Newt Gingrich’s Greek Vacation Becomes Campaign Talking Point

ABC News ^ | Nov 15, 2011 | staff

[BarnacleCenturion]

SHEFFIELD, Iowa – With the political winds shifting in his favor, Newt Gingrich is turning an incident that almost unraveled his entire presidential bid earlier this summer into a campaign trail talking point.

Gingrich, whose luxury Greek vacation in June led to the mass resignations of several members of his campaign staff, now says he used the overseas trip to talk with Europeans about the banking crisis there.

The former House Speaker told a crowd in West Des Moines on Monday, that he listened to the Greek people talk about their economic woes and even noted that his observations about the state of the global economy were “very much influenced” by his Mediterranean sojourn.

“I visited Greece in June I talked to people about what they were faced with in Greece. And I listened to them and I tried to understand they face a crisis of enormous proportions,” Gingrich said. “The Greeks can’t pay off their loans at half the value. This is an enormous collapse of their quality of life in this category.”

[fightinJAG]

His campaign staff went to Rick Perry...how’d that work out for him or them!!!

They weren't the only ones burned by Rick Perry, so what's your point?

[napscoordinator]

YES!!!! I am writing this date down. lol.

[South40]

Successfully self employed, but thanks for asking.

[fightinJAG]

There was every reason and opportunity to talk to the people of Greece while he was there

And these anecdotal chats gave Newt a new, profound understanding of the global economy?

What a crock.

[ontap]

My point would be obvious if you had read the post I was responding to.

[Gator113]

I already did. LOL

[Mari2525]

Ok. So I guess you just like using MSM hit tactics for the fun of it then.

[stormer]

I'll do this slowly. “Next” is not a typo. It is a reflection of the Republican front-runner carousel, whereby candidates are favored, supported, and discarded with regularity as their personalities, previously held positions, and personal histories become better known. It is conveniently delightful that the ‘soup de jour’ happens to be named “Newt”, because as his turn in the pony show has come up, I can call him “Next”. Get it?

[fightinJAG]

Thanks for that typo correction!

[editor-surveyor]

He didn’t need to go to Greece to learn the consequences of his lobbying for socialist financial institutions; he could have gotten all the facts he needs on Main Street, USA.

[fightinJAG]

Please. This has nothing to do with Newt taking a vacation or a luxury vacation.

It has to do with his cringeworthy spin, trying to elaborate all the profound things he learned about the global economy from the Greeks serving the buffet line on the cruise ship.

Like, “We don’t want government spending cuts!”

Wow, wish I’d learned that on a Mediterranean cruise instead of by watching CNBC. Meh.

[fightinJAG]

Fast fingers UGH.

cache = cachet

(Thanks, fishtank.)

[editor-surveyor]

Thank God you’re wrong!

[bassmaner]

I was wondering how long that would take ... LOL!

[fightinJAG]

Yes, it’s still causing a little smile to spread about my face.

[ontap]

That sounds like a Netflix commercial. Good one!

[fightinJAG]

Oh, please understand, I wasn’t lecturing you. And if it came off that way, I apologize. I was simply being exclamatory in general.

And your rant is absolutely excellent.

Yet many continue to miss the point.

[ontap]

With my compliments.

[fightinJAG]

I did.

[annieokie]

OH my. My response was a reply to another post in which I am only agreeing, it was for that poster, but if you feel that you have to just add your 2 cents, ok by me.

I for one am not JEALOUS of anyone who does well, and can afford the luxuries, good for them. That's what makes the money go round and round, and that's a Martha Stewart "Good Thing" agreed?

""""""BUT, if he exploits it"""""".

He didn't bring it up, but he sure is entitled to respond to it.