Newt Gingrich Says Mitt Romney ‘Misled’ Country, But Would Still Endorse Him If He’s the Nominee
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David Goldman/AP
He has called Mitt Romney a “liar” who “misled the entire country” in last week’s debate. But that won’t keep Newt Gingrich from endorsing Romney should he become the Republican nominee for president.
“I think reelecting Obama is a disaster and I’ll certainly endorse the Republican nominee. But I think that Mitt Romney will have a very, very hard time differentiating himself [from Obama],” Gingrich told me this morning on “GMA.”
Gingrich, who only a week ago was riding high from his South Carolina victory, is now plunging in the polls. The front page of USA Today shows Gingrich trailing Obama by 14% while Romney is in a statistical tie with the president.
But in the 24 hours before Floridians hit the polls Gingrich is making his case against nominating a man who he thinks is too moderate for the electorate.
“We nominated a moderate in 1996, he got beaten badly. We nominated a moderate in 2008, he got beaten badly. I know that the establishment would love to nominate Romney and they want to make him electable so they can beat [Obama] in the Fall,” he said. “But I think the record of ’96 and 2008 is you better have a conservative who can draw a really wide gap.”
Gingrich said he’s the man to do it and pointed to what billionaire George Soros told Reuters last week that “either you’ll have an extremist conservative, be it Gingrich or Santorum, in which case I think it will make a big difference which of the two comes in. If it’s between Obama and Romney, there isn’t all that much difference except for the crowd that they bring with them.”
“There are a lot of parallels between these two guys. Romneycare and Obamacare are essentially the same. He can bury me for a very short amount of time with four or five or six times as much money, most of it raised on Wall Street from the guys who got bailouts from the government,” Gingrich told me. “In the long run the Republican Party is not going to nominate the founder of Romneycare, a liberal Republican who is pro-abortion, pro-gun control and pro-tax increases.”
“Ain’t gonna happen,” he added
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“He has called Mitt Romney a “liar” who “misled the entire country” in last week’s debate. But that won’t keep Newt Gingrich from endorsing Romney should he become the Republican nominee for president….”
This just doesn’t make any sense what so ever! You call someone a liar and yet you’re still willing to endorse them as President of the United States?
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 30, 2012, 8:57 am 8:57 am
“He has called Mitt Romney a “liar” who “misled the entire country” in last week’s debate. But that won’t keep Newt Gingrich from endorsing Romney should he become the Republican nominee for president.”
Of course not. Party first, country a distant second. It’s the Republican way. Once Romney gets the nomination, the Party will rally ’round him as their ‘Great Right Hope’, singing his praises and desperately trying to scrub the internet of all the damning things they’ve said about him up to that point. The GOP has provided reams of material for Obama to use as campaign advertising.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 30, 2012, 9:04 am 9:04 am
MyTake; All politicians are liars. If that was the criteria for voting, America would have to stay home.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 30, 2012, 9:05 am 9:05 am
Gingrich is a liar as well… the pot calling the kettle black syndrome going on there!
Posted by: lorrie | January 30, 2012, 9:20 am 9:20 am
These guys don’t realize that when they call each other or the President names it just turns people off. They need to come up with some concrete plans to help get us out of this recession in order to catch the ear of the American people.
They never talk about what their ideas because they are so harebrained they can’t defend them. They want to make this election into an “American Idol” contest.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 30, 2012, 9:24 am 9:24 am
“MyTake; All politicians are liars….”
I disagree. I believe there is a majority that have a sincere interest in serving the people. However, I will willingly admit that I might be quite naive.
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 30, 2012, 9:30 am 9:30 am
Mitt and Newt are from the same old mold. All ego and no go. But then, go, the have to, come November. Obama is by no means perfect, but he seems less imperfect than the GOP fielders. So do not let perfect be the enemy of the less imperfect.
