Newt Gingrich Plays With Panda (PHOTOS)

Newt Gingrich was snapped getting close to a panda at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday.

A San Diego Union-Tribune reporter, Christopher Cadelago, took the photos and posted them on his Twitter feed. While he was feeding the panda, Newt's phone rang, Cadelago tweeted:

Newt Gingrich's ringtone is ABBA's "Dancing Queen." Answers saying, "I am standing here feeding a panda."

Cadelago reported that Newt asked lots of questions about the animals as he was shuttled around the zoo and declared the trip a "real thrill." Maybe Newt will fit in a shower before he makes Callista "quite happy" with a Valentine's Day dinner.

PHOTOS:

Comments

[mamacat]

03:20 AM on 02/16/2012

Ah, another dumb animal looking for a handout.

The Panda Bear is cute too.

[Js420]

02:00 PM on 02/15/2012

The panda must be wondering how Newt got out.

[sjaent2001]

01:53 PM on 02/15/2012

"""PHOTOS: Newt Goes Wild"""---- this is the only photo showing him giving something to get the very wild wild wild votes ----- Politics become so funny when it comes to giving, fow far you have to go and bend to give, and when it comes to fund rake in, you do not have to bend at all.

[iamwired]

09:19 AM on 02/15/2012

He's even looking for votes at the zoo! No wait, he's scoping out animals for his new Moon Zoo!
No wait, he wanted to debate the Panda on proper feeding times, but was offended by the accusation that he liked caging animals!

[demandhonesty]

07:37 AM on 02/15/2012

Every time Nancy Pelosi's comments come up Gingrich says it a violation of House Rules for that information to be disclosed. Maybe it is, but I don't understand why the House has a rule regarding disclosure of and investigation that was done at public expense. Newt is not telling the truth when he says 83 allegations were found to be false. If you read the House report it says that it would have taken 6 months to hold hearings on those allegations and they didn't want to spend the time and didn't think it would be good politically, so they essentially plea bargained and let Newt off with a $300,000 fine.

[practicalnomad]

03:47 AM on 02/15/2012

Hard to tell which is the animal, but the one with the black ears has a higher I.Q.

[averagezoe]

12:50 AM on 02/15/2012

They couldn't have waited until he was petting a more suitable animal? Like a warthog, maybe?

[AgainstAnimalAbuse]

09:59 PM on 02/14/2012

Newt, keep your hands off that Panda; come to think of it, you would look better in a cage than that poor animal.

[Tony Almquist]

08:41 PM on 02/14/2012

No, I don't think Newt can fit in a shower

[jsgaetano]

07:37 PM on 02/14/2012

Is that a future Mrs. Gingrinch?

[Paul Kenlon]

10:38 PM on 02/14/2012

If indeed it is the new Mrs G. She had better hope she never gets cancer or she will get divorce papers delivered to her death bed.

[THE REAL BUCK]

07:12 PM on 02/14/2012

I wish they labeled the photo better so I could which one is Newt and which one is the Panda

[AgainstAnimalAbuse]

10:03 PM on 02/14/2012

The Panda is the cute one with the brains too.

[alto2]

10:19 PM on 02/14/2012

The one wearing the suit that fits is the panda.

[hwebb5454]

07:12 PM on 02/14/2012

Newt loves animals. I guess you would have to if you wanted to be in politics.

[OmniDude]

11:08 AM on 02/16/2012

But do animalss love, let alone like, Newt?

[Mechelle Gray]

07:10 PM on 02/14/2012

Not gonna say it ... nope, not gonna ...

... is this a photo shop or what.

[john rajah]

06:46 PM on 02/14/2012

So now the "historian" can claim to be a biologist?

[camelias and sweet tea]

06:09 PM on 02/14/2012

Too bad that Panda cannot vote huh Newtie?

[AgainstAnimalAbuse]

10:02 PM on 02/14/2012

Too bad it's not a carnivore!

[camelias and sweet tea]

09:11 AM on 02/15/2012

We can wrap him in bamboo...