Romney Questions Whether Gingrich Has What It Takes To Beat Obama

Underscoring the extent to which Newt Gingrich has emerged as a viable candidate in the Republican primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the perceived frontrunner in that race, attacked the former House Speaker during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.

"Speaker Gingrich is a good man, but he and I have very different backgrounds," Romney told Brett Baier. "He spent his last 30 or 40 years in Washington. I spent my career in the private sector. I think that's what the country needs right now."

It wasn't a heavy swipe. But it was a swipe nonetheless -- and the first real on Romney has had to make since Texas Gov. Rick Perry entered the primary late this summer to much fanfare. At other points during the interview, Romney deftly avoided going after Gingrich on specific topics, like immigration reform, choosing to allow the former speaker explain his position. He even went out of his way to praise him as a "good man" albeit "a very different person than I am, based on our life experiences."

Still, the sense that the Massachusetts Republican has grown at least slightly concerned by Gingrich's candidacy was clear.

"I think I stand by far the best shot of replacing President Obama among the Republicans in the field," Romney said. "That doesn't mean that others wouldn't have a good shot at it, as well. But I wouldn't be in this race if I didn't think I had unique background and vision for America and the capacity to actually replace President Obama."

"I think to get President Obama out of office you are going to have to bring something to the race that is different than what he brings," Romney said. "He [Gingrich] is a lifelong politician. I think you have to have the credibility of understanding how the economy works. I do and that’s why I'm in this race."

-- Sam Stein

Comments

[Ronnie Avatar Dixon]

07:42 PM on 12/01/2011

Mitt Romney tries to link the fact that Newt Gingrich was in politics for about 40 years and how that is a bad thing. He, however, offers no warrant for this claim. Why is it bad to have been in politics for several years, and then want to seek the presidency? Isn't governmental experience a good implied prerequisite to seeking a higher office? Moreover, Romney says that, because he was in the private-sector, then that means he has the credentials to be in the higher office. Using this reasoning, we can conclude that a fry cook should become the president. But, in all seriousness, he doesn't explain why being a part of the private sector is a good prerequisite to becoming the president.

[ashley22]

05:53 PM on 11/30/2011

While both Mitt and Newt are courting the Hispanic vote,they should know the illegal means against the law.Gingrich talks about it splitting famlys.When a bank robber gos to jail because he did some
thing illegal and broke the law,it split familys,They don't mind splitting the family no matter how
many years they have lived here,the illegal immigrants broke the law just the same.as the bank
robber,Why should there famlys be treated different ?

[luvobama]

07:08 PM on 11/30/2011

You are comparing a misdemeanor to a major.  Let me guess, you're a christian?

[RayRuckus]

12:46 PM on 11/30/2011

Gov. Buddy Roemer (@BuddyRoemer) had a similar criticism of Gingrich, this time referring to his flip-flop on a drug legalization referendum). Check out his question on Gingrich. ruck.us/q/368

[JDZSB]

10:28 AM on 11/30/2011

President Obama has done more damage to this country then any President in modern times including Jimmy Carter who thankfully only lasted one term as President. His fiscal policies have increased our national debt more in three years (4 Trillion dollars and growing) then all Presidents before him combined, our economy is a disaster and not improving, we have an unemployment rate that is advertised as 9% but is effectively up around 17%, he has undermined our relationship with our traditional allies while empowering our enemies, he has instituted an irrational national energy strategy that is undermining our private economy, has facilitated more corruption within our government then any Prsident in modern times, and has created the most polarized country since the civil war. The election of Barack Hussein Obama as our Presdent in 2008 was a huge mistake that this country may never recover from totally, and that is a shame, and I wish it wasn't the case, but the facts are the facts. Either Romney or Gingrich would be an excellent replacement.

[Das Hirschenhofer 11]

08:16 AM on 11/30/2011

Does any of them have what it takes to beat a guy who host a press dinner and jokes around with some yahoo, who's wearing a tarp on his head, while he's actually achieving one of the top goals of America with in the last ten years....I think not;c)

[allaboutlydia]

12:50 PM on 11/30/2011

Best post thus far.

[BlueBird55]

08:13 AM on 11/30/2011

Mitt = Flip
Newti = Flop

This is so disappointing to see a political party that used to have some decent and honorable men and women in it deteriorate into a party that is populated with nothing but hateful, angry, and bitter people that cannot find any better candidates than the also-rans, has beens, losers, wannabes than the ones the New Millenium Regressive party are pushing now.

On Morning Joe this a.m., Mike Barnacle was speaking about Speaker Tip O'Neill and what a kind and gentle man he was and never said anything bad about anyone ever--except once. It was about Newti, and O'Neill said he hated him. O'Neill apparently felt that Newti was the instigator of the beginning of the great partisan divide. I believe it. Newti and Limbaugh were the best of friends, and Limbaugh mimicked Newti with tapping into the hate and anger and bitterness on the right and turning it all into $$$ for their pockets.

