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CHARLESTON, S.C. – The audience at a presidential forum here Saturday booed Newt Gingrich for criticizing Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital after Mike Huckabee, the host, told the crowd that candidates would not be allowed to attack each other.
Before the five candidates (Ron Paul was not there) came out one by one for approximately 12 minutes of audience questions, Huckabee explained that they were “not to mention, and not to attack the other candidates.” (The audience, prompted at first by the Huckabee show’s executive producer, clapped and cheered at the directive.)
Gingrich, the third candidate to speak, responded to question about how he could “defend the vilification of companies that are willing to put capital at risk in order to save failing companies” -- a reference to attacks by Gingrich and his super PAC over Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital.
Pushing back on the claim of “vilification,” Gingrich said, “I haven’t done that.”
He began to say he would be visiting the city of Georgetown, which used to be home to a steel mill whose parent company was bought out by Bain in 1993 and went bankrupt in 2001 with more than $500 million in debt according to a Myrtle Beach Sun News account.
“Georgetown has a steel mill. Which was closed. Capital wasn’t put at risk; capital was drained out of that company,” Gingrich said. “Governor Romney ran saying he created 100 thousand jobs in the private sector…”
The audience started booing Gingrich after he said, “Governor Romney.”
Huckabee interrupted Gingrich, saying, “Mr. Speaker, we said we will not allow negative…”
Then Gingrich, retooling, continued, “I’m just trying to answer his question. So let me say it differently.”
“OK,” Huckabee replied.
“I believe that it’s fair to ask the records be clear and that people reveal what happened,” Gingrich said. “But I think to ask questions about a particular company is not the same as attacking capitalism and I don’t see how you can expect us to have a presidential campaign in which an entire sector is avoided."
Several audience members at the forum told NBC News they were displeased at Gingrich’s singling Romney out.
“I think Gingrich lost my respect,” said Janice Shumpert, 57, of West Ashley, who said she was leaning towards Rick Santorum. “It was a bad moment for him. I’m not saying he can’t recover but at this point, I wouldn’t vote for him”
Randy Hinson, 56, of Charleston, said the booing was “appropriate” because “that wasn’t the format.”
“Gingrich actually ruled himself out today for me,” Hinson said. “I guess Romney was at the top for me; I wanted Gingrich, and Gingrich kind of talked himself out of it today.”
Pat Neumann, 58, of Edisto Island, who said she favored Perry, noted the enthusiastic response Huckabee received when he said the forum was to be devoid of negativity.
“We weren’t going to put up with that,” she said of candidate-on-candidate aggression. “It’s going to happen because unfortunately negative campaigning works, and they know it. But people just weren’t going to put up with it today.”
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The scum bag Romney stole pension money from companies he drove into bankruptucy and put the american tax payer on the hook. Big government is just find when the money is flowing to me and my investors. What a peice of work. This guy makes Al Capone look like a priest.
Ali Weinberg forgot to mention that in that time frame over 40 steel mills went bankrupt and that China was dumping steel products on the U.S. market (dumping means selling below cost) since 1995. Clinton was president during that time and did not place import taxes on the Chinese steel. Bush finally put tariffs on the Chinese steel in 2002. What sense does it make to pay U.S. Union Labor costs when Chinese steel is purchased below U.S. production costs. If you leftists/socialists would spend some time looking into the history of steel costs and steel mill profits and not take the word of UNION bigmouths who don't want to reveal the truth then you will remain the unintelligent dolts you are. When the government works against a business as Clinton did against the steel industry and Unions will not cooperate in reducing costs, a business or company can work to be profitable, but when product can be had on the open market below the cost of manufacture, a company cannot stay in business. Is that so far for you socailist/leftist to figure out? You can buy a U.S. lamp for $50 and the same lamp is produced by Thailand for $30, are you going to spend $50 or $30. And you all know that Chinese labor costs is well below U.S. Labor costs. How much? The cost of Chinese factory labor is a paltry 64 cents an hour. For comparison, hourly factory compensation in the U.S. in 2002 was $21.11, and an average of $14.22 in the 30 foreign countries covered by the existing BLS report. http:// www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_50/b3912051_mz011.htm Reason enough to demand Union Concessions and government assistance that didn't arrive until 2002 3 years after Romney left Bain?
Republicans are entertaining. Well, until they accidentally get into office every now and then. Then it turns into a horror show.
The surprising thing is they only booed Newt once.
Why are we taliking about Mormons when the article was about Newt and Romney at Huckabee's event?...
Newt is allowed to question Romney's claims...What the heck is wrong with that? NOTHING...It isn't negative to question your opponent's facts...
The media is choosing the candidate and you people are allowing it!
