Gingrich says he's a potential 2012 contender
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/08/12/newt.0811.gi.jpg caption="Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he's among a handful of Republican candidates who are thinking about running for president in 2012."](CNN) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he's among a handful of Republican candidates who are thinking about running for president in 2012.
"I think I'm probably on a list of seven or eight possible candidates at this stage," Gingrich reportedly told reporters in North Carolina Wednesday before speaking to a gathering of conservatives. Joe DeSantis, Gingrich's communications director, confirmed the accuracy of the quotes to CNN.
"We have a lot of people around the country who would like to have somebody who represents a commitment to replace the current failed programs and to develop a set of solutions that are practical and workable," Gingrich also said.
Among the other Republican candidates Gingrich named as possible 2012 contenders included former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Also included on Gingrich's list are Govs. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Rick Perry of Texas and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. South Dakota Sen. John Thune may also be a potential candidate, Gingrich said.
Gingrich said he would make a decision about his own political future next year after discussing the prospect of a presidential bid with his wife.
Gingrich's comments come days after organizers of The Southern Republican Leadership Conference - a high-profile gathering of party activists considered to be an initial venue for potential GOP presidential candidates - announced the former House Speaker will be among the list of Republican speakers. Palin and Pawlenty are also expected to attend the event.
Gingrich also recently filed government paperwork to form a political action committee, named American Solutions PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records. The forming of a political action committee will allow Gingrich to raise cash and donate the money to federal and state candidates across the country. It could also be a sign that Gingrich is serious about running for the White House in 2012.
American Solutions is also the name of Gringrich's political organization, which is incorporated as a 527 group, and is not subject to the same contribution limits as political action committees. Unlike PACs, 527s can also directly accept funds from corporations but are barred from directly contributing to a candidate or financing a potential White House bid.
- CNN's Paul Steinhauser and Peter Hamby contributed to this report
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I like how Newt is being called a "has-been" by a bunch of people that generally sit around on their couches, eat Cheetos all day, and hide behind computer screens tossing out the occasional self-amusing quip. I'm not saying he's the most relevant dude any longer, but were ANY of you armchair politicans from the peanut gallery EVER relevant? You are ALL what's wrong with politics – and life – these days. Shut the hell up already...
It will be PALIN 2012. 🙂
When Newtie started banging the choir girl at the church where he and his wife attended 'services' – Newtie gave up all hope of even being President of the United States.
On yeah, the choir girl is now the 'current' Mrs. Newtie....
No, Not again. We need new faces, new thought. We need 21 st century people.
Bad dream
Is it me or is Gingrich morphing into Jaba the Hutt?
Another piece of human **it republican claiming that he can run things, when the last retard he supported just destroyed things. Just please in the name of God just go away and take Limbaugh, Beck, and O'Reily with you!!!!
Another Presidential ego-tripper. Sarah Palin has a better chance than Gingrinch, and that's saying something about how small his chances are.
The GOP is bankrupt of talent. Newt is old, out of style, a has been. Just like John Mc Cain. The results would be no different. The GOP is on its last gasping breath.
He's delusional if Newt thinks he is a viable candidate. He would never pass the Republican "Purity" test for his adultery, ethics convictions, etc AND he is just another good ol' white boy who is racist like all the rest of the list.
Did you hear what Republican Party leader Limbaugh said yeaterday on his radio show? – President Obama was sending relief support to Haiti because they are "Black people"!! Talk about no human decency and being an outright racist!
I guess that is why Bush did NOT send relief to Katrina victims for a week – because they were just poor black people and Republicans don't care about anybody but rich white Americans.
Republicans have NO viable candidiates, NO answers for any problem, NO ideas, NO concern for the state of the American people, NP interest in doing their jobs in Congress to help restore America.
Gingrich is just another "stuck in the past" Republican and is a joke as a viable candidate. He and McCain are too old and senile. They need to retire.
Gingrich is doing the usual GOP two-step when he talks about replacing the "current failed programs" with developing a "set of solutions that are practical and workable," hoping people don’t notice reality.
Newt, Republicans have had 30 years to prove their ideas and "solutions" – and everyone knows we ended up with massive debt, two irresponsibly waged wars, tax cuts for the wealthy that have created jobs overseas but not here, and a shrinking Middle Class.
We're not as stupid as you think, Newt – the GOP and its policies and "ideas" created the current mess we're in, and President Obama and the Democrats are pulling us out of it.
Newt, even though I dont think you could beat Blobama, their is no question that the contract with America was one of the best things that ever happened in American politics. A balanced budget occurred when you were the speaker of the House. Unlike the current half-wit that is occupying the white house you treated the tax payers as if you were truly spending their money. Thank You for all you've done for this once great nation and hopefully we can get back to spending what we have and not mortgaging our childrens future with wreckless spending like we currently are.
Gingrich said he had to discuss a possible presidential bid with his wife. Does he plan to speak about it to his current mistress too?
Hmmm...
Newtson's chances of getting elected POTUS at any time in the future are the exact same as him becoming the next Pope or Czar of Russia!!
Newt is without doubt one of the most intelligent politicians of our day. I say that as an independent, too. He is quite different from modern politicians (the sneaky kind who make promises, bash the other candidate, lie, etc). As of today, I would vote for Newt if he ran.
so Newt is going to discuss the possibility of a run for Pres in 2012 with his wife - that would be his 3rd wife, whom he was having an extramarital affair with during his 2nd marriage.
And he was charged with ethics violations while in the House for which he paid a $300,000 fine.
And he was so disliked by his fellow Republicans that he quit before they voted him out.
I'm sure there's even more that we don't know.
America would really have to turn a blind eye to a lot with this guy.
Surely the GOP can do better.
Lets see now, last I remember, Mr. Gingrich left the political landscape in disgrace for adultery and then lying about it. I guess he figures that is forgotten and forgiven, WRONG!!!! Thats just what this nation needs, a President who's an adulterer and a proven liar!! Go ahead Mr. Gingrich run your a$$ off, you'll be another Republican hipocrite deer in the headlights!!! Your own party must be cringeing when they heard this one!!
Is this the "new normal," where the Presidential election begins the day after the inauguration, or does this have more to do with how much Obama is hated and feared?
What we really need now is a viable third party that is not a hate-filled bunch of Fox Lies lackeys screeching about all the varmints they'd like to kill.
Where oh where are the politicians who stand for fiscal conservatism AND civil libertarianism? Where? I KNOW I am not alone out here.
Look at Gingrich then look at the next story down Shadegg??? That's the "diversity" you get with the GOP...Sad, old, tired, white men who think they can run America...the melting pot of the world..please give me a break..the GOP needs to get someone anyone we can't laugh at.
This is very sad.
Gingrich and or Palin would be a godsend to the Democrats. I don't think there is any way they could lose against either of them. They may both have strong bases but there are 2 people who would make sure to vote AGAINST them (whoever the challenger was, in this case Obama) for every 1 of their die hard fans. In the meantime the other Republicans would be less than enthused with the dim bulb or the has-been idealist. It would be like the Democrats running (insert good looking but dumb hollywood dem here) or Dennis Kucinich. George Walker Bush was a fluke, there is no way somebody that dumb will be elected President again, for a loooong time, no matter how good they look in a skirt. And Gingrich is ... well....... past primetime.
Which wife?
Just another trash talking Repuke that needs to be deported.
As much as many of you dislike these possible contenders any one of them would be better than what we now have. As a matter of fact, even Joe the Plumber could do a better job of serving this country.
Maybe his giant mutant forehead could be his running mate.