Gingrich: "Social engineering" remarks not about Ryan's plan

Former House speaker and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has faced withering criticism this week for his remarks on Sunday that Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare plan amounts to "right-wing social engineering."

Gingrich has spent the week explaining his remarks and apologizing for them. Yet yesterday on Rush Limbaugh's conservative talk radio show, Gingrich took a new tack: He said the comments in question weren't even about Ryan's Medicare plan.

"It was not a reference to Paul Ryan. There was no reference to Paul Ryan in that answer," Gingrich told Limbaugh with respect to his remarks on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Limbaugh asked Gingrich to explain why, then, he apologized to Ryan this week for criticizing his plan.

"It was interpreted in a way which was causing trouble, which he doesn't need or deserve, and was causing House Republicans trouble," Gingrich said. "My answer wasn't about the budget, and I promptly went back to say publicly and continue to say I would have voted for the Ryan budget."

Gingrich continued, "I think it's a very important first step in the right direction, and I have consistently said that."

It's true that some weeks ago, Gingrich endorsed Ryan's Medicare plan, which would transform the government-run health care program for seniors into a voucher program, calling it a good "first step."

However, Gingrich's remarks on Sunday were unequivocally about Ryan's plan. Initially, "Meet the Press" host David Gregory asked Gingrich if "Republicans ought to buck the public opposition and really move forward to completely change Medicare."

After Gingrich called such a plan "social engineering," Gregory continued to press Gingrich on the subject, asking him to address, "what Paul Ryan is suggesting, which is completely changing Medicare."

That's when Gingrich said, "I think that that is too big a jump... I'm against Obamacare, which is imposing radical change, and I would be against a conservative imposing radical change."

Limbaugh said Thursday he was reassured by the former speaker's assertion that he was not talking about Ryan's plan.

The radio host called Ryan's budget plan, which includes his Medicare proposal, "the single most unifying thing in the Republican party today."

[RobAla]

Paul Ryan certainly took it as Gingrich talking about his plan.

[san850]

"I didn't really say what you thought it sounded like I said even though I really did say it but if it looks bad for me then I will deny that I ever said it at all." Newt is getting better and better at his "speaking with forked tongue". Pathetic.

[buzzhowdy]

The republicