Newt Gingrich Defends Romney Attack Ads (VIDEO)

The first question at Monday's GOP debate was directed at former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was asked why he was directing so many attacks at former Gov. Mitt Romney's business record -- which sounded like criticisms being put forward by Democrats.

"Well, first of all, I think that the staying positive through Iowa -- through three and a half million dollars of negative attacks -- prove you either have to unilaterally disarm and leave the race, or bring up your competitors' record," said Gingrich, reminding the audience that Romney and the independent super PAC backing him aggressively went after Gingrich during the Iowa caucuses.

Gingrich pointed out that Romney is the one who brought up his record at Bain Capital, and therefore, "if that's a part of your campaign, then questioning it has to be equally legitimate."

"It struck me raising those questions, giving me an opportunity to answer them is exactly what campaigns ought to be about," he added. "And we need to satisfy the country that whoever we nominate has a record that can stand up to Barack Obama in a very effective way."

Moderator Bret Baier pointed out that some Republicans have criticized Gingrich's attacks, saying that he is providing fodder for Democrats and embarrassing himself by parroting lines used by the Obama campaign.

Gingrich's response:

First of all, I don't think raising questions is a prerogative only of Barack Obama, and I don't think Republicans should automatically be intimidated because every time you raise a question somebody yells you are doing something the Democrats do. I raise questions that I think are legitimate questions -- some of which came out of Wall Street Journal articles. The governor has every opportunity to answer those questions and give us facts and data and that's part of his responsibility as a candidate, and I think that's part of what a campaign is about, is to raise questions and see whether your competitor can answer them effectively, before you get to a general election where you know those questions are going to be asked.

"My record is out there, proud of it, and I think if people want to have someone who understands how the economy works, having worked in the real economy, that I'm the guy that can best post up against Barack Obama," Romney replied.

Comments

[Lawkeeper]

02:52 PM on 01/18/2012

Fox News just now aired an interview with two of the people in the 27 anti-Romney ad which stated the Newt superpac mislead, edited out and change what they were talking about...they said the film is an absolute lie and they are mad...

Newt, you are an angry, vindictive hallow man...I will be glad when your out!

[cireneed]

02:20 PM on 01/17/2012

Newt's going down, and he's determined to go down ANGRY!

[cosmicman]

12:39 PM on 01/17/2012

Hey, when you're down in the polls, the morals and ethics go out the window or at least the illusion that you have morals and ethics because at some point it becomes too obvious that you don't have them but hey , look at Romney , everybody knows he has no morals or ethics and he's doing just fine. Just throw a quote from the bible into the speech once in awhile and behold a righteous man.

[johntangier]

11:11 AM on 01/17/2012

AMAMZING, NEWT THINKS ROMNEYS SUPER PAC ATTACKING HIM IS WRONG BUT HAS NO PROBLEM WITH HIS SUPER PAC ATTACKING ROMNEY.

[fworfe]

11:04 AM on 01/17/2012

It's sad.
The Tea Party, Evangelical Republicans are seen as anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, anti-Social Security, anti-feminist, NRA apologists, bigoted undercurrents, protector of the wealthy from fair tax, adherent panderers of Donald, Rush, Ann, Sean and Rupert Murdoch's Fox News. Right or wrong, Democrats, Independents and many Republicans have that image of the GOP now burned in our mind.
How did the GOP come to be so negatively defined?
It didn't happen overnight. But the Tea Party administered the coup de grace?
Meantime, John Boehner's House majority are each other's throats just when they should be celebrating all the problems they've caused President Barack Obama—some of which have boomeranged horribly for the rightist cause.
The conservatives are snake-bit, and short of a political miracle they will not pull the November election run out of a nosedive that started even before the Iowa caucus.
Biggest problem? Republicans are thinking with their emotions, not their brains. Their ideology never leant itself to independent thought and action. They succeed when they are in total lockstep, but those days are gone.
Solution? They'll have four years to accept that they have some fatal flaws, to redefine themselves, to painfully jettison a ton of toxic baggage, or they may cease to thrive as a viable party.
My guess is that some of the more level heads have been worrying about this problem for months, and that they still haven’t a real good plan to change.

