone. National debt is over $15.3 trillion already.
Posted by: dustin97sc | January 23, 2012, 8:33 am 8:33 am
Gringrich was exonerated from that investigation. Lay off Gingrich and tell us your plans. Maybe you don’t have any. You started this negative crap, and no one believes you do not know what your super PAC was doing. Knowing how to make money does not make a leader or a president.
Posted by: vera reid | January 23, 2012, 8:46 am 8:46 am
Gingrich was exonerated from that investigation. Posted by: vera reid | January 23, 2012, 8:46 am.
Well, if by exonerated you mean found guilty of an ethical violation and fined $300,000.00 in a massively bipartisan vote of the House, then yes, he was exonerated. But I don’t think you actually know the definition of the word.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 23, 2012, 9:00 am 9:00 am
“LOL! …. Like the old “LIFE” cereal commercial, “Give it to Mikey, he’ll eat it, he eats everything!”, except in this case, it’s ….. “Feed the Fox News bullogni to a minion, they’ll believe it, they believe everything!”
I disagree with the above statement regarding this particular issue. As of this moment Romney has done nothing illegal. Simply put… he’s a rich guy and like him, I would also look for the most advantageous tax havens to pay less taxes. My problem with all of this is how he responds to questions about it, He doesn’t have a clear, forceful answer for this. He comes across to me as someone who is ashamed because he paid so little. THIS type of “guilt” attitude, (in my opinion), plays right into the President’s hand that the wealthy should pay more. Of course Gingrich and Sanitarium will use it to their advantage and so they should.
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 23, 2012, 9:13 am 9:13 am
Dustin (8:33 AM); “National debt is over $15.3 trillion already.” And the Democrats have done nothing to even begin to turn that around. Obama just requested $1.2 trillion more. You do know that right?
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 9:15 am 9:15 am
Capital gains are NOT on the funds invested but paid on the PROFITS earned on those funds. The question is Why are Capital gains taxed so favorably? Ever since the gains rate started sinking below the income tax rate, MOST CEOs and extremely wealthy business people are paid not wages but stock. WONDER WHY?? As for the Cayman islands, that is a long time tax dodge and the money has, very likely, been laundered so that it is shown as not to be US funds at all. As for the charges against Gingrich – they were not dropped. He got hit with a $300,000 fine! He got tossed as speaker.
Posted by: pksk531 | January 23, 2012, 9:19 am 9:19 am
““I understand Mitt’s going to release his tax forms this week,” Ann Romney said. “I want to remind you of where we know our riches are. Our riches are with our families.”
MMPH!!! LOL!! A pre-emptive strike!!! 2010 and 11 must have been some VERY good years for Mittens and the family…
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 23, 2012, 9:27 am 9:27 am
Not sold on Gingrich (I’d vote for Santorum if I thought he had any chance of winning…which is a sad commentary). But there’s something about Romney that really rubs me the wrong way. I see him basically as being the Republican equivolent to Obama. Gingrich at least is someone who can deal with Congress. Still looking for that viable third part candidate (or third party for that matter).
Posted by: Brian Levine | January 23, 2012, 9:29 am 9:29 am
pksk531 (9:19 AM)’; “Capital gains are NOT on the funds invested but paid on the PROFITS earned on those funds.” Of course it’s on profits. Not quite sure you given any insight with this statement. The reason that they are taxed favorably (at least in theory) is the lower rate encourages capital investment. Now an argument can be made that it should not be 15% across the board, but graduated upward with increasing gross income. I can see both sides, but I’m not an expert.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 9:33 am 9:33 am
“It’s looking more and more like Obama will lose, no matter who his opponint is. But as an older gay man who receives government assistance, I will be voting for Obama no matter what.” — and here exactly is the problem. The poor have absolutely no stake in making the Federal Government efficient or reducing the deficit. Why should they, when they basically get paid to be poor by the government (even though they don’t see how this effectively keeps them in poverty with no way out). Every wage earner should pay some taxes so that they have a stake in things. The issue isn’t the tax rates (though their are many loopholes the rich use that should be closed). The issue is that the government has no concept of spending within its means, something every family knows how to do.
Posted by: Brian Levine | January 23, 2012, 9:34 am 9:34 am
Also, dividends paid by corporations to their stock holders is also treated as capital gains. It doesn’t have to be an investment in a fund.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 9:35 am 9:35 am
But there’s something about Romney that really rubs me the wrong way. I see him basically as being the Republican equivalent to Obama. Posted by: Brian Levine | January 23, 2012, 9:29 am.
