Newt Gingrich apologizes to Paul Ryan

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

/ Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Newt Gingrich apologized on Tuesday to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for calling his Medicare plan "radical" and "right-wing engineering."

Gingrich, who announced his presidential candidacy just last week, has come under fire in recent days for a series of missteps that some top Republicans believe have crippled his campaign right out of the gate.

Chief among the former House Speaker's recent gaffes is a series of comments he made on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, in which he argued that Ryan's 2012 budget proposal - and, namely, its plan for Medicare - was "radical change" and that we "need a national conversation to get to a better Medicare solution for seniors."

"I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering... I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate," Gingrich said during his appearance on the show.

In light of the criticism he has received as a result of his comments, however, Gingrich is now asking for Ryan's forgiveness.

"Newt apologized," Rick Tyler, his press secretary, told Politico. "The call went very well."

Appearing on Fox News' "On the Record" with Greta van Susteren Tuesday night, Gingrich had a warning for any of his political opponents who may try to use his words against him.

"Any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood, because I have said publicly those words were inaccurate and unfortunate," he said. "When I make a mistake, and I'm going to on occasion, I'm want to stand up and share with the American people that was a mistake because that way we can have an honest conversation."

Gingrich also held a series of conference calls in an effort to explain his comments. Nevertheless, Tyler conceded to Politico, "We've tried to correct the record and admit it could have been done better."

According to the Associated Press, Ryan accepted Gingrich's apology.

Whether or not the rest of the GOP will be as quick to forgive the candidate, however, has yet to be determined.

[nanc12]

by DJ_Independent May 18, 2011 3:35 PM EDT
What is a teabagger? I know what the Tea Party is, but never heard of the teabagger party?
--------------------
You been living under a rock, DJ? The Teabagger Party is what they called themselves, until they finally figured out why everyone would snicker when they had their teabagging rallies.

[meboard]

Just say NO! to right-wing social engineering.

[nanc12]

So the teabaggers neutered Newt.

[nocks56]

Newt should apologize to the whole country for being a neocon and refusing to fight to cut the budget and restore states' rights when he was speaker in the 90s. You can smell the lying on him through the tv, like most politicians. Our children can look forward to being penniless because we are bombing the whole of the middle east, it seems, or we want to bomb the whole middle east.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just be a mind-your-own-business country that actually made useful stuff: cars, washing machines, etc. ? God forbid the federal government just left us alone. Now we live in the USSA.

[Rocksman]

Why apoligize? He had it right the first time. Coward.

[AOCGUY]

Wow Newt - I have even less respect for you now than I did before. I don't expect to agree with politicians all the time (or even most of the time) but I would expect at least some short term consistancy. And you were right this time, I mean before you apologized. Ryan's plan did call for right-wing social engineering.

[naksuthin]

Conservatives don't have a political party. They have a religion. Anyone who joins the party is expected to disregard their own personal opinions, their own views, their own logic and reasoning and opt for the "entire" Conservative religious creed.
Gingrich is finding out the hard way that there are no other views allowed in the "Party".
Like the Stalinists , Islamists, Evangelical Christians...there can be only one True Way. OUR WAY
No "Blue Dogs" allowed in the Republican Party....just mindless mouthpieces looking to Rush Limbaugh for talking points and direction

[AOCGUY]

nak - both major parties sufer from this (although with the current tea-party branch of the GOP, the Republicans do seem to suffer the most). It has been my observation that while individual politicians, especially those just entering politics, may have altruistic motivations for serving, within the party(s) leadership the only motivation is to obtain and maintain power (money and control) at the expense of the American people. I dropped my party affilliation years ago becuase of this and refeuse to give a dime to either.

[pasha128]

Is this a flip or a flop for Gingrich, I've lost count he does them so often?

[jimbom121]

Why even have a primary if candidates can't speak their own views...do they have to be lock-step? I guess so. At this point, just put "Generic" Republican on the ballot and save us the headaches to come.

[jimbom121]

Why doesn't Ryan just run for President. He seems to be the one making decisions on for the Repubs.

[AOCGUY]

I would bet that Ryan is waiting til 2016.

[jimbom121]

He may be out of of a job in 2012.