[Jack McPherson]

10:56 AM on 01/17/2012

Did Amanda Terkel even watch the debate or is this typical left wing propaganda?

Did she miss the point at the end of the debate when both candidates basically admitted both Super Pacs are distorting the truth and neither candidate could do much about it? Did she miss the end of the debate where Newt Gingrich admitted it's illegal for MItt Romney to even contact the Super PACs.

If this is your news source, no wonder you people believe what you believe.

This is what happens when you have columnist/reporters with agendas.

[linjack39]

10:33 AM on 01/17/2012

Can someone answer a question for me? Newt Gingrich resigned the position as Speaker in disgrace 13 years ago. Yet he's still addressed as Mr. Speaker. Rick Santorum badly lost his reelection bid in Pennsylvania 5 years ago. Yet he's still addressed as Senator. The same with Romney. He hasn't been governor for 5 years. Yet he's still addressed as Governor. And on and on and on. If these individuals never hold another political office, are they entitled to be addressed by the title they previously held, for the rest of their lives? If so, why?

[rptheone]

11:11 AM on 01/17/2012

Congressman Foley, Senator Craig, Congressman Lee, and Senator Arango all resigned from thier respective positions and will always retain the title of PERVERT.

Senator Ensign will only be known as "Senator" because the wife of his longtime friend was a consenting adult...

[SONNYSIDE]

10:30 AM on 01/17/2012

while rome burns,these people cant even address the issues ,this is all the republicans have been doing in congress ,bickering nd fighting who needs them

[canon940]

10:52 AM on 01/17/2012

Laughing at this post. You blast the Republicans for doing their best as candidates by using the rules and honoring the American way, while Obama and the Democrats are the ones burning Rome. The process is slow, but usually (except in 2008) the best candidate comes forward. Lets hope and pray that there is enough of Rome left in November to govern.

[sledding girl]

01:57 PM on 01/17/2012

how can anything get accomplished if Mitch McConnell said that his primary goal was to make Obama a one term president? how can they be looking out for america's best interests when they have completely refused to even act civilly toward their own president and won't compromise on any issues even if they AGREE with him?

and who exactly are you voting for? who in this recent batch of GOP jargon could possibly turn America around with such a backwards rhetoric of appealing to rich people and ignoring those who really need help?

[sledding girl]

07:16 PM on 01/17/2012

feel sorry for me all you want..but seriously? if you're going to get all upset over a lack of an Easter howdy do, you do NOT have your priorities straight, as for the health care, what's the issue with raising taxes on wealthy people? the worst thing that could happen to a poor young person if they don't have health insurance? financial destruction and possibly life threatening problems that can't be treated because they don't have th emeans to help themselves alone. the worst thing that could happen to a rich family by raising taxes? omg honey, couldn't get you a yacht this year, sorry.

the GOP is throwing poor people under the bus, and it's all boo hoo that rich people have to pay more taxes to give younger americans a chance at life? when you said Obama slighted Christians, i thought you meant he actually insulted them,

if you're going to judge who your president is based on something as trivial as a holiday recognition with the proper wording? that's a bit ridiculous

[juanillegal]

10:28 AM on 01/17/2012

Newt - Any of several small, slender, often brightly colored salamanders of the European genus Triturus or the North American genera Notophthalmus and Taricha, living chiefly on land but becoming aquatic during the breeding season.

And they're slimy, too...

[gh3b4]

10:28 AM on 01/17/2012

It is time for All the attacks against Romney to stop. He has endured more than his share. He's going to get the nomination so its time for the other canidates to support him against Obama. November 2012 is not that far away. Perry asking Romney for his tax returns he should be asking for Obama's
school records, tax returns, HS diploma, College records. He was elected without anyone knowing anything about him. Before the next election he must present these documents.

