(CNN) - Newt Gingrich has been a relentless critic of President Obama, but he appears to carry a decidedly higher opinion of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Appearing on Good Morning America Tuesday, the former speaker of the House whole-heartedly endorsed the Washington rumor that Clinton may succeed Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense.
"She is knowledgeable, she is tough, I think that she'd be a very aggressive defender of the military in terms of what it needs, its budgets and its concerns," Gingrich told ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
It has long been clear that Gates, a carryover from President Bush's administration, does not plan to remain at his defense post too much longer and some of speculated Clinton is the best choice to succeed him at the Pentagon.
"If she would take it she would be terrific," said Gingrich, before adding, "I'm not sure she would have quite as much fun…I think she probably would have an even better time being secretary of state."
For her part, Clinton has deflected questions about her interest in being Secretary of Defense, saying she enjoys her current position as the nation's top diplomat.
Gingrich in fact appears to be a fan of the entire Clinton family. Late last month, as massive congressional defeats appeared imminent, he advised President Obama to seek advice from former President Bill Clinton who went through a similar experience in 1994.
"Bill and Hillary Clinton had to go through a lot of thinking in the first six months of 1995," he told CNN. "It was painful, it was difficult, and President Clinton did a tremendous job on working with us on balancing the budget and cutting taxes."
From CNN Politics
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Who cares what the gas bag is talking about. Run for president Newtie and be decimated. Just another crooked politician siphoning off contributions into his personal accounts.
HC as SECDEF? The military is demoralized enough.
He's anit- Obama because he's running ofr President. Howeverr he is not stupid enough to put down Hilary who is doing an exemplary job as Secretary of Sate. If all elected and appointed officials did their job at the same level, we would be a better country.
Hillary Clinton is what you call a STRONG WOMAN FROM THE LEFT – not the AIRHEARDS that come from the RIGHT. The only thing that shines in the WOMEN from the RIGHT is what the MEN from the RIGHT are drooling over – their so-call LOOKS!!!
Pat Buchanan and Chris Matthews are all stating how 'beautiful' they are whenever they make a comment about them. Well, if only their HEADS were just a beautiful!!!
Who cares what the ginGRINCH thinks – his opinion means NOthing and it's about time he realizes that!!
This is T'sah – OUT of Campaign MODE – N2 MOVING AMERICA FORWARD with President Obama!!!
Fig Newton is an idiot who shut down the government. The wingnuts now want to do that again. The white haired baggers will be pleased that there will be no mail, no social security, no medicare, no payments to government workers, no money to states, no homeland security, no air traffic control, no safety agencies. Sounds a lot like a third world country.
What Gingrich thinks isn't important when his own party doesn't care what he thinks, he's a has been immoral person and they don't want him. Gingrich is so desperate until he courted the tea party and that didn't help either.
That would be great, forget Guantanamo, all the little jihadies could just all of the sudden appear in Ft.Marcy Park.
Yeah, I think he is right.....and it will keep her out of the WH......Hillary would be tough to beat, but Obambi will be easy for anyone to beat.....Newt can even do it. But laying aside all the hype and speculation of 2012 etc.....it absolutely blows my mind how Pelosi and her Co-Harts do NOT get it! You got your butt kicked and yet they (and all Libs) do not get it that this is the largest "take-over" of the House since 1944......all you hear them saying is, "goody, goody we Reid and Coons won"....that's like my local Hi School football team....they lost 11 out of 12 games but to hear everyone in town talk about it you'd think they won them all!
Who cares what Gingrich thinks? He will make every effort to cause division within the Obama Administration. Secretary Clinton needs to stay at her post. I recommend Colin Powell for SecDef.
mr gingriche where is your glasses does obama looks anything like clinton. these repugs have a hire leader they have to, answer to, and they are terrified of the dreaded klue klux klan i mean the tea baggers will have their hide if they ever attempt to compromise with a black man. you better start realizing the reality of the situation. the dems did a great job but were slaughtered by the people and they were white, do you think they will tolllerate obama for another 4 years please man this is not about improving the economy. american already told you they dont give a dam about the people that are less fortunate. look what they want to do with healthcare, they want to kick 30 million people out in the street to die and dont give a dam about it just because they dont want any anoyance. the health care is the only industry hiring on a steady pace only temporary employment agencies are the others. the rich is still not hiring even though all the bull crap excuses that there were too much uncertainty about tax cuts. now the repugs have won now what you gonna do now mr big corporations that hold trillions of dollars on the side line and still want to rape the american tax payers billions more and still dont want to hire no body. the tea baggers are in no mood to compromise with this president. so forget about that further more the repugs dont have a clue how to get this country on the right.
How about Hillary Clinton replace Obama as President?
Newt doesn't know it but he is indirectly praising Obama.
Just ANOTHER reminder to NEVER vote republican. What a band of angry, white, overweight, recycled racists they are. All of a sudden he is a lover of the Clinton's? Please don't try and tell me to stop calling racism racism. I call it like I see it.
Where were these comment when Hillary was the most polarizing political figure in the Democratic party, due to Republican misinformation?
Why do all Republicans feel that the Democrats have to "work with them", when they fell that they don't have to cross over themselves? This country is so backward and the slide downhill continues at an even faster pace.
Newt is certifiably ga-ga.
"No offense against gw bush, my question is why didnot the media go after bush as in the case of the president (pres obama) not doing enough IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF HIS PRESIDENCY. GW BUSH did nothing but go back and forth to his ranch. Blue hairs were not after bush telling him to balance the budget, jobs, etc. Bush should be a barometer used to measure in making sure that the US never ELECT another moronic with a gun toting swagga, president like gw bush. This is why blue hairs are scary because they do not like change!! "
A Gingrich praise is a KISS OF DEATH!!!
CNN, when are you going to get serious about journalism. Of course Gingrich is praising Clinton. She was Obama's opponent in 2008 and many continue to try to prey on this fact in order to cause dissention in the Obama administration. This is Psychology 101 not news.
Newt, Did you pass this by Rush?
Wow, this is a swtich. I never thought that I would hear him praise a Democrat. I guess that he is trying to make enough waves that people that supported Clinton in the primaries of 2008 won't support Obama come 2012. I don't know how well that would work since it is a long way off.
I guess old Newtie thinks a lot of people have a short term memory. He wasn't so nice to the Clintons back in the 90's when he was Speaker of the House and trying to have Bill impeached now was he?