As we noted in First Thoughts, Newt Gingrich on Meet the Press acknowledged his past support for an individual health-insurance mandate:
“I agree that all of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care. And I think that there are ways to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy. I've said consistently, where there's some requirement you either have health insurance or you post a bond or in some way you indicate you're going to be held accountable.”
But now Gingrich is walking that back. In a video posted on his Web site, he says:
"I am completely opposed to the Obamacare mandate on individuals. I fought it for two and half years at the Center for Health Transformation. You can see all the things we did to stop it at HealthTransformation.net. I am for the repeal of Obamacare and I am against any effort to impose a federal mandate on anyone because it is fundamentally wrong and I believe unconstitutional."
This is the latest in apparent flip-flops by Gingrich -- from his position on intervention in Libya to his support (or lack thereof) of Rep. Paul Ryan's fiscal plan.


Yep - I knew it would happen sooner or later... Which Republican can "out-Republican" the other Republicans??? Sorry Newt, but you're on tape... choosing to force Americans to buy health insurance... First the Hukster, then the donald - any bets on how long it will be until Newt throws in the towel...
I say he'll throw himself on his own sword and wrap himself in the flag on July 4th...
NEWT 2012 YA BABY! I like Newt and FYI if he did flip flop everyday he would still be better than the anti-American apoligist OBAMA has been. Bush spent too much(OK) how much has Obama over spent (Way more than anyone ever), and how much did NEWT save us as Speaker, OH Ya I remember, sorry some of you are too young to remember, but I do cause I am old (in my thirties), and trust me VOTE FOR NEWT.
Well, if I had any doubts before this, Newt has now moved to the bottom of the list of candidates I will support for the Republican nomination. I think he would have a better chance if he ran as a Democrat.
There is a top of the list of Republican candidates that you would support? You waiting for Charlie Sheen to declare?
Wow! break out the tinfoil hats. the tea party twelve have joined the conversation.
I remember Newty and his contract to destroy america. The greedy class loved him... He got caught with his finger in the till and was caught with various other body parts where they shouldn't have been.
Of course the devil made him do it and he has found the lord again...and again...and again...and again...and again. I guess ol' Scratch jes' won't leave poor Newt alone.
Newt is in! Bachmann and Palin can't be far behind. The late night talk show hosts are salivating.
newt now you are just P I S S I N G me off/ I was a faithful supporter of yours until Sunday. Now you are doing double talk. You arre either for Obamacare or against it you can't be both. Stating that you believe in a mandate that everyone have insurance or post a bond is the dame thing with different words. whether it be Obamacare, Mittcare or Newtcare. the government should keep its nose out of the private sector on healthcare and let the Hospitals and insurance companies figure this out. We do not want any kind of mandate on insurance. Buddy I think you lost it on Sunday and you haven't even gotten off the ground yet. I can't support you because I don't know what you are gong to do or say next.
"Let the hospitals and insurance companies figure this out". YEAH, let's give them control over healthcare. Great plan dude. Not in my lifetime. Wake up America.
This jellyfish of a inhuman being, doesn't have enough spine to stand behind his own words, decisions, or truly accept culpability for his long history of offenses in every arena of life, ranging from politics, to legal, to social, even to morality.
There is not ONE single attribute that so overwhelms his failure as a man, that he is even remotely qualified to hold the highest office in this country. Only through bribery, and extortion, has he been able to maintain his currently held, and decidedly undeserved office.
Yep, Newt is a piece of work. I said work because you can't say the word SH)T in the forum.
Mac. You need to take your meds ol' buddy. This is way tooo serious for a mind as small as yours to comprehend. Just breate deeply and relax. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Exhale with a sigh. There, there. Isn't that better now?
Newt is the sacrificial lamb, the distraction for the anti Obama crowd. He looks so silly it will make a porno priest look good enough to elect. There will be another less-crazy nut case that is elected to run for the GOP, like Sarah Palin?
This is one conservative that would never vote for Newt. NEVER! However, Cain would be a good choice.
Spokane bob,
Yup, Cain is good...
Assures lots of Godfather pizzas at the campaign parties! And at Obama's second inauguration!
Does a little beeping alarm go off when he backs up that fast?
WHAT A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES ON HERE!
Nevermind when Obama said on May 16, 2006, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our government's reckless fiscal policies. Over the past 5 years, our federal debt has increased by $3.5 trillion to $8.6 trillion.That is "trillion" with a "T.""
------- Then in April of this year he said, "Ideally, we ought to eliminate the idea of placing a ceiling on government borrowing. But at a minimum Congress must provide the leeway needed by raising the ceiling high enough to accommodate the extra trillions we will need to spend during my time in office."
So, it's O.K. for Obama to do it, but completely reckless and irrational when Newt does it, right?
Look, for President candidates right now, as of today, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul, among others, all look good.
Moose, better clean those glasses... Moose poop is likely obscuring your view...