One thing has become clear. Either the Tea Party has no power in the GOP or they are a total fraud. To nominate a guy who put in place a healthcare plan, nearly identical to the very one you railed against is bizarre. Or maybe it was more about a black guy in the White House. Not sure which
The question is do repubs hate obama more than they love jesus?
The answer is yes.
This is my last ..promise..comment about religion. The Republicans already know Jesus will vote for Romney. This way they can concentrate on Obama. :-)
Seems you know as much about about politics as you do about Mormonism...What was that morman planet again? Can hubble find it??
AWOL , I checked you up only because you are so funny ! Can't call you Absent Without Laughter !
You checked up on nothing...you are not that smart.
Smarter than you, bozo ! Your reading skills are obviously lacking. Your problem is not the imaginary Mark of Cain, but your personality. Please stop trolling me. Thanks! Ha!
Wow this is too funny seeing how fearful the left is of all the GOP candidates!
Ah...the ol' I See Your Fear In Your Post talking point! An Oldie, but a Goodie!
Reminds me of the days when the world was laughing at Sarah Palin, which was Proof Positive that The Left was scared to death of her.
Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane.
I would like to know, when the deceiving, lying and mudslinging will end? We live in a world, where so many spend the time and money to go to college, then get their dream job, mate, children and home, only to get up on a stage and behind a podium, then to act so immature. That is ridiculous !!! No one should be listening to all that hogwash that comes out of their mouth! Why? They will get the job and then screw it up like everyone else that has had that job before them. I am a christian and I have voted for only one government and that is God's!
Newt for President!!!!!!!!!
"I think Gingrich lost my respect," said Janice Shumpert
So, Newt lost Janice's respect because he couldn't play by the rules of the debate.
I find it interesting that Newt resigning his congressional seat, paying a $300,000 fine and leaving drenched in the shame of moral
and ethics violations wasn't enough to lose Janice's respect. But being rude at the debate was.
They have an interesting set of standards, these republicans.
Moreover, check out the people interviewed who said something along the lines of "I'm done with Newt today" or "...for now", as if to imply that could all change tomorrow. Someone commented they were done with him now, but "he could recover".
It's just day to day with these people, apparently. It's like a guy being a Bikini Contest Judge at the beach...the last chick to walk by wins because they love whomever is in front of them this minute.
Nevdan, This is very well stated. Excellent insight.your comments expose the "morality" of Republicans for the ludicrous sham it really is. thanks
Here you have a baptist (Huckabee) defending a mormon (Romney) against a convert catholic (Gingrich) almost like the start of a bad joke. If that doesn't speak volumes on how deranged and disfunctional the GOP/T-Pers truly are then nothing else will. After all these ubber-rich 1%ers, having any and every type of advantage over 99% of the American people. Should not need or recieve any type of assistance in order to state their case as to why they should be elected to the highest office in this land. And even worse they without any type of shame or remorse, lambast obstruct and impede the opposite partys agenda at all cost. Not to mention that they are tyring every type of trick in and out of the book to keep this country hostage and undermine the current administrations policies. And to think that just a few years ago, we the American people were in an economic $h!t-hole soley created by the Republican party. And now they with their spin doctors are trying to blame everything ill on this current administration, without ever taking any responsibility for their actions leading us into this current mess that we are in. You right-winger-nut jobs really take the cake. And to think, what will become of anyone that doesn't fall in the 1% of this nation... Brrr. Yep I said Brrr... Because anyone that isn't ubber-rich will surely get their cold shoulder... Go Figure
If your platform is to just attack the other candidates, then you don't really have a platform to stand on or stand for..
.The question to Gingrich was a negative, attack on Gingrich.
So what, I guess they won't go negative either in the general election? Or is it that your just not allowed to point out the negative attributes and accomplishments of a candidate if they are Republican... Oh, we will put up with bad and unethical personality traits if they are Republicans and "good christians", but god forbid they are a Democrat, well then the gloves are off! And if there is nothing to uncover, then we will make stuff up, because that's how "good christians" operate.
I can't believe this is the same party I used to affiliate myself with. They have literally squeezed out the free thinkers and unless your christian, you can pound salt. By the way, I am a christian. Just not one that spews venom... just love. I believe you can be christian and still have disagreements about life issues. What I don't believe in is blindly agreeing with someone just because they are a christian or a republican. That's a recipe for disaster.
This whole situation that the republicans put themselfves in is really normal to them considering their ideas and actions from within their own party. Its all about lie's, being cut throat, and trying to show an all american image of themselfves which is totally invisable to the normal person because they are not normal. The evangelical's have said that they will support Santorum which is like putting a pit bull in the same house with a cat and expecting someone not to be killed. This just shows how phoney the evangelical people are because now they want to control the political scene because they don't like Mitt Romney only because he is mormom and would fire them if he had the chance. What a circus of non intellect and religous flip-flopping bigots.
