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SPARTANBURG, SC -- Mitt Romney's campaign launched a barrage of attacks against Newt Gingrich just three days before South Carolina's primary amid signs the former House speaker could threaten Romney's bid for his third straight win in the primary cycle.
The former Massachusetts governor led his campaign in opening a fusillade against Gingrich, who's persisted at or near the top of the polls in tests of Saturday's first-in-the-South primary.
In a sign of how seriously his campaign is taking Gingrich as a threat, Romney broke from his usual form on the campaign trail -- which usually involves attacking only President Obama -- to instead deliver a rebuke of Gingrich's claims on his record on job creation.
"The speaker the other day at the debate was talking about how he created millions of jobs when he was working with the Reagan administration. Well, he'd been in Congress two years when Ronald Reagan came into office, " Romney said. "That'd be like saying 435 congressmen were all responsible for those jobs. Government doesn't create jobs. It's the private sector that creates jobs. Congressmen taking responsibility or taking credit for helping create jobs is like Al Gore taking credit for the Internet."
Romney's words were just one part of an offensive that extended to his surrogates, who hosted a conference call and launched web videos questioning Gingrich's leadership abilities.
First Thoughts: Newt-mentum returns?
The assault began earlier this morning with a web video released by the Romney campaign entitled "Undisciplined Leader," in which former New York Rep. Susan Molinari, who served with Gingrich in the 1990s, delivered the first blow.
"I served with Newt Gingrich in Congress. Newt Gingrich had a leadership style that can only be described as leadership by chaos,” Molinari said in the video. "I worry about the Republican Party’s chances to defeat President Obama if Newt Gingrich is the nominee."
On a conference call with reporters later in the morning, former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, another Romney supporter, continued the attack, and warned that if Gingrich were to become the Republican nominee it would hurt the party.
"Each one of us [who served with Gingrich] has personal stories we can tell about going home and having to clean up after our speaker," Talent said. "It had an impact on the 1996 presidential election and, if he's the nominee, it will have an impact on the 2012 election and the impact's not going to be good for the conservative movement and the Republican Party."
If this all sounds familiar, it might be because the Romney campaign employed the exact same tactics following the first surge in the polls Gingrich had enjoyed in Iowa in early December. At that time, Talent and Former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu lanced Gingrich for "off-the-cuff thinking" and "irrational behavior" on a similar conference call, with Sununu continuing to voice the attacks for days in interviews on television and in print.
Related: Santorum targets Gingrich in S.C. stumping
It now appears those attacks may continue. Today, the Romney campaign confirmed reports that Sununu will travel to South Carolina on Thursday to campaign for Romney.
This afternoon, the Gingrich campaign responded to Romney's comments on job creation.
""I fully expect the Romney campaign to be unendingly dirty and dishonest for the next 4 days because they are desperate, they thought they could buy this. They discovered that they can't buy this. I think they have internal polling that shows them loosing. I think they will do anything to try at any level and I need your help. People power will be money power. And I need your help," the candidate said at a town hall meeting.
"If your curious of what kind of leadership style Romney would use as president, today we are seeing what panic looks like," Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond told NBC News.
NBC'S Alex Moe contributed to this report.
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So let me get this straight. Romney's rebuke of Newt is that government doesn't create jobs. The only people who have the ability to do that is the private sector. Follow me here. Isn't it the common wisdom of the Republican party that Obama has failed to create jobs...?
Soooooo, which one is it? I guess this is coming from the people who blame Obama for not getting them jobs while at the same time telling government to get out of their lives. Nothing makes sense.
You make a valid point here: If Gringrich can't take credit for helping to create jobs while in Congress, then Obama can't - so how can the GOP complain that Obama hasn't created jobs?
Government cannot create jobs! Simple.
Government can impose regulation, red tape, threat of higher taxes (>$250K), create an environment in which business do not want to hire (Obama Care), etc. That is what Obama can take credit for. Not, for not creating jobs, but being the hindrance in letting the private sector create them.
So proud hispanic, I guess corporations need another tax cut because so far they haven't had enough bennies to justify hiring anyone. As for all of the regulation, red tape, etc. and other government hindrance, they have been announcing historic profits haven't they?
Proud Hispanic- why do you want to give more tax breaks to corporations after all the bailouts? I feel we have given them enough, dont you?
Repubs complain that government cant create jobs yet they whine that Obama hasnt created jobs. I JUST DONT GET IT IT! The argument breaks down, plain and simple.
After watching Democrats do this to each other for fifty years, I'm suddenly glad to be this old.
David, I'm coming up on three score and ten years and I agree with you. Living to be old is suddenly not so bad!
The same people that are complaining about electing Obama 4 years ago will be complaining about why did they pick Mitt Romney to run against him......
"I think they have internal polling that shows them loosing."
"losing" not "loosing".
The whole Republican Primary reminds me of the Spanish painter Goya’s painting "Saturn Devouring his Children". Gruesome painting but seems to fit the primary. Bon Appetite!
Offensive is right I wish they would tell us what they are going to do for us and quit saying how bad the other fellow is. That is what I call offensive.
My sister lives in S.C, she donated to Cain (remember him?) about two weeks before he pulled out, I laughed so hard she won't talk about it anymore - wonder if she is giving to the Grinch?? God I need to run for office lots of stupid people throwing money away!
My question is this- why would any republican want the top position (president) in government when they feel government is inherently evil? That government can do no good whatsoever for society. Whether it be Ron Paul or Romney I still have a hard time grasping this concept. If you hate government sooooooo much, why do you want the top post?
It's just the nanny-state government that's hated, not government per se. We need someone who isn't Obama-like.
what do you mean by nanny state?
The type of government who instead of incentivizing people to do better for themselves provide all kinds of government help (with tax payer's money), tell them what to eat, how to behave, government healthcare, takes away your choices, etc.
ok
P. J. O'Rourke, a conservative humorist (yes, there is such a thing) said years ago that Democrats seek office to save the world. Republicans, on the other hand, seek office because government does absolutely nothing to benefit anyone - then get elected and prove it!
Isnt that what any repub president is going to tell us. Say one thing do another?
The right wing radical cracked teanuts should try to get Herman (9Kampf) Cain, the dress slitherer to change his mind and come back to run for president. He is certainly better than any of the lyin crackpots running now. In fact the repukes should try to draft Jerry Sandusky for vice president. Who cares what Cain and Sandusky did in the past, they are against abortion and want Creationism taught in all schools. They will have the backing of the centrist repukes, the abortion doctor killers, abortion clinic bombers, federal building bombers and the right wing redneck southern anthrax spreaders.
wow what a load of propoganda you can spread....Michael Moores cousin?
I learned well from Fox Lies, Mitch McDumbell and John (town cryer) Bonehead. I can't wait until lyin Willard releases his previous years tax returns so we can all see how he cheated the IRS. Those returns will be well scrutinized. Even fat boy Chris Cross from NJ wants him to release them.
So by Romney's own words here, government including the President are NOT responsible for creating jobs. And in the next sentance, he will attack Obama for not creating jobs? Romney is a walking enigma.
No one from the center right wants Obama to create government jobs. They want Obama to get out of the way, stop saying he's going to raise taxes on the work givers, stop imposing government health care (which reduced hiring), stop giving money to "green" companies, stop bailing out his choice of what companies should be bailed out with our money, etc!
Could someone please tell me who the 'work givers' might be? As for health care, the cabal of health insurers, pharmaceuticals, 'non-profit' hospitals and the medical professionals who use them have created their own little oligarchy which operates as a totally unregulated monopoly serving only those who can pay.
Newt would sell his soul to beat Romney on any platform.
The media is deliberately deceiving people by saying Mitt Romney paid only 15% on taxes.
Why? When he earned the monies he paid approx. 35% working at a Job, when he retired
he invested it and paid 15%. 15% + 35% = 50%
Why does the media try to distort the truth?
I think there is a difference between earned income & investment income. Not sure what they call it, but therein lays the problem,,,, Loopholes & off shore income not taxable
He needs to show his tax records all the way back to when he worked for Bain Capital who held those off shore accounts
Jim, you're missing the point RD is making. BTW; paying 15% on Capital Gains is not a loophole.
