Washington (CNN) - Newt Gingrich's downsized campaign may be leaner. But it won't be meaner.
In an interview with CNN, Gingrich's Chief of Staff Patrick Millsaps said the former speaker plans to steer his attacks away from his one time nemesis Mitt Romney and toward President Barack Obama.
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Part of the rationale for the strategy shift came Monday after Obama was caught on an open microphone telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev he would have "more flexibility" to negotiate after the fall election.
"The moment that Obama is caught on tape trying to cut a deal with Russia so that he can get re-elected, that changed the ballgame for Newt Gingrich," Millsaps said. "Obama is the person that we need to beat and Obama is the one that we're gonna take on."
After a bitter primary battle with Romney, Gingrich seemed to soften his rhetoric on the GOP frontrunner at an event in Annapolis, Maryland on Tuesday.
Gingrich told reporters he plans to throw his support behind Romney if the former Massachusetts governor wins the 1,144 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination.
"If he gets a majority, obviously I will support him and will be delighted to do anything I can to help defeat Barack Obama," Gingrich said.
Also see:
Gingrich faults fundraising for campaign changes
Poll: Obama leads narrowly in Florida, Ohio
From CNN Politics
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Ratchet it down, and be thankful that you have lied, cheated given false witness, basically been a political criminal and you're still running loose. Any other person would have been jailed long ago. You are free to go home, put a cold compress atop your ugly head, and chill.
The big wigs told him to STFU about Robmey and concentrate on getting (now what word can I use without getting deleted) that black man out of the White House! So does this mean Newt is going to be bff's with Robmey? Will he be his running mate? I am convinced Newt and Santorum are only in the race because the two of their crazy azzes actually make the vulture capitalist look sane. The entire country willing to forget that Bush policies and Rethuglican obstruction got us in the mess we are today. This is so sad.
OBAMA 2012!
Time to impeach the supreme court justices, Roberts, Alito, and Scalia for lying.
My criticism of republicans comes from the old adage, that they are unable to see the forest for the trees and and lose sight of the trees because of the forest.
"The moment that Obama is caught on tape trying to cut a deal with Russia so that he can get re-elected, that changed the ballgame for Newt Gingrich," Millsaps said.
Ohhh, ok... WHAT!??!?!? Trying to cut a deal with Russia so that he can get re-elected? I want whatever camp Gingrinch is smoking because it seems like gooooof stuff.
The Creep wants to be Veep.
Come on Scott, you know they don't have to make sense for their sheep to follow them. They say anything they want to say to spread lies and fear to America and it works everytime. If Mittens becomes POTUS, I'm moving to Canada where I will have a job and health care.
Get out of the race "Newt". Your chances at potus would be the rarest "Event of Disaster" in American history!!! You are "Laughable"!!!! Obama-Biden 2012 The rightwing Judges on Affordable Health Care Act, "Hopefully wil not be as Horrible as they were to "Let Corporations buy our presidents and congressmen???? OMG!