(CNN) – The architect of President Obama's 2008 presidential campaign Monday sharply criticized remarks made by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich over the weekend that President Obama follows a "Kenyan, anti-colonial" worldview.
"Two words that come to mind are 'sad' and 'reprehensible,'" David Plouffe told CNN's John King on John King USA.
"It makes me think . he's probably pretty sure he's going to run for president," Plouffe added, suggesting Gingrich may have been trying to appease the most conservative elements of the Republican Party.
Gingrich has recently made a number of trips to earlier primary states, fueling speculation that a 2012 bid for the Republican presidential nomination is on his mind.
The former House speaker made the comments in an interview with the National Review that was published over the weekend on their website.
"This is a person who is fundamentally out of touch with how the world works, who happened to have played a wonderful con, as a result of which he is now president," he said, adding later "I think he worked very hard at being a person who is normal, reasonable, moderate, bipartisan, transparent, accommodating – none of which was true. In the Alinksy tradition, he was being the person he needed to be in order to achieve the position he needed to achieve...He was authentically dishonest."
"What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior, can you begin to piece together [his actions]?" he also said. "That is the most accurate, predictive model for his behavior."
Gingrich said he was basing his comments on a recent column in Forbes Magazine by Dinesh D'Souza that concludes the president's worldview was significantly shaped by that of his Kenyan-born father.
Plouffe said Gingrich is "clearly a very intelligent person" who he sensed, while in Congress, acted based on principle. But his comments, Plouffe added, "are really not the Newt Gingrich I think a lot of us remembered."
From CNN Politics
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I'm an Independent and no mater what plouffe said I'll vote Republican. I supported Hillary in 2008 those but not this time.
It is worth to post a question to all.......are we better off now or 4 or 8 years ago?
Gingrich, Palin, ANYONE who is not a Democrat would be better than what we are burdened with now. Palin may not be sophisticated enough for the Washington elite but she's for smaller government and less spending and that's what the people want.
You got it right Gingrich!
slime ball comes to mind. I don't think I've ever said that about anyone before in my life.
Gingrich is pure scum.
It's amazing that people forget what a joke he was in the 80s, how he got the whole Contract With America lie through (and nothing that was promised ever materialized), his despicable personal life, and just what a general pig he is.
Republicans – what IS it with you people?? Gingrich, Palin... come up with SOMEbody people can respect and get behind. These two only connect with and attract the lowest common denominator.
Who is this moron making such insensitive comments about the US president. This newt must be neutered.
David Plouffe is the poster child for sad and reprehensible.
Independent voter here who voted for Obama. I think that Gingrich is partially correct. The interests of the American people have been made low priority by the current adminstration, not that the Bush administration was any better.
the newt is a certified fool.
Newt Gingrich?
Isn't this the loser that was thrown out of his job as speaker of the house?
And isn't this the same Newt that was caught banging one of the volunteers on his office desk, while his wife was at home undergoing therapy for cancer.
How could any sane person take anything this moron says seriously?
Gingrich? Who cares? Was it John Dean who said he had no conscience?
I think Gingrich was totally dishonest and disrespectful of our President. It is a sad day when a politician went and purported what he know was totally lie and against humanity. He is a shame not only to himself but to his great grand father who was a known slave killer. If we all take the same approach Mr. Gingrich choose, we will all be matching on the roads with matchets and cutlasses. Probably we will be living in a stone age.
All I know is he should have left that alone, he provoked me to say some things that I probably would have never said and think thoughts I never would have had..I always wanted to vote for the best person for the job..but this Republican smut campaign is more than enough
Two words that come to mind are "Newt 2012"
So I keep hearing Newt is an intelligent man, just to be clear I looked up the dictionary meaning of intelligent and I did not come across bigotry as a meaning and that is what Gringrich's attitude scream "He is a bigot". Men his type and calibre should not never be allowed to address the public. Gee, how do you live with such hate in your heart?
Dinesh D'Souza is a serious researcher and intellect. If He said it, it's got to be close to the truth.
Thgis man was a nut, when he came up with the contract for America, now, his more subliminal racist decisions to open his mouth, has villified his own intelligience! This man is a repougligan tea neck nuisance to the American people! I hear, he is very intelligience, well as the saying goes "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," so I think he is a excentric conservative extremist moron short on common sense, political savy, truth, and living in a alternate reality! This man has the nerve to think he is worthy of the presidency, well he is worthy of something 39 lashes save one, for his lies, distortions, misrepresentation of facts and his racist inuendos! I ELECT HIM PRESIDENT OF ALL THE FOOLS WHO FOLLOW HIM!
most of what comes out of the neo cons mouths is reprehensible...like 'kill him' can you imagine if a liberal yelled that at a rally? i'm sorry but there are a lot of haters in the republican party
I couldn't agree more with Plouffe's characterization of the Newtsie!
It's simply amazing how desperate and nasty the GOP has become, as a result of their greed, corruption and simple inability to accept that their ideas and policies are proven failures.
wonder what ol' newt is taking in his coffee in the morning. this sounds a little bit over the edge, kinda insane talking...
Newt is offensive and untruthful about Obama. He well knows that Obama is a centrist and Gingrich is trying to paint him up as a Kenyan in a transparent bid to attract the birthers. His comment is a typical Republican tactic....cut-throat political dissembling.
I sure hope Newt makes a run for president. I can imagine few bigger embarrassments for the GOP than the mouth of Newt Gingrich.
Newt Gnigrich needed to research Dinesh D'Souza 's origin and background before quoting him.
This idiot would probably welcome that fat porkulus michael moore to be chief of staff for the White House. Oh but wait a minute, this fat tub of lard would fit right in with whats there.