Newt Gingrich: Obama 'Waging War On American Energy'

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Republican former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, mulling a run for the White House, on Wednesday derided President Barack Obama over energy policy and high gasoline prices.

Rising gas prices threaten to derail the fragile U.S. economic recovery and are becoming a potent campaign issue in the Republican race to challenge Obama in 2012.

Gingrich, who was holding meetings with members of the Tea Party movement and other conservative activists, tried to get ahead of the curve, blaming high prices for heating oil and gasoline on Obama, and outlining proposals of his own.

"Obama is waging war on American energy," he said.

Top of Gingrich's list is shutting down the Environmental Protection Agency, which he called "a job-killing regulatory engine of higher energy prices."

He also proposed lifting a ban on oil shale development in the West; imposing new oil and gas royalties; giving coastal states federal royalty revenue sharing and enacting a law to reduce "frivolous" lawsuits sometimes used to stop energy projects.

Gingrich is considering making a decision early next month on whether to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. But, speaking to reporters at an Italian restaurant in Manchester, he sounded every inch the candidate.

"The United States is at a great turning point in its history," he said, urging a return to "American exceptionalism" and strong economic growth.

He said the presence of businessman and reality TV celebrity Donald Trump as a potential Republican candidate was not just a distraction, calling him "a unique American character."

"If my choice was Barack Obama or Donald Trump, I would have zero hesitation in saying Donald Trump is far less dangerous to the United States," he said.

Gingrich also said deficit reduction can "absolutely" be achieved without tax increases, adding: "I'm for a very frugal Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security."

Several trips to the early voting state of New Hampshire have kept Gingrich relatively high on the list of potential Republican candidates, although far behind Mitt Romney, former governor neighboring Massachusetts.

Public Policy Polling on April 5 said Gingrich was running third, with 13 percent support, behind Romney at 32 percent and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with 15 percent.

The survey was taken March 31 to April 3 and had a margin for error of plus or minus 5 percent.

(Reporting by Ros Krasny; editing by Chris Wilson)

Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[kwoodgr]

11:25 AM on 05/08/2011

Gingrich is waging war on American women.

[Eenkling]

09:04 AM on 05/02/2011

I haven't seen Gingrich do ANYTHING about controlling the price of oil or the profits the oil barons are making. The oil prices have been high since Bush became president. When a commission was FINALLY created to investigate the enormous profits the oil companies were making, (when Bush was President...), they were asked "How can you justify making billions of dollars in profits?" There response was, "Because we can...". End of investigation. How much did THAT 3 ring circus cost us? Probably more than Starr's investigation fo Clinton's BJ, and with far less results. Gingrich has started to put his hat in the ring HOW many times, and how many times has he backed out? Nobody wants him as President. What I am curious to know is: how much of Gingrich's campaign funding comes from oil companies?

[CubnKira]

12:34 AM on 05/02/2011

So true, Obama is waging war on our own energy. Green energy can be fine, but it will not help in any significant manner for years. He has had over a year to reinspect our deep water drilling and give the go ahead. 120,000 jobs lost later, he still dithers. And the people in Alaska want to drill, and the mere announcement would send energy prices downward. But Obama won't even allow them to drill there. He wants to keep us dependent on the Saudi and OPEC oil that squeeze every dime from us. He bowed to their Royalty and he is bowing to them again.

[Eenkling]

09:10 AM on 05/02/2011

Obviously McCain's campaign mantra to tap for more oil in the Gulf has proven to be a really stupid idea. We should steer away from oil rigs and steer toward helping companies start businesses that are green. More jobs will be created and the money will go to business in America instead of the Middle East. The oil companies should be put out of business. It is time for better resources for energy to take precedence over oil that is damaging this Earth. BTW, electric cars are a stupid idea too. They still require electricity, a resource that requires coal or other expensive and polluting resources that are finite.

[danasaur]

04:56 PM on 04/23/2011

Newt is the guy thta shut down the Fed Government. Newt is the warrior against the citizens of america.
What you say is what you are.
I am rubber you are glue. What you say bounces off me and sticks to you.

[the griff]

04:44 PM on 04/22/2011

NEWTTTTTTTTTTT! ITS OVER FOR YOU. GO HOME!

[gregory57]

02:53 PM on 04/22/2011

Just a question for Newt supporters:

How can we trust this man any more than any of his ex-wives could?

[CubnKira]

12:35 AM on 05/02/2011

You could say the same things about the philander, Bill Clinton, but people looked beyond his sex addiction and gave him a chance.

[Eenkling]

09:12 AM on 05/02/2011

NOBODY should be allowed to be serving this country who can't control themselves enough to keep their pants zipped up. If they are so easily swayed by sex, imagine what the lure of a bribe would do. Gingrich should've been kicked out long ago, and would've been had he not been a Republican.

[Loxinabox]

10:35 AM on 04/22/2011

Who do you guys .and gals think will be the next president now that the S&P story has broke?

[Loxinabox]

11:08 AM on 04/22/2011

No one going to guess?