[canon940]

11:02 AM on 01/17/2012

He is just getting what he deserves. The way he became a millionaire and his business dealings were tainted by Romney, not anyone challenging him.

[sledding girl]

02:01 PM on 01/17/2012

He showed his birth certificate, he went to Harvard Law School, he was the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, HE IS NOT hiding this information.

innocent until proven guilty, right? since when is there any evidence that he WASN'T born in America?

[juanillegal]

10:25 AM on 01/17/2012

Just another poop-flinging GOP ape...

[badboyzs]

09:55 AM on 01/17/2012

Newt is so out of touch with REALITY in the USA. Who can shop at Tiffany & Co and spend $100's of thousands on LAVISH jewels for his wife? He is so greedy and the REPUNGINTS just don't get it. They bash each other rather than uniting, it is better than watching the Three Stooges or the Simpson's !! The problem is the REPUNGINTS have not a worthy candidate, so why not bash each other! It is very sad to listen to these candidates and to give thought that one of these nobody's could end up in the WH...I believe it is highly doubtful!

[OhWow17]

09:46 AM on 01/17/2012

Of all people, Gingrich should be the last person to cast a stone.

[badboyzs]

09:56 AM on 01/17/2012

Exactly!! He is a greedy person out of touch with reality and the American Voters!!

[canon940]

11:31 AM on 01/17/2012

Wow, you accidentally Obama without tring to.

[Admiral Farragut]

08:56 AM on 01/17/2012

The best line of the night addressed the 99 weeks of unemployment compensation, by Newt.
"99 weeks of unemployment compensation...is an Associates Degree!"

I suppose we should consider that the Obama American Education Policy.

[muted3]

09:35 AM on 01/17/2012

We should consider that the recession and depression started as a result of the Bush Republican administation. Look at that very carefully and you can see that Republican strategy of no restrictions and regulations on big business CEO's will again drive America into depression.

[badboyzs]

09:58 AM on 01/17/2012

Our best years were of Reagan and Clinton! And I voted for each of them!

[canon940]

11:36 AM on 01/17/2012

The recession started when Barney Frank's (a Democrat) Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac exploded and the value of our homes dropped considerably. If the Republican contender does get elected, the stock market will soar to record highs, small business owners will start hiring again and the world will take notice that we no longer have a wimp in the White House.

[JDSept]

09:51 AM on 01/17/2012

Good no unemployment put more houses into foreclosure. That will bring back the values of on people's homes that are paying on time. NOT Extension of unemployment was agreed to by the GOP, did YOU miss that fact? I do think that as long as jobs are available in an area people on umemployment should take those jobs with their unemployment check being reduced. Let's not forget usually as in my state business pays into the unemployment fund making some of that money available. Perhaps it can be tweaked also in other ways. Perhaps Newt should get out into SC and talked to the people about unemployment. They are a conservative, religious, voting base that has been way over the national average as to unemployment for a very long time. But then again, Newt wants to take away jobs from adults working full time, supporting families, paying taxes as janitors and replace them with child labor.

[Admiral Farragut]

09:59 AM on 01/17/2012

I'm having trouble deciphering your comment. The GOP did agree to extending unemployment but all that showed, again, is Democrats will not work together to pass the 18 House Rep Bills Reid is sitting on.
Without employment you can't buy houses.
Newt's been all over SC enough to knew that the Obama administration is waging war against its people and government while not working cooperatively to elevate SC's economy in the least.
States do pay a part of unemployment compensation. Get people to work and that will stop. It's that simple.

[canon940]

11:38 AM on 01/17/2012

Where do you get your facts?

[billygsp]

08:55 AM on 01/17/2012

Newt Gingrich needs to figure out how to make his $300,000 fine for Ethics Violations go away. Even if you you can overlook the fact that he isn't a a moral person.He admitted adulter not in 1 marriage, but of 2.This man is in no way fit to be President of the United States. A vote for Gingrich is a vote for guaranteed dishonesty.

[badboyzs]

09:58 AM on 01/17/2012

He is as crooked as they get...and greedy too!