(CNN) - Newt Gingrich said Tuesday he wouldn't vote for Ron Paul if the Texas congressman won the 2012 GOP nomination.
Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Gingrich slammed Paul as out of line with mainstream Republican viewpoints, including his stance on Israel, Iran, and September 11.
"I think Ron Paul's views are totally outside the mainstream of virtually every decent American," Gingrich said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
Gingrich continued: "He's got to come up with some very straight answers to get somebody to take him seriously. Would I be willing to listen to him? Sure. I think the choice of Ron Paul or Barack Obama would be a very bad choice for America."
When asked if he would be able to vote for Paul if his rival won the 2012 GOP nomination, Gingrich said unequivocally "No."
"I think it's very difficult to see how you would engage in dealing with Ron Paul as a nominee," Gingrich said. "Given the newsletters, which he has not yet disowned. He would have to go a long way to explain himself and I think it would be very difficult to see today, Ron Paul as the Republican nominee."
Paul's role in writing newsletters with racist remarks came under increased scrutiny last week as polls showed the Texas rising in popularity among Iowa voters. The most recent, from the American Research Group, shows Paul, Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a dead heat for first place. Paul has indicated he did not write all of the content in his newsletters and had not read some of it before publication.
In responding to negative ads Paul's campaign has released slamming Gingrich's record as a conservative, the former House speaker said the spots were inaccurate.
"You look at Ron Paul's record of systemic avoidance of reality, his ads are about as accurate as his newsletter," Gingrich said.
Gingrich named Paul's stance on Iran as representative of Paul's extremist viewpoints.
"He's not going to get the nomination. It won't happen," Gingrich said. "The people in the United States are not going to accept somebody who thinks it's irrelevant if Iran gets a nuclear weapon."
Paul's campaign responded to Gingrich Tuesday, calling his remarks "childish."
"Frustration from his floundering campaign has Newt Gingrich showing who he really is: a divisive, big-government liberal," Paul Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton said. "Newt has a long record of standing against conservatives dating back to his support for liberal Nelson Rockefeller over Barry Goldwater, so this sort of childish outburst is nothing new."
From CNN Politics
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I'd argue that the military is composed of a whole bunch of DECENT people, Mr. Grinch!
Gingrich is a Casey Anthony-level liar.
Problem for Democrats as senator quits
Newt is out of touch with the conservatives.
Go Ron Paul! Don't put up with Newtie's lying drival! Show him and every corrupt conservative elitist jerk what you've got! You got my vote, boy!
How can Newt speak for "every decent American"?
democrats for RON PAUL 2012 comin at you from washington st!
LMAO, Newt. What a joke. Ron Paul is outside of the "mainstream" because the mainstream is a bunch of crooked lying hypocrites.
RON PAUL 2012
...and cheating on your cancer-ill wife is something "virtually every decent American" is supposed to do? go away.
I agree that since both sides are attacking him(like they're both attacking the normal middle class) he's the best candidate.
Ron Paul 2012
Like Charlie Mason, calling John Wayne Gacy Crazy...
Sounds like Newt is a little scared.
Decent Americans? like Gingrich knows anything about decency.
Ron Paul must be doing something right!! He's obviously becoming a threat to the establishment.
Of course Ron Paul's views don't match up with a mainstream, big government, 1% candidate. That's why Ron Paul is the necessary choice for America.
Have to agree with Newt on this one. RP cultists are nuttier than the fruit cake I had for Christmas.
Ron Paul 2012
Odd that he would say that, given that make a commitment to stand by your wife for better or worse, and then abandoning her when she gets cancer, seems out of the mainstream of American values. Oh, that's right, he's since "redeemed" himself. Uh huh.
We'll there's one more reason to vote for Ron Paul, the Newt is against it.
Newt Gingrich realizes that Paul is blasting his silly campaign and the Pillsbury Dougboy is taking his bat and going home. Gingrich can say all he wants about Paul but the real fact here is that the Grinch will not be President.
Winners, or at least those confident of victory, don't act like Gingrich. He sounds like a 2nd grader who got the ball stolen from him on the playground at recess.
If Ron Paul were the Republican candidate, he'd get my vote. No other Republican would, nor would Ron Paul as an independent, as I'd just be wasting a vote that might be needed to defeat the Republican candidate. Basically: Ron Paul would be, by far, my first choice, Obama a very distant second, and all others to be avoided at any possible cost (including the cost of settling for the distant second).
Does anyone really care whom Newt would or would not vote for?
No. No one cares.
Can some one explain to me what he means by "decent American".....anyone thats doesn't toe the line?
LOL, Gingrich would arrest judges who don't do his bidding and he would destroy social security and make Callista with the plastic hair first lady...Yikes! No thanks.
Well, Ron Paul would probably have a hard time voting for Newt, too -
Dr. Paul is the only one telling us the truth. Just like what George Carlins says, the only stupidity here are the voters. We are a country that follows mainstream media and not read. People wake up, both sides of the maistream aisles are lying to us. Obama will get whitwashed if Ron Paul is nominated. None of the other GOP Goons are electable and worthy of the presidency.....Paul 2012