[rhuffie]

02:06 PM on 04/23/2011

This will be a piece of the upcoming epic battles over the raising of the debt limit and next year's budget. My prediction:
1. The two sides are able to iron out solid compromises, which will include a serious attempt to do something to reduce the deficit. Both sides will simultaneously claim victory and be seriously disappointed by the process. If Obama is a total of a sell-out to progressive values (a distinct and sad possibility) it will be a bust for him -he will gain independents but liberals may just stay home in disgust. But if the compromise is fair, with both sides holding tough on their best ideas, Obama will be looking good. By and large the people of this country are not as partisan as either politicians or pundits, they want politicians to get things done.
2. Since we know the right is willing to cave on their priorities at the slightest provocation, the question is whether or not the right will have unreasonable demands and be unwilling to compromise. At that point, this is a matter of message. If the dems have good communication on this, they will be able to truthfully show the reps as the villains, and come out the winners, even as the extremest republicans will finally have succeeded in destroying our beloved country. With the reps typically superior messaging, they make the dems look liable, with toasts all around as the ship is sinking.

[robert horwitz]

08:10 AM on 04/22/2011

Well just before last Winter began I figured it was time for me to buy a new portable heater as sometimes my place gets a little chilly. I ran out to my local hardware store to see what was available. There were so many choices I decided to hail a salesman. I explained my dilemma to him and he said to me there is just one model for you. Whew I thought to myself. That should make my choice a lot easier. I inquired, So which one? He said why the "Gingrich Blow Hard" of course. There just isn't anything else on the market today that puts out as much hot air.

[pmag88]

01:12 AM on 04/22/2011

Gingrich also said deficit reduction can "absolutely" be achieved without tax increases, adding: "I'm for a very frugal Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security."

Hey, here's how they want to roll. They make cuts in things that are supposedly sacred to them and their base. Once this is done and the tax cuts are permanent and they've destroyed SS and medicaire, then they restore the budget and spending for all their stuff. Cost shifting racketeers.

[Loxinabox]

10:37 AM on 04/22/2011

Wow do you think anyone would believe your story?

[BachelorJohnnyCool]

04:10 PM on 04/21/2011

Your schtick is getting really stale, Newt. Either declare your candidacy or shut your festering gob already.

[Eenkling]

09:19 AM on 05/02/2011

He is a detractor. He always has been. For some odd reason he has some support in this country. So he always puts his name out there to gain support for his party and then he prematurely backs out which leaves a possible vote for him available to a Republican that is still on the ballot. Honestly, I can't figure out WHY he is still allowed to serve in ANY office. Let's talk about those "Family Values" the Republicans are always harping about... Oh yeah, it is called, "Do as I say, not as I do...". One of the staunchest supporters of the Witch Trial of President Clinton admitted to having affairs on his wife, yet he was still allowed to keep his political position. What a CROCK!

[JeZeus]

03:44 PM on 04/21/2011

The GOP is dangerous to the US.

Newt's against waging a war on Oil subsidies. He wants your tax dollars to go an industry that does not need them. So much for reducing spending.

[rcampbell]

03:19 PM on 04/21/2011

The high gas prices are solely the result of speculation on oil futures (Wall Street Republicans)while not having anything to do with oil production.. It's the same Ponzi scheme as with mortgages. Is Obama at war with them? I wish it were true. The President has nothing to do with it and without Congressional action to forbid it, there's nothing that can be done to stop them. This is the kind of free market jive Gingrich supports. He has a lot of nerve blaming Obama for what his buddies are doing to the rest of us.

[ProfessorBrooks]

03:15 PM on 04/21/2011

Newt making a desperate attempt to get noticed. And why do Republicans keep repeating this irrational mantra about the EPA: "a job-killing regulatory engine of higher energy prices."

Can you more stupidly miss the point? That's like saying seat belts are killing jobs for the windshield replacement industry.

[fredpa]

02:07 PM on 04/21/2011

Isn't this the same kind of rhetoric the Bush White House labeled treasonous?

[Bronxdude]

02:02 PM on 04/21/2011

Eisenhower was the last republican president to balance the budget, and since 1945, republican administrations have created 31.2 million jobs, while democrats have created 57.6 million. Under Bush 43, payroll expansion for the middleclass increased 2%, while under Clinton it increased 21%. Conversely, economic policies under Reagan and Bush 41 resulted in 718,000 small business failures, and from 1980-to-1988, Reagan’s non-stimulative trickle-down policies gave huge tax cuts to the wealthy, accounted for the loss of 10 million manufacturing jobs, and expanded the job market a paltry 2%. Collectively, from 1960-to-2000, republicans expanded the job market by 5%, while democrats managed 12%. Just as long as republicans are in power, they support big government, as evidenced by Bush 43 expanding the federal government 57% and Reagan a whopping 66%. In 8 years, Reagan increased the national debt from $1 trillion to $3.5 trillion and the unemployment rate from 4 to 9 percent. All while giving huge job killing tax cuts to the wealthy. From 2001 to 2008, an era of record debt, Boehner led the charge to give $1.4 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthy via borrowed money from China, and now Republicans want to erase the deficit by taxing working-class Americans. Via borrowed money from China, Boehner has again increased the deficit to keep tax cuts for the wealthy. Obama wants to end tax cuts for the wealthy, but keep tax cuts for the middleclass. So, when republicans say they want to cut taxes, they mean for the wealthy, not the middleclass. Republicans are trying to rewrite the Bush years to remove their obvious culpability for the current fiscal mess.

[JeffE]

02:41 PM on 04/21/2011

Well said!

[rcampbell]

03:15 PM on 04/21/2011

Those are just facts pointing to truth. They're of no value to Republicans and teabaggers.

[Loxinabox]

10:15 AM on 04/22/2011

Its the Flee Bagger Party of evil that is destroying America!