Really? A silver-spoon rich white North-easterner who was elected to one office one time, and spent 25 years as a corporate raider amassing a fortune estimated to be around a quarter of a BILLION dollars, is the same as a self-made middle class Black man raised in Hawaii, who went to Columbia and then excelled at Harvard, went into the private sector briefly before going into state and then national politics and holding elected office for the last 15 years – you see these two guys as the same? Wow.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 23, 2012, 9:38 am 9:38 am
Romney – according to friends in Mass, HE was not very successful as governor. I do not know anyone there who thought he did a good job. As for Gingrich – NO one who served with him thinks he would make a good President. he couldn’t work with Congress when he was IN Congress. Santorum’s reputation n the Senate was pretty much Window dressing: looked good but empty upstairs. Paul is seen as a loose cannon and a wing nut and not a viable candidate.
Posted by: pksk531 | January 23, 2012, 9:39 am 9:39 am
Brian (9:34 AM); The guy who posted that comment is a troll. I agree with what you said except the last sentence. Some people (or families) cannot and will not live within their means. Goverment doesn’t because they own the printing press.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 9:43 am 9:43 am
pksk531 (9:39 AM); Well, let’s see…….that pretty much boils your choice down to….now let me guess….Obama!
Posted by: newcountryman | January 23, 2012, 9:59 am 9:59 am
As for Gingrich – NO one who served with him thinks he would make a good President. he couldn’t work with Congress when he was IN Congress. Posted by: pksk531 | January 23, 2012, 9:39 am.
It IS rather telling, and obviously a point completely lost on his supporters from the Right, that not one single co-worker of Newt’s from when he was Speaker of the House has come forward to endorse him for president. Several have said he would be a disaster, but not one single one has said ‘Yep, he’d make a good president’. And they worked with the guy for years in Congress…..
Posted by: A Cynic | January 23, 2012, 10:02 am 10:02 am
Newcountryman – given our choices IS there anyone else? Regarding my post of 9:19 it was directed at those who, like Cajunw 10:12pm 1/22, believe that he is paying taxes on his earnings, then being double taxed. They said: “Cara, they paid their fair share on that money when he earned it. Now they are paying taxes on it again at the capital gains rate. The government gives you a break when you pay for the same money twice. An idea of Bill Clinton’s to get people to succeed.”
As for the Cayman Islands, that’s for Bain to do business with foreign countries. Pretty basic stuff cuz even I get it!”
They do not understand the concept of Capital Gains vs. Regular Income so I tried to give a very quick explanation. Did forget about the Dividends -thanks.
Posted by: pksk531 | January 23, 2012, 10:48 am 10:48 am
Romney’s record here in Massachusetts isn’t exactly good either. Ask most here what they thought of the ex governor and the job he did while in office.
Posted by: Jay | January 23, 2012, 10:54 am 10:54 am
Romney is right. Gingrich is a hypocritical old weasel who talks the talk because he has the well oiled skills of a used car salesman. There is no way Gingrich can be elected President. He will be destroyed by the left and the media and will be shunned by discriminating voters who are eager to say, ‘enough already’.
Posted by: munster42 | January 23, 2012, 11:03 am 11:03 am
Newt is very crafty and delivered a brilliant broadside against the “media elite” for the GOP mob. One big problem: he was a disaster as Speaker and was thrown out of Congress for gross ethical violations.
Newt Gingrich debates brilliantly but he is a Mess.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | January 23, 2012, 11:07 am 11:07 am
I want to thank all these consistent republican candidates for doing such a fine job in beating up on each other. Thanks to all of you and your persistent battering of each other, President Obama will have little to do come the fall. I would have thought that by now most intelligent people would have realized that this political process, done in this way, has a huge downside that manifests after the convention. But, alas, I suspect I overestimsted the level of intelligence currently available in the republican party. So, keep it up boys. You’re only proving the point that LACK OF INSIGHT is not a good characteristic for a POTUS. OBAMA 2012
Posted by: Bob Smith | January 23, 2012, 11:18 am 11:18 am
dont blame conservatives for this mess, anyone paying attention should have dismissed the idea of Newt running for President 15 years ago. When he entered this race, I could see he was the McCain for 2012, the fall guy for Obama, and I noted, “if Newt gets the nomination, we are not in a free society and this entire system is rigged”, that was when he had 8% tops; then we see Cain go down for being ‘accused’ of sexual misconduct, and replaced by NEWT, who is a well known serial ADULTERER!?! No conservative can vote for that, its a fact! IF you truly care about what you SAY you care about, you cannot vote fore Newt! Doing so makes you an instant hypocrite!
Posted by: Joe | January 23, 2012, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm