E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
ARLINGTON, VA -- Newt Gingrich finally ended his presidential bid on Wednesday at a hotel just outside of the nation's capital, where he once led the Republican Party in Congress.
Newt Gingrich end his run for president on after winning only two of the dozens of nominating contests in the Republican primary race. Watch his entire speech.
After a week of broadcasting his intent to suspend his campaign -- including the release of a video earlier this week thanking supporters and previewing the announcement -- Gingrich formally ended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination at an event his campaign had billed as a "press conference to announce suspension of campaign."
Benjamin Myers / Reuters
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich speaks next to his wife Callista Gingrich as he suspends his presidential campaign May 2 in Arlington, Va.
"Today, I'm suspending the campaign but suspending the campaign does not mean suspending citizenship. Callista and I are committed to be active citizens. We owe it to America. We owe it to Maggie and Robert," Gingrich said, referring to his only two grandchildren, here in his home state of Virginia.
Once bitter rival of Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee, Gingrich vowed during his 26 minute speech to do whatever possible to beat Barack Obama but came short of actually endorsing Romney.
"I'm asked sometimes is Mitt Romney conservative enough. And my answer is simple: compared to Barack Obama? You know, this is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan. This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist President in American history," Gingrich said while addressing roughly 100 members of the media inside the Hilton Hotel.
Romney said in a statement: "Newt Gingrich has brought creativity and intellectual vitality to American political life. During the course of this campaign, Newt demonstrated both eloquence and fearlessness in advancing conservative ideas. Although he long ago created an enduring place for himself in American history, I am confident that he will continue to make important contributions to our party and to the life of the nation."
Gingrich’s spokesman said an official endorsement of Romney is still to come.
The news was far from surprising, given the way the former House speaker had been openly discussing the prospect of his exiting from the race ever since he finished poorly in the Delaware primary.
After finishing nearly 30 percent behind Mitt Romney in DE -- a state Gingrich frequented leading up to the election -- the speaker basically gave two concession speeches while campaigning in North Carolina last week. He began calling Romney the "nominee" and said it was time to "be honest about what's happening in the real world as opposed to what you would like to have happen."
Gingrich's campaign had been considered virtually dead for weeks, though the winner of the South Carolina and Georgia primaries vowed to contest the nomination all the way through the Republican convention this summer in Tampa. Gingrich had assailed Romney's conservatism, and, to boot, President Obama's campaign circulated a video this morning featuring the ex-speaker's greatest hits against Romney.
That said, the month of May is far later in the election cycle than most political observers thought Gingrich would last. After suffering missteps in the launch of his campaign, most of Gingrich's senior staff quit on him last June.
Gingrich must also still work to erase millions of debts incurred during his campaign, mostly during its tail end.
But at today’s event, the Speaker seemed cheerful and unfazed by the $4 million hole he is in. He rather spent time talking about one of his most memorable ideas from the past 10 months – his proposed moon colony.
“My wife has pointed out to me approximately 219 times, give or take three, that the moon colony was probably not my most clever comment in this campaign. I thought, frankly, in my role providing material for Saturday night live it was helpful but the underlying key point is real,” Gingrich joked.
Leave a Comment:
Sorry Newt at least you were actually digging into Mr. Romney a little bit "with your pious baloney" line about him not being truthful and not being involved in Government and him coming from the private sector as a citizen.
Things are FINALLY starting to shape up nicely for the republicans to boot Obama and his clown car administration out of Washington in November....just wait until Mitt starts hammering Barack on the economy and the pathetic job he has done in his last term. Wow! Its gonna be good....can hardly wait.
Sorry I think you be waiting another four years,
Obama/Biden 2012~~~~~~~~~~
Romney, the Etch a Sketch candidate. Talk about a clown. What a joke.
@bucsdad -- Looks like you are the one wearing the 'dunce' cap....
I cant hardly wait till the BBQ starts either. Old mitt the tin man will go up in flames. Old mitt does not even have a chance......its gonna be bloody......like a pig to slaughter
Get dressed.
The moon man can't even bow out gracefully, but thanks for the memories and campaign ads for the Dem's we appreciate them. Now that the clown show is down to just Mittens, oh is Paul still in this race? Don't know don't care.
Obama/Biden 2012~~~~~~~~~~
Things are finally looking up.
Why is this news? Just another rich white guy who lies.
Ron Paul or Bust!
He got my vote this week in the Oregon primary!.
Newt, WHO?
NEWT...remember you only have to pay your debtors 5 cents on the
NEWT...Remember you only have to pay your debtors 5 cents on the $ for campaigns. That is all Hubert Humphrey did in any of his capaigns. He always found suckers for the next one. Deemocrats were always proud of him.
I know as I am from MN and know a few debtors from his last hurrah!
Wow. This newt guy is just plain nutz looney and way out there. He is so delusional and crazed it is almost sad. That clown car was full of wackos, thank gosh its all over. What a circus and disgrace. And this was the best and brightest the gop had to offer? I use to think Sarah Palin got it on with edwards and created trig. But now it is confirmed that she got it on with the newt and created trig. Whoa wee wee, way way way OUT THERE.
Whatever happened to "I'm taking this all the way to Tampa!!!" ? Just another lie in the long list of lies. F*cking pathetic gas bag.
You can tell the rightwing loonies are running scared. Like bucsdad's comments about how things are starting to shape up nicely for the republicans. Huh?
Newt is the grand daddy of the disfunctional house and senate. The guy is about as hateful and dysfunctional as it gets. Thank gosh he is out and broke.
Believe this--HE IS NOT BROKE. His campaign may be, but know that he is NOT. That's why he's been selling books and CDs for the past year, he had no intention on funding his own campaign.
I'm sorry...he what? I couldn't concentrate on reading the story for hearing angels singing "The Hallelujah Chorus"!!!
That's a good boy, GINK! Take the money you stole from the 99% American People & go live happily ever after...IF YOUCAN?
Keep Callista away from the bird seed.
All you Liberal Obamabots make me laugh! How stupid can you actually get? He is ruining the U.S. He hates any and all past policys of the U.S. Does not really like any of you because you are beneath him as he thinks of himself as King!
Newt actually has some ideas that would put us on track to a healthy economy, yes it does mean corporate America would have to participate as that is where the jobs are! All you Dems that think that Corporations are evil have never had a business nor understand why there are corporations. Newt wants a lot more Corporations/new buisnesses while Obumer wants fewer more powerful corporations which is not a good thing as then there is no competition which drives prices up. look at our Health Care, as soon as he announced his Obama Care prices went throuh the roof and keep climbing and will until there is some competition.
As far as wanting to hide our head in the sand and make our military a shadow of itself, what a mistake that would be! Don't get me wrong the last thing I want is our people on foreign soil but better their than here! Most of you think if we just play nice they will also? That has never worked and will never work, we need to keep a strong military both on land and sea! First we need a President who has life experience in Business and Politics, not a Lawyer with 0 experience in anything other than lying, cheating and having someone ghost write books for him. Oh did I mention his best buddies are anarchist and domestic terriost? What a guy!
But redroket? All those past policies are why this country is so screwed up, racist and full of old white ugly dicktators and wanna be terrorist. Get with the program, crawl out of that cave, TURN FOX NEWS OFF and lay off the booze
Oh great redroket scientist, please share your great knowledge with us about why corporations exist.
The United States is in better shape then it was when Obama inherited it. How easy people forget just 4 years ago.
Redroket,
Whose children are you going to send to fight all these wars? The poor kids that joined to pay for college? Immigrants who have to pledge allegiance? Because it's not going to be the rich kids going to die for others. Maybe we can just play nice for a while instead of sending babies to fight
The current count of children born with autism is at 1 in 84!!! Are you going to send these autistic children to fight these wars?!!!!
Analysts have said that Obama is the most war-hawkish democratic president there has been in a long time. There are drone strikes EVERY FOUR DAYS!!! in other parts of he world by American drones...He is engaged in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Uganda and getting ready to go to Syria and Iran if need be.
Corporations don't go into business to take care of the people...They are there to make money...The government takes care of people...Corporations will get rid of you if you're too sick, too old, too disabled to work...BUt government takes care of children born with disabilities, old people, and soldiers who come home with PTSD, TBI and other things...Government is the only entity that will do things without making money such as the roads that you use, making sure the water you drink and food you eat is safe...YOu act like Obama is a king...He NEVER acts like that...people all around the world love him and America always does that to its heroes whether it's Martin Luther King, or Abraham Lincoln, JFK or RFK...all heroes that other countries would love to have!!!
And how do you know he had a ghost writer? He is best friends with terrorists? Where did you learn this? Did he tell you himself? And learn how to spell too
YIPPEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That old ugly windbag. I did not think he would ever finish his blabbering nonsense. He is so full of himself and his freaken big bird wife bobblehead standing there. Gross. Good grief if I had to wake up and see either one of them first thing in the morning, I would jump out the window.
Don't jump. Believe me, we need sane people here. This man believes what he says and I really hope he decides to donate his brain to science after he dies, so we can know officially that he has "issues". Pray for this nation and for politicians who don't "serve the public" they committed to serve when they took the oath--TO GO.
the guy is so pig-headed, i am surprised he didn't wait to suspend his bid until the night before the inauguration!
on a side note - i think his wife was a liability and not an asset, and it was her that helped in his demise. i cant put my finger on it - but something about her bothers me and makes me uncomfortable.
DOES THIS MAN LIVE ON THE EARTH AND IN THE 21ST CENTURY??!!!! Thank you LORD this man is out of the way and hopefully away from Cameras and the media's attention. I am SO SICK OF HEARING HIM SPEW ABOUT RONALD REAGAN... outdated and disconnected from the reality we all live. This man simply loves to hear himself and with his psychodelic images of grandeur, he is just as I believed before--this man is borderline savant and really needs some medication. God bless Mitt Romney for feeling he needs this man's support and endorsement. I don't know that Mitt's money is 'well-spent' in bailing our the Gingrich campaign. THANK YOU JESUS FOR DELIVERING US FROM THIS MAN'S RANTS.
There is a lot to be liked about Newt's philosophy of government. Unfortunately he has a hard core ego that in the end did more damage to his party than good. He became a paranoia fool towards Romney for all the wrong reasons. At some point in time you have to be a team player even though you know you will not be voted captian.And the same can be said for Santorum
You have a good point. Sadly the team as a whole is flawed.
Rhondu
Now that Romney can turn his full attention to Obama and country ills. I think you'll like Mitt in the long run..Very solid, smart and honest guy...Give him a chance. Take care
Finally, the worlds biggest ego is gone! I'm a registered Republican, and I don't want Obama back in, but I think I'd rather have Obama than Newt! Now I can concentrate on getting Romney elected and some of our problems solved!
Roadrep
Good show, excellent attitude...Let's go Mitt
Well Newt, youv'e still got your day job and your lobby office in washington. The only difference now will be the rest of us won't paying you to lobby for your REAL employers
Time to file bankruptcy again, Papa Smurf. Callista needs more Botox first though.
Newt gets The Captain Louis Renault Award, big time. I'm shocked, shocked to find that Newt is suspending his campaign. You're a loser, sir.