Moose,
Can you provide even one link to a verifiable news source (conservative blogs don't count) to back up your bogus quotes??
Of course you can't!!!
Oh, so now my quotes are lies? So, recently on April 11, 2011, when White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a press conference, when talking about Obama's 2006 senate vote against raising the debt ceiling "The President ... regrets that vote and thinks it was a mistake", and also, "He realizes now that raising the debt ceiling is so important to the health of this economy..." ---- these two quotes must be lies too, right?
hungrymoose
you had to go all the way back to 2006?
Newt makes it easier - on Sunday he says "mandates good"
On Monday Newt says "mandates bad"!
Of course he opposes it now. He's a flip-flopper. Can't trust a word that comes out of the guy's mouth. When I think of hypocrisy, I think of Newt Gingrich. The guy was at the front of the crowd throwing stones at Clinton when he was having an affair (with his current wife, #3). I hope he is the Republican nominee. What a target for Democrats and Independents!!
Everytime "His Newtness" speaks into my empty little liberal head comes this picture: Its snowing outside, not a dry fluffy snow, but cold, wet, icy chunks, blown by the ice in a near horizontal tragectory. Inside a grand and plush restaurant a lavish table is set, mounds of bright red lobsters, heaps of asparagus with block of butter metling on them, bowls of rich brown gravey, large standing rib roasts cooked to perfection (rare), iced champagne and other fine wines abound. Around the table, which has been set in front of a large plate glass window over looking, a street a large group of overwieght rich and power men sit. CEO's, Wall Street brokers of brokers, bankers, sit with their young 'trophy' wives (many are # 3 or #4), and members of the GOP. His Newtness lifts a crystal goblet filled with choice French wine and toasts the hordes of hungry and poor on the outside, staring in at the feast. "I toast those in America, who have made all this possible, they were born to their station in life, just as we were born to ours. Let us stuff ourselves with the fruit of their labor, the tears of their suffering and the misery of thier wretched condition."
I see Newt wants to increase funding for Alzheimer's research....perhaps he might want to also volunteer to be a participant in the new studies as well.....the guy is trying so hard to fit in in the land of misfit toys (GOP) that he will say anything..today he replaces Trump as the newest entertainment in the field of GOP hopefuls..keep it coming Newt...we all need the laughs (and fodder)!
Does anyone in the GOP really think this guy has a chance to be your nominee? With all the baggage and flip-flopping, how can you honestly vote for this guy? I just don't understand. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Ron Paul.
Newt is entertaining -- I'll give him that. But the reality is he's last century's news --- a has been -- never was. He's NOT going to be nominated and he's going nowhere as a politician. He's going to wind up back at Fox, preaching to the converted and making promotional tapes for his right wing true believers. That's his future.
I knew when I saw mourning Joe Scarborough criticizing Newt's comments that he would be walking them back soon. Newt is so last century and needs to get off the stage. Do you honestly think after the positive and uplifting atmosphere in the election of Barack Obama that we will now choose Newt Gingrinch? Pleaseeee!!! This country does not need the negative, divisive, and racist vives that he projects. Only those that are still hatin on our President, those that will never vote democratic and those older republican individuals that refuse to change will vote for Newt. Thank God will have a more positive voting electric unlike the teaparty, that can think for themselves and vote accordingly.
The only people that the Republicans can put forward now are the right-wing hardliners... Nobody else in the Republican party wants to seriously contend with the mess that they created with the economy or in the Middle East...
Ole Newt, just like most of the Republikooks pandering to the Tea baggers, isn't really sure where he stands on any issue. Hey Newt, better consult with your pal Rush before you take a stand on any issue in the future. This guy is an absolute fraud!!
Ever four years the left yells that Republicans have to run someone more moderate. Yet when they run a moderate like a McCain, the Republicans lose. The GOP needs to stop running people who are more appealing to the left. That is a recipe for disaster. Candidates who run on solid conservative principles almost always win. The Republican moderates always get their hat handed to them. Of course liberals want the GOP to run moderates because they almost always beat them.
First I will say that I am a democrat. Second I will say that if we end up with a republican president, I don't want an idiot in there. I want someone who is very familiar with foreign affairs, someone who has enough knowledge about the different leaders and counties to not get us bombed out of the water. I would like to see someone who doesn't go crazy with slamming the poor and disadvantaged. My fear is if we get someone in who has never been poor that they won't realize that some people can barely pay rent and eat without having to pay for health insurance and put money away for retirement. Are there any republicans out there that can deal with those issues?
What happened to the steadyeddystaythe course Newt Gringich we were promised 3 days ago. Like lazarus, old bombthing Newt has risen from the grave.
OnSunday he ws against free riders. By Tuesday he was for them. What'snext-is he going to endlose the Freedom Rider anniversary go through the South?
Is he going to try and rewrite history to claimthe South wonthe Civil War?
liar, liar, pants on firer!
2 Days ago, when I was young...that is funny.
How about, 'When I was a young man in my negative 2 days',..sorry I can't help it.