Posted by: Marat | January 30, 2012, 9:35 am 9:35 am
Romney = Liar. I hope he turns out to be a clost liberal and screws over the republican party
Posted by: S | January 30, 2012, 9:41 am 9:41 am
TMFerritti: Exactly! It’s like a reality show and I’m sick of it and I don’t care which party. They all seem to be crooked or corrupted and none of them have any real ideas except to trash this president. From day one, no one worked with him including the Dems. All I see is fighting, mudslinging, etc. Also decades of fraud, people living beyond their means, spending on wars, etc. all lead to this. It is also Global..other countries did the same. Now everyone is screaming trying to blame this one or that one. Truth is, people themselves are corrupt and charged stuff and gambled instead of investing and bought homes and cars way beyond their means. Everyone was trying to keep up with the Jones. Now the people who did save and did live within their means are expected to bail out the others. It’s unreal. I don’t care who is President, until EVERYONE including Congress starts putting their homes in order, nothing good will be accomplished.
Posted by: Barb | January 30, 2012, 9:50 am 9:50 am
Both Mitt and Newt think that giving big business everything they want will get us out of this recession, it won’t and will not fly with middle class Americans..
Posted by: tmferretti | January 30, 2012, 9:50 am 9:50 am
And the way the GOP are trashing this president, they are also trashing each other! These are the Cream of the Crop? They make Pres. Obama look like a saint!
Posted by: Barb | January 30, 2012, 9:51 am 9:51 am
Politics (Poli pronounced poly: orgin- Greek/Latin, a plurality, a great multitude) (tics pronounced ticks: orgin- english, blood sucking vermin). Still Newt is right a moderate Republican won’t be able to distinguish themselves from Obama’s rhetorical stances. To be certain, the press will never point Obama’s actual hard left idealogy.
Posted by: MarkD | January 30, 2012, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Romney has some serious flaws and his elitist attitude is one of his greatest. Thinking that America owes you something because you are rich, particularly the Presidency, is a big turnoff.
His biggest flaw is that east coast liberal mentality that doesn’t play in the mid west and the south.
Posted by: bob | January 30, 2012, 10:01 am 10:01 am
It just proves these guys are all a bunch of worms who will sell themselves to the highest bidder. It’s one thing to end the campaign, but to go one further with Romney is shameful. Romney is the epitome of what is very wrong with our country. Romney is a guy that has lived a pampered silver spoon life, never worrying about anything thanks to his daddy. Romney with 3 military deferments and 5 sons who have never served a day in the military is an insult to all Americans, especially our servicemen and women. But the audacity to once say when asked about his sons not serving our country, he said they were serving the country by helping to elect him to the Presidency.
Posted by: blind spot | January 30, 2012, 10:05 am 10:05 am
How to describe the 4 GOP candidates in one word. Romney=disconnected. Gingrich=Shady. Paul=old. Santorum=Radical. In one sentence=Old disconnected shady radicals.
Posted by: howdymo1 | January 30, 2012, 10:08 am 10:08 am
MyTake; I had a very interesting response for you, but it was deleted. Oh well, welcome to ABC.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 30, 2012, 10:16 am 10:16 am
Obama = Younger disconnected shady radical politician. I’m having trouble telling the difference except for age.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 30, 2012, 10:30 am 10:30 am
MyTake; “I believe there is a majority that have a sincere interest in serving the people.” I disagree. They are more interested in their business and personal interests. If it serves their purposes, all the better.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 30, 2012, 10:36 am 10:36 am
I am a Democrat who voted for Regan and I am a Democrat who would vote for Ron Paul.
Posted by: OhhPinnnYunnn | January 30, 2012, 10:42 am 10:42 am
Thank you NEWCOUNTRYMAN but I fear it is never going to turn around. We have become too busy and feeling a bit helpless to change anything. I was also hoping for a change for this next generation . Doesn’t look like it when the GOP will support a anti-gun, pro-abortion, pro-gaymarriage,pro individual health mandate candidate to represent them. I think the Democrats are at least honest…they come right out and say they are for these. Laughable but sad.
Posted by: R Owen | January 30, 2012, 10:53 am 10:53 am
Newt can call Mitt a dishonest liar all he wants, but it won’t make the GOP base forget what it knows about Newt’s past. He blew his credibiity years ago. It’s time for Newt to head for the dog track…..Also, where did the GOP get the idea that voters who are fed up with far left politics just can’t wait to trade it for far right politics? How about a little sanity and reason in the middle where independents and crossover voters don’t have to strain thier common sense in making a choice? In other words, provide a candidate who can actuall appeal to the entire country instead of just the wackos in his camp?