Just what we need - a non-compliant LIZARD...
Newt is smarter than Romney. Romney tries to portray himself as a private sector person when in all actuality for the last 7 years he has been trying to get another "government job". Althought I don't have alot of trust in any politician...if I have to hold my nose and vote I would rather it be Newt than Romney. Newt will make the hard decision that Romney would flip flop on. Newt calls a spade a spade....Romney and Bain capital were a spade!
Just when you think it couldn't get more absurd. It's like being in the Queen of Hearts' Court.
Ali Weinberg: I was just watching the forum and your post makes it seem like the whole audience was booing Newt - it was simply just some vocal Romney fans. In Newt's defense he was answering the question specficially - which he countered with a more general answer.
It so easy to tell which candidate the mainstream wants - it's 2008 all over again...
The republican leaders realized Newt exposed the true intent of capitalism and its profit over all else. The "We the People" has been bought out by corporations and those ensnared to believe that everyone will benefit if you let them have their way. No wonder they still believe the south will rise again, they have been planting the seed of separation since the civil rights movement in the 1960s actually well before that. Its amazing how they have dumbed down a good portion of Americans to believe that denying progress will eventually turn back the hands of time to be "so called as before". I wonder what is that suppose to look like and how does the average citizen fit into this bogus picture they are trying accomplish. Of course they don't want republicans exposing one another because the truth might actually come out i.e. outsourcing, downsizing, union-busting, no social programs, creating new servants of the elite and money merchants controlling the government. These people that buy into this subliminal messaging is only stroking the beast. We've seen this destructive pattern before.
WTFHAPPENED
Booed for being a jerk? Big surprise isn't it? Why is it Republicans wonder why they are so unpopular????
Please give Romney a break on his religion,you sound like a bunch of hypocrits. Lets discuss how he treated his dog, this conversation will expose the real Willard Romney.
All these ignorant fairy tales...
Stop the @!$%#ing spam...
Marked as advertising
This religious stuff is a waste of time. I really don't care what faith any of them follow. I do care about their attitudes towards working people. All you have to do is to go through the posts here, and listen to the candidates. Overwhelmingly, those who identify as liberal or Democratic, show concern about the standard of living of working people. The GOP and their candidates, on the other hand, are often contemptuous of working people.
With the ratio of unemployed to jobs available at 4:1, the only people who are calling people lazy, and claiming they aren't looking for work because of unemployment are the GOP crowd. The GOP would like to kill the minimum wage, and the entire safety net. They want to enforce their bedroom regulations. For the first time in decades, there is a serious attempt to get rid of birth control. They want to start another war, to be paid for by taking food out of children's mouths.
For all the claims of small government, this is not my idea of small government. It is intrusive and dictatorial. They are happy to allow a small number of Americans to bear the brunt of their unfunded wars.
My child is not at risk. We are OK, unless they succeed in killing SS and retired military benefits. Make no mistake, the GOP is happy to send our people to fight and die, but not nearly so eager to pay for the results, or to fulfill any obligation toward those who spent decades defending the nation.
Romney's plan will increase taxes on poorer AMericans, while cutting taxes on the rich. He's lying to say anything else. The folks evaluating his plan are well qualified to do so, including a former head of the CBO.
Romney has already demonstrated his idea of how the economy should work. It's OK to make a buck, even when that buck helps bankrupt a company. Since when is it a Christian act to profit by leaving your employees without the health care and pensions that you promised them?????
Romney has a record of taking govt subsidies and pocketing money as a result, and dumping obligations on the govt. He is everything that is wrong with this economy.
Many people create jobs without engaging in the kind of piratical activities he practiced. Do we want a man who made his bones gaming the system in the WH, making it easier for others to exploit our tax dollars.
At this point, from my own research, he owes the taxpayers 44.6M and counting.
He set a tone at his company that was so wide open that they were willing to help the Chinese try to get into our communications systems and jeopardize national security. This happened in 2007-8, but he was and is, taking money from them. Luckily, that takeover was stopped.
Poor little Mitty. He was the first to excoriate Gingrich and he cries when the shoe is on the other foot. I can't believe the support that idiot Romney is getting while never ever having to live as one of the little people in this country. The fact is as leader of Bain he was one of those who was out for one thing and one thing only and that was to get richer and obtain more power by killing the little people. If you think he for one moment was sorry for hurting anyone in his greed you are crazy. At least Gingrich knew a time in his life when he was somewhat like us the little people. Romney has no chance at all trying to debate Hussein Obama as he will be chewed up and spit out. Hey I've got an idea, let's elect a spoiled little rich guy who is in tight with the greedy 1% in this country. As much as I despise Obama I think I would have to vote for him over Mitty. Two worthless choices.