Newt Gingrich announces presidential campaign

Updated May 12, 8:30 a.m. ET

Newt Gingrich is officially running for president.

"I'm Newt Gingrich, and I'm announcing my candidacy for President of the United States because I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity, to full employment, to real security, to an American energy program, to a balanced budget," Gingrich says in his announcement video at left.

In the two-minute video, featuring Gingrich speaking directly to the camera in front of a black background, the former House speaker points to his past achievements.

"I worked with President Ronald Reagan in a very difficult period," he says. "We got jobs created again, Americans proud of America, and the Soviet Union disappeared." He then talks about his tenure as House speaker, pointing to his efforts on welfare, controlling spending, cutting taxes, reducing unemployment and balancing the budget.

"We've done it before, we can do it again," the Georgia Republican says, uplifting music swelling in the background.

Jose Luis Magana

Gingrich then appeals to Americans to work together to find solutions and asks them to "insist on imposing those solutions on those forces that don't want to change."

"There are some people who don't mind if America becomes a wreck as long as they dominate the wreckage, but you and I know better," he says.

Gingrich asks Americans to "look reality in the face" and "make the tough choices" to "get the job done."

He says a "much better American future" is ahead, with more jobs, better health care, and - in what appears to be an appeal to older voters - "longer lives" and "greater independent living."

In a reference to health care reform and other Obama administration initiatives derided by Republicans as reflecting an oversize government, he then argues for a "decentralized" America "with power once again back with the American people and away from the Washington bureaucracy."

Gingrich, who has been polling in the high-single digits in early polls, is entering a wide-open Republican field. His rivals include Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty; some of the biggest names in the GOP, among them Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, have yet to announce their intentions.

A well-connected insider who has crafted an image as a thought leader in the GOP, Gingrich is a prolific fundraiser well known to the Republican primary electorate. The 67-year-old was the face of the 1994 Republican takeover of the House; while his high-profile tenure in Congress gives him immediate credibility, it also means he may be seen by some voters as a figure of the past.

In a Fox News interview Wednesday night to announce his candidacy, Gingrich came out swinging, slamming President Obama's foreign policy as "a very, very discouraging mess" and his energy policy as "anti-American."

"President Obama should be ashamed of himself," Gingrich said, according to the Associated Press.

Gingrich also added that he's become "more mature" since he last held office 12 years ago. "I've had time to reflect on what worked and what didn't work," he said.

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31 Photos

Newt Gingrich on the campaign trail

[SIRJASON]

WAIT! Newt created millions of jobs for the DOE teachers unions while Speker!
http://www.unelected.org/2010/07/21/socialist-of-the-week-newt-gingrich/

[narc7979]

look at newt here - http://youtu.be/JFAb2MM3qLI

[Lindag10]

So after announcing that he was "going to announce", tweeting he was going to announce, he's finally announced he's running for president. What a publicity hound, as bad as Trump and Palin (BTW where are they now?). I'm sure he'll use up his few minutes of fame one of these days. Besides who wants an ugly lizard thing (a newt) for president? UGH.

[kurtschwitters]

i am so glad that newt finally threw his mad hatter hat in the ring. i was starting to worry that that the mildly deranged wing of the GOP had cornered this race. it would be pretty dull if ron (or possibly rand) paul was the biggest loony in the race. with newt tweeting a link to his campaign website with its blog referencing his facebook page where we could read the clues to find our way to his farmville farm where he had spelled out in corn and soy beans that: "I AM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT", we finally have a real contender from the 'stark raving lunatic only by the grace of god is he not locked up in an asylum' wing of the Plutocratic Party. i cannot wait to hear his theme song 'NEWT NEWT NEWT' sung to the tune of USA USA USA

[kurtschwitters]

he is a visionary alright in fact he is a double visionary

[user000049586849302948603]

Gingrich: "I like the 90s."

[FreshxWater]

Gingrich hasn't had a job in 40 years! Funny the way the Corporate Media and Republicans talk about average Americans not working hard! LOL! Newt grabbed his social welfare check for 20 years. The last 20 years he also hasn't worked a day. He's been SOCIALLY supported by Las Vegas Sands LVS CEO Sheldon Adelson. The only place you even see a little truth in the Corporate Media is on MSNBC! These facts are NOT published elsewhere!

Gingrich's financial angel, a casino mogul with legal woes

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42377799/ns/politics-decision_2012/t/gingrichs-financial-angel-casino-mogul-legal-woes/

[gep1955]

Watch the coverage of Newt on the networks. It will be about his personal life and religion constantly. Nothing much will be covered on his ideas to fix the damage Barry and the Marxists have done. This will prove the media and their handlers at the WH are afraid of him.

[san850]

I don't think the media and their handlers at the WH are "afraid of him" as you state. The media will expose him for exactly what he is: an untrustworthy, unethical, immoral politician. Have you forgotten his misuse of government funds...ethics violations...a record $300,000 fine...his forced resignation as Speaker. He is about as unethical as a politician can be....a loose cannon. Even the majority of Republicans will agree that he's despicable...they haven't forgotten.

Newt won't "fix" anything unless there is something in it for him. He doesn't have the chance of a snowball of getting the nomination.

[stupa5]

definition of a newt:
Adult newts have slimy lizard-like bodies and may be either fully aquatic, living permanently in the water, or semi-aquatic, living terrestrially under rocks but returning to the water each year to breed with different partners..

This guy Gingrich sounds like a newt to me!

[darwufche]

We don't want a salamander for president.

[rockcutr]

Unless anyone hasn't noticed,,,whom ever we have as president just doesn't matter. With under 600 washington politicians,,and 3 billion or so citizens,,,,this defines legislation without representation.
NEWS FLASH! people of the USA, you are on your own. Your government pats down your children as potential terrorists, tax your death, force insurance for pitiful health care, and for over 100 years cannot balance the countrys checkbook to save their lives. The bankers, car corps, big oyl, and the military are the only citizens in this country. Even there the leadership/bureauocracy craps all over the ones who actually serve well.

[stupa5]

try 320+ million citzens get your stats right ! not 3 bil
another joker!