Posted by: munster42 | January 30, 2012, 10:57 am 10:57 am
NEWCOUNTRYMAN
I agree, there are some politicians who really want to serve their country or state. The problem is the corrupt politicians they have to deal with everyday. There’s too much money involved in our politics. The temptation is overwhelming. Especially the money needed to get elected or to stay in office.
Campaign finance reform is critical if we want a government that represents the people instead of the fat cats.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 30, 2012, 10:59 am 10:59 am
It’s not about temptation. I have an old friend that became a congressman. As soon as he took up residence in Washington “the party” came to him and told him exactly how much money they expected him to raise. If you don’t play ball and raise their money they’ll make sure you don’t last. If you raise the money you naturally end up feeling like you owe the donors something. The more money you raise the more likely you are to chair a committee, etc. ALL about money. This is why they’re for sale.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | January 30, 2012, 11:32 am 11:32 am
Newt has a lot of nerve calling anyone a liar with the idea being that he’s not one. what baloney.
Those of us who want to vote for Romney look at his work history. The number of companies that he successfully turned around. How he was brought in to save the Olympics and didn’t take a salary to do it. How he was brought in to be governor of Mass and balanced their budget and helped reform the healthcare that the people were already asking for WITHOUT screwing up the budget or taking a paycheck. Romney also makes it very clear that he believes that too much is being done at the Federal level and should return more power to the states like its supposed to be. He also respects the 3 branches of government and understands why each one should stay balanced.
There is a lot of difference between Obama and Romney. saying they are the same because of the healthcare issue is a total red herring. There is a big difference between believing that the Federal government should get involved and leaving things in the hands of the states. THAT is a huge divide. Romney doesn’t see any issue as just a one idea problem. He has proven that he understands the complexity involved and is willing to learn about things. A politician willing to learn… that just might be sacrilegious to our extremist friends on the right and left.
Posted by: Wendilynn | January 30, 2012, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
Ginrich and Romney assures my vote for Obama.
Posted by: gin arnold | January 30, 2012, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
Why doesn’t any of the media focus on the candidates and what they are going to do as president?????? Instead the big story is about how each one of them is trying to smear the other! What is that going to do at the end of the day?? NOTHING!!!!! 10 months of this and then what do we have for president, we don’t know because we have no idea what each candidate plans on doing. No progress will be made and nothing is done to improve our political immaturity. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! WHY CAN’T MORE PEOPLE AND MEDIA DEMAND THESE POLITICIANS TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO INSTEAD OF THEM TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER IS NOT???? I DON’T CARE!!!! I GUESS MOST DON’T CARE EITHER WHERE WE ARE HEADED AS A NATION!!
Posted by: JASMITH | January 30, 2012, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
No, Newt, he doesn’t bury you for a “short period.? You are now buried for eternity. True or not, Mitt has created the belief that you are a scumbag, and he has the money to keep that belief in play. For the record, you are a scumbag, but that hardly matters. You went up against the Mormon money machine and nothing is left of your career in politics except a few more weeks of whining.
Posted by: Kevin | January 31, 2012, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
Newt Gingrich misled Congress and a Congressional ethics committee… I’d say that is worse than telling the truth about Newt, as Romney has done. At least Newt is finally humble enough to endorse the person who beats him.
Newt has buried his own campaign by the life he has and hasn’t lived.
Posted by: Jed | January 31, 2012, 11:41 pm 11:41 pm
I don’t see how anyone could vote for this wife cheater
Posted by: Johnny | February 5, 2012, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
Out of 300 million citizens, and this is who is left for us to vote for?
That sure leaves a lot to desire! Newt the crook, Paul the senior citizen, or money bags Romney?
Choices Choices…
Posted by: Joey | February 5, 2012, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
DID LEAVE A REPLY THERE WAS AN ERROR AND MY REPLY DISAPPEARED
Posted by: anomanus@yahoo.com | February 7, 2012, 9:04 am 9:04 am