Before Romney had money to invest, originally when he "earned" or "inherited" his money he paid the income tax rate of 35% - then he invested the money and paid 15% on the additional gains he made with money that was already taxed.
RD, the media didn't say Romney only pays taxes at the 15% rate, Romney did!
Wong Hispanic. When you see how Romney cheated on previous years returns on other income than investment income. The full picture will start to emerge. Why do think he only wants to release this current years tax forms. These were probably manipulated. Face it, Romney is the second worst liar next to Herman Cain in this gang of clowns.
Mitt states: "Government doesn't create jobs. It's the private sector that creates jobs." At last check there are over 17 million people working for county, state, and federal government agencies. Wow, talk about putting a spin on reality! Must be nice to be a republican and see reality as a complete distortion.
Sounds like Sarah Palin is trying to grab a spot as Newt's Vice President
Wouldn't that be a wacky world to live in?
Both need to step away from politics! For good!
If it wasn't for the public sector agencies that control the repuke criminals, you would have no country. Your water would be polluted, your drugs would kill you because of no production regulations, the banks would rob you and your healthcare unaffordale. Wall street would rob you blind. I am so glad Obama created the new consumer watchdog agency to look out for wall street criminals. What a big victory for him and a big loss for the repuke criminals in congress.
seems there are so many cry babies with the GOP...can dish it out but can't take it...lets see your tax returns Mitt...think someone is hiding something...he's saying he will do it in April...makes me thing he'll show the 2011 returns but doesn't want to show the 2010...
In 2008, Republicans demanded to see Obama's 2007 tax returns. He produced his tax returns for 2007, 2006 and 2005. I wonder if that fact will come up during the first Obama - Romney debate?
Santorum, Gingrich, Perry and Ron Paul need to read the writing on the wall
Mitt Romney IS going to be the Republican nominee
It's quitting time......step aside Losers, cause it's gonna be the Mitt
You wish, Romney is the same book as Obama with a different cover.
Their policies mirror each other. Obama gets his policies from the Romney camp.
Willard the Mormon makes up his policies as he goes along. Don't blame Obama for lyin Willard's statements. He probably won't even get the Mormon vote in Utah. They don't feel that Willard is a true Mormon, while the evangelicals view him as the anti-christ and the mormonism is cult, not a true religion.
Every one of these Republican liars only cares about their masters on Wall Street.
Well, you never can underestimate that derp factor.
You can't keep a good man down. How many rounds until you knock Romney down Newt?
Any bookies making bets?
This what happens when the publicans put up a weak field. Romney, it seems pays about the same tax rate as poor people. This is what's wrong with them
I think there is a difference between earned income & investment income. Not sure what they call it, but therein lays the problem,,,, Loopholes & off shore income not taxable
He needs to show his tax records all the way back to when he worked for Bain Capital who held those off shore accounts
His income is from those offshore accounts,,, It's not earned income
Big problem is, it's legal as far as I know ---- Highly immoral & not very patriotic, but legal
Before anyone shouts "Socialist",, I'm a capitalist
I would like to see how much money Willard has parked offshore that he pays 0 tax on.
Impeach NBC and the BBC. Impeach "Wall Street" and "The Fed"
You left out the most important ones: Impeach Fox Lies, Mitch McDumbell, John (town cryer) Bonehead and crazy old man Paul.
Gingrich has been assigned to play the dummy practice target representing Obama.
Sure shot Romney seeing Perry misfires, improves with practice, and super pac ammunition.
Next eposide the shell shocked public tries on straight jackets.
there is no such thing as Ron Paul
there is no such thing as Ron Paul
there is no such thing as Ron Paul
there is no such thing as Ron Paul
there is no such thing as Ron Paul...
And why do you think the media is keeping Ron Paul out of the media , Ron Paul wants to take power away from the goverment and the press . You don't think that the big corporations don't own them and that we only hear what they want us to hear. It's time people get there heads out of the clouds and learn whats really going on in this country.