You regressives. You're going to reap what you sow, and it won't be pretty. The sad part, though, is that the rest of us will have to suffer from your evil and vile choices too.

[sfizi]

06:18 AM on 11/30/2011

no worries even Pee wee herman has what it takes to win obama

[johnebigjohn]

07:58 AM on 11/30/2011

Then you might want to give him a call. Not one of these clowns has what it takes to beat President Obama. Unless you favor tax cuts for the rich, defunding the EPA, raising taxes on the poor and middle class.

[Das Hirschenhofer 11]

08:17 AM on 11/30/2011

Nicely put john...fanned!

[hopeisalive]

08:03 AM on 11/30/2011

So your betting that flip-floppy Mitt or sleaze ball Newt can beat someone who is working hard to solve things while these guys talk about attacking Iran and doing the same things that got us into the mess we are in right now? I doubt it.

[1differentdrummer]

05:48 AM on 11/30/2011

To them it's a marketing/electability issue when it should be an ideas/vision issue. The USA these guys envision would not be good for anyone but the 1%. Time to recognize that.

[Clovis4]

02:22 AM on 11/30/2011

They have no incentive to shut up and anything less than total lock step adherence to the craziness of the base is dealt with swiftly. The current base of the Republican Party is immune to insight, thoughtful ideas, nuanced debates or any other characteristic associated with an informed citizen. These folks are a galactic monument to closed minds and are blinded by their hatred of the Kenyan/Muslim/Non-Citizen/Communist/Racist American hating Obama. There are plenty of areas to debate Obama on the issues at hand and good people can have that debate on how they see the country going forward, and that debate would be good for the country, but I don’t see it happening. The new sun god of the repubs, Newt, is on record with saying something to the effect that the President has a Kenyan mind set, so there goes an intelligent debate.

[Eric Flanagan]

02:17 AM on 11/30/2011

Republicans don't want to admit it but Newt Gingrich is only the "front-runner" out of desperation because all of their hopes were shattered by grossly under qualified candidates. He is not who they really want to be their candidate, but the only one they feel is loyal enough to the party platform but still has half a brain. Bottom line is that anyone who is not a Republican will not find anything desirable about Gingrich president. There is nothing "fresh" or "exciting" about his candidacy, nor is he attractive to minorities, women, or anyone tired of the status quo. I think Republicans are underestimating Obama's fundraising capabilities, grassroots prowess, popularity with minorities, and the growing discontent among Americans tired of Wall Street recklessness and income disparity.

[pmoschetta]

05:02 AM on 11/30/2011

Despite Newt's rise in the polls, he has far too much baggage to ever be elected POTUS

[l78lancer]

02:17 AM on 11/30/2011

Romney may have been a business man, but he still has not articulated anything in his economics policy message that truly separates him from his competitors or is creative relative to his party's thinking.

He seems pretty - vanilla.

[pmoschetta]

05:03 AM on 11/30/2011

Romney's career in business resulted in thousands of people losing their jobs, in companies that were sent overseas for profit and greed

[johnebigjohn]

08:00 AM on 11/30/2011

Thats why he's the perfect Republican presidential cantidate. He has the experience they want.

[l78lancer]

02:14 AM on 11/30/2011

It was a pretty weak swipe, but if Romney goes on full attack mode then he will be involved in hand to hand combat with Newt that will sap hin energy and sully his image. And he will need all of his energy to run against Obama.

Besides, if it came to close quarters muddy combat with Newt, he would lose.

[john954]

02:10 AM on 11/30/2011

from Monday's Washington Post:
I did not think I lived a good enough life to see Newt Gingrich as the Republican nominee,” said Rep. Barney Frank. “He would be the best thing to happen to Democrats since Barry Goldwater ... It’s still unlikely, but I have hopes.”

[Stephen Stafford]

02:06 AM on 11/30/2011

What are these folks gonna do when the Republican Party completes its implosion? Where are they gonna go?

Romney's biggest problem is his failure to shine even though he is surrounded by the most flawed of candidates. Maybe that should be clowns. Indeed, he seems to be fitting right in.

Who all is it that is supporting Old Salamander? The negatives are legion. Ethics convict, horrid zipper management, grifter. And then there is the whole First Lady issue, and his spouse's decided unsuitability to even be thought of in that role. Now who dares to be with that?

This whole thing is utterly ridiculous. This is one party with much explaining to do.

[ClaudiaL]

01:35 AM on 11/30/2011

"He [Gingrich] is a lifelong politician. I think you have to have the credibility of understanding how the economy works."

Newt took Economics 101 at Tiffany's, and his wife has the jewelry to prove it.