Fort Myers, Florida (CNN) – Newt Gingrich took his latest swing at Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney on Monday, calling his opponent's campaign "pathetic" and grousing loudly about the negative tone of the race.
Campaigning in Fort Myers on the eve of the Florida primary – his fourth stop on a statewide fly-around - Gingrich took the stage in a parking lot at the local airport to address several hundred supporters, many of whom had been waiting in a pleasant breeze for nearly two hours to see the candidate.
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Gingrich promptly launched into a diatribe about the "profoundly false" blizzard of ads from the Romney campaign and his allies attacking Gingrich's record in Washington and ties to the troubled mortgage firm Freddie Mac.
He cited a New York Times piece from Sunday examining a Romney campaign meeting on the morning after their drubbing in the South Carolina primary.
In the meeting, Gingrich said, referring the Times piece, Romney and his aides settled on a plan to "destroy" the former House Speaker in Florida.
"And I thought to myself, what a pathetic situation to be running for the President of the United States with nothing positive to say for yourself," Gingrich said.
"And nothing available, a big idea, big vision, a big future, and all you got to do is try to tear your opponent down to where they get smaller than you are. That's the Romney model. Now that's not my model. My model is to talk about big solutions."
Gingrich was introduced at the Fort Myers event by Herman Cain, who endorsed him on Saturday, and Michael Reagan - both of whom defended Gingrich's conservative bona fides.
Cain, though, left the rally before Gingrich spoke in order to make an appearance on Fox News.
Gingrich also revealed in his speech that one of his most famous supporters, Todd Palin, will hit the campaign trail with him soon. The campaign said Palin recorded a last minute get out the vote robocall for Gingrich that will go out in Florida on Tuesday.
Also see:
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From CNN Politics
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Newt loved Citizens United until he got carpet bombed by big Super PAC negative ads. Now he is complaining. The only thing this points out to Americans is money buys political power. And we are losing our Democracy.
David obviously needs to do a little more research. Although Romney has been caught in a lie or three about other things, his allegations about Newt are dead on. Facts are facts and they aren’t hard to find.
As far as Obama blaming everyone else, perhaps David was asleep while George Bush plunged this country into two useless wars and a ten year tax cut, none of which was paid for. Perhaps he is the only one on the planet who doesn’t think this Congress is an abysmal failure. With the current approval rating in the single digits, it would seem that more than 90% of Americans polled do.
Typical Gingrich. Claiming the high road from the botom of the sewer. Talk about pathetic. Todd palin? How pathetic can you get.
The whole GOP campaign is a pathetic farce
Thank you Mr. Roberts for the Citizens United decision from your court.
I'm thrilled to see the GOP reap the whirlwind first.
I'm sure once the actual campiagn starts, no one in the GOPTEA will complain about any negativity towards the president, in fact, I'm sure they'll encourage it loudly.
That’s where you are wrong, Longtooth. We’d love nothing better than to have a time bomb like Gingrich to go up against Obama. At this point, given how much they are destroying one another, it doesn’t matter who goes up against Obama. It is your party’s fault for not putting up someone worthy of consideration by the American people, let alone Republicans.
WHO the heck is Todd Palin?
Hey Newt,
The tone of the race is so negative because you're in it! That's always been your style. Get out and the tone of the race will improve dramatically!
Dirty campaigning by Mitt will catch up to him. Just watch BHO PAC start up after GOP convention.
I only hear blah blah blah.
What really can be said about a comment like that? It's laughable to listen any of the Republicans this year. Two are saying nothing but telling lies and tearing each other down, one is a conservative terrorist that wants us back in 1957 ( complete with all of the segregation and negatives- not just the good parts) and one that thinks this is 1776 and hasn't paid much attention to any changes in the world since ( including all of it's shortcomings like women voting and blacks counting as partial people). Let's just say I expected more.
GOP itself is pathetic....shame to this nation.
Said the pot to the Kettle.
Cry me a river, Newt. You're just a mean-spirited bully whining about being beaten by a bigger bully – money wise, anyway.
I bet you weren't as concerned back when you and your "Reagan Conservative" buddies worked to stack the Supreme Court with right-wing mouthpieces, resulting in the legalization of the very SuperPACs that are bludgeoning you today – a fate justly deserved. Karma has come full circle, hasn't it? Hypocrite!
I think Newt should put a sign in front of his moon base that says this.
In reality, they're both pretty pathetic. The vitriol, the negativity, it's gotten old. I haven't heard one positive comment – or one legitimate proposal on what they would do as president. They're not addressing any of the pertinent issues – space colonies on the moon? Good lord, out of all the people in the US, this is the best the republican party can do? Although, I do have to admin, they are the perfect representation of the worthless gop congress – long on complaints, short on solutions. Absolutely pathetic.
Come on Republicans, don't settle for the lesser of two evils! GINGRICH / CTHULHU 2012!!
Newt is the epitome of pathetic. Obama in 2012
Ever notice Gingrich always bashes the mainstream media to please right wing zealots, then quotes them when something positive is said about him. (NY times, CNN, CBS, ect...) I think that is because he knows they are professional news organizations and at least try to get it right. He never quotes Fox news, Limbaugh, or the like because he knows what they say carries no weight with the general public.
Eddie in texas
Newt / Mitt
NEW PATHETIC AMERICA
Gingrich "protest to much". His problem his he has no message. He will not be the GOP Nominee..He needs to get over his ego and shut up. Focus on beating BO in November 2012.
Gingrich is PATHETIC. Americans have lost it if they even think about voting for this person who left the office in disgrace. and just look at his robot wife. Pathetic and Pathetic. And why is Romney running? The guy really doesn't care about the people – its all about business. Go home to one of your houses.
Pot meet kettle. This clown parade has become disgusting with all the character assassinations. As a Dem. I can't believe anyone could even consider voting for any of them. Our pres. is continuing to work without any help from this highly rated (NOT) congress.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Is it true that Gingrich is seriously considering Sarah Palin as his running mate if he (the Newterator) wins the nomination?.
I wonder if Moon Base Newt will endorse Pathetic Mitt this fall.