Newt Gingrich: I crossed the line
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Newt Gingrich signaled Wednesday that he believes his criticism of Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital is a mistake — and that he’s created an impression that he was echoing Democratic rhetoric.
Gingrich conceded the problem when pressed by a Rick Santorum supporter at a book-signing here Wednesday.
Continue Reading“I’m here to implore one thing of you. I think you’ve missed the target on the way you’re addressing Romney’s weaknesses. I want to beg you to redirect and go after his obvious disingenuous about his conservatism and lay off the corporatist versus the free market. I think it’s nuanced,” Dean Glossop, an Army Reservist from Inman, S.C., said.
“I agree with you,” Gingrich said. “It’s an impossible theme to talk about with Obama in the background. Obama just makes it impossible to talk rationally in that area because he is so deeply into class warfare that automatically you get an echo effect. … I agree with you entirely.”
After ditching promises of a positive campaign, Gingrich had been leading a multi-candidate pile-on of candidates attacking Romney’s Bain record, starting in Sunday’s debate and continuing in campaign events Tuesday. If he pulls back on the criticism now, it would be the latest abrupt shift in tactics from a candidate whose campaign has been full of them.
In addition to providing another example of Gingrich’s erratic campaign style, the decision could put the former House speaker in a precarious spot: the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future is set to begin a $3.4 million airtime buy for a 27-minute long documentary showcasing people who lost their jobs when companies Bain was invested closed. Through Tuesday, Gingrich had expressed support for the film.
After the event, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond argued the film was not actually about Bain specifically.
“It’s the decisions that Romney was making as CEO that are under review of public opinion,” Hammond said. “We’re not bringing Bain up, we’re responding to questions” prompted by the video.
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Jonathan Allen
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litprof Party: NA
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Jan. 11, 2012 - 2:44 PM EST
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Read all 9 comments in our forumWhy not try this, Newt: " When desperately scrambling to reclaim what the 1% has taken, why would the middle class vote for Mitt, "Mr. 1%" Romney?
NO KIDDING~~~
YOU CROSSED THE LINE AND WILL PAY DEARLY BY LOSING IN SOUTH CAROLINA
FOR YOUR LIBERAL ATTACKS ON CAPITALISM.
You were supposed to have been the smart one, the 'above the frey'!
Yes, Newt, it's Obama's fault. It's because of him that you're weaseling out. Got it.
Uhh, yeah. Perry and Gingrich both took advantage of liberal talking points in NH, attacking capitalism along with Romney. And we all know that the real focus is on Obama and defeating socialism! We literally can't afford more of Obama. Whoever the GOP nominee is gets my vote. The leftist media doesn't admit this, but the national debt has accelerated at an unprecendented rate under Obama, and it wasn't pretty to start with. It now EQUALS our entire ECONOMY. Reported in the UK, because the media here isn't honest enough to do so. This debt doesn't even count the fact that things like Obamacare won't add into the total debt until all parts of the law go into effect, and you can count on the fact that it will be much more expensive than projected, just like any other government program. To top off the horrible debt, all branches of the federal government get an automatic 10% increase in budget each year, based upon spending of the previous year. This is since the 70's. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize this is unsustainable growth and will quickly turn us into the EU if we aren't already. And don't count on Congress ever balancing the budget with so many politicians - on both sides- guilty of crony-capitalism with large campaign contributions from tax-exempt corporations.
Contrary to the understanding of those 'standing with the 99%,' Washington has no intention of fixing any problems within Wall Street - they've been in bed with them (on both sides) for generations, and have rigged things in the personal favor of their insider trading and political donors in the forms of tax exemption and government money. According to the recent book, "Throw them all out," a strong majority of the corruption is on the Democrat side. Obama himself has more campaign cash from Wall Street than all the GOP contenders combined. We absolutely need to look for politicians - on both sides- who recognize the culture of corruption in Washington bringing us headlong into financial crisis, and who have the character to withstand Washington's corruption and change things for the citizens of the country. We shouldn't be distracted by the partisan bickering in Washington and be partisan ourselves, that will hardly help the problem.
It never ceases to amaze me how some Democrats will just shout the same talking points over and over without looking at facts, and especially without looking at both sides of an argument. There is plenty of flip-flopping and corruption with Democrats too. Partisanship causes blindness on both sides. You've got to read both sides anymore to get a good idea of what's really going on, because both sides leave stuff out. The liberal media does count on its followers being mind-numbed enough to not think for themselves, however.... It is your duty to be a well-informed voter, not a brainwashed and partisan voter. I'll go even further: to really understand the conservative movement, you've got to listen to (or read) Rush Limbaugh for at least a couple weeks. The 'conservative' media isn't always.
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In 2010, Mr. Obama paid $1.8 Million dollars in Federal Income Tax. He didn't do that by being part of the 99%. You do know that right?
| Please read my signature phrase. It is applicable to your comments.
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LOL
The GOP are a joke.
Gutless, but that's the Gingrich MO.
How can he be the best debater of Obama when he cops to Obama getting inside his head?
Actually, Newt IS a fay.
Wait, . . . he's a bad fay.
A hobgoblin.
Stick a fork in Newt - he is done
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