Posted on 12/13/2011 8:45:17 PM PST by Jim Robinson
BOSTON—Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney blasted rival Newt Gingrich Tuesday as an “extremely unreliable leader in the conservative world” who has taken positions in this campaign that should give GOP voters pause as they consider their choices for the party’s nomination.
Romney, in an interview with The Washington Post, offered some of his toughest criticism to date of the politician whose sudden rise in the polls has made him, at least for now, the front-runner for the nomination. He also had tough words for President Obama and his campaign, saying he would not let them portray him as a tool of Wall Street and called the president “a member of the 1 percent.”
But Romney also acknowledged that he hasn’t always been in step with conservatives and said that he was “wrong” not to sign Gingrich’s 1994 Contract with America when he was running for a Senate seat in Massachusetts.
Romney’s effort to portray Gingrich as unreliably conservative signals a new and sharper strategy to blunt the former speaker’s momentum and to raise doubts about him in the eyes of voters who may be examining him closely for the first time in the campaign.
The former Massachusetts governor once was seen as, at least, a nominal frontrunner in the Republican race but now finds himself trailing Gingrich in a number of states with early contests, as well as nationally.
Defending himself against charges that his own conservative credentials are suspect, the former Massachusetts governor turned the question in Gingrich’s direction and said that it is the former speaker who has strayed repeatedly from embracing conservative doctrine in recent years...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Did he blast Newt for being a Mormon, too?
Speak for yourself Mittney. Mitt won’t even say if he’s pork or chicken, only that he isn’t red meat.
I would like to see Republicans criticizing Obama. Instead too many of them are attacking Gingrich, who definitely has his sites lazered in on Obama.
I think Newt has a commanding lead, and attack ads from behind won't stem the tide.
Newt’s critics from either side of the aisle don’t have a whole lot of room to maneuver in. It’s pretty darn certain what Newt stands for NOW, his checkered past notwithstanding.
You can understand Mitt carping. Mitt would tell himself off if he could for a sound bite.
“Mitt would tell himself off if he could for a sound bite.”
LOL!
This week seems to be pile on Newt week. All the RINO’s are in but I’d hope conservatives are keeping their powder dry.
LOL.. great turn of phrase.
pot kettle black...
something like that :)
Nobody can be more unreliable than Romney..
Well if the Washington Post says it, I’ll take it as Gospel!
Romney: Extremely Unreliable
Newt: Extremely Unstable
Perry: Consistency, Character and Humility
Bachmann: Squeaky Chalkboard
Santorum: Faith Personified
Ron Paul: True Believer
“Unreliable”- as in can’t be counted on.
Hard charge to make stick if one can’t be counted one themselves.
Newt is asking for forgiveness, and that we should count on him from now on.
I remember well the ‘94 recapture of the House, but the subsequent barges now in tow taint my enthusiasm.
We know how this age ends, but I would hope there is a more heroic play for this Republic than Newt Gingrich between now and then.
He was just as nasty then as he is now.
“Romney: Extremely Unreliable
Newt: Extremely Unstable
Perry: Consistency, Character and Humility
Bachmann: Squeaky Chalkboard
Santorum: Faith Personified
Ron Paul: True Believer”
Here is my take:
romney: communist
newt: socialist
Perry: moderately Conservative... can admit mistakes
Bachmann: She talks the talk and seems to be a true believer
Santorum: Perhaps slightly to the right of GW... maybe.
Ron Paul: Has me up until his insane foreign policy delusion
Bachman is trust worthy, unquestionably trust worthy, with brains.
Santorum has caved painfully before, in folding for Specter against Toomey, (wasn’t it Toomey)? Doing so was very shocking to conservatives.
Rick has proven conservative fiscal principles work in Texas and is anti-regulation, anti-taxation, all the things the nation cries for, Rick has achieved in Texas.
Newt’s congressional victory in 1994, after 40 years in the wilderness, was no small feat of accomplishment, personal issues aside, he was one stunningly successful Speaker of the House. He remains a danger to the Left, and of dread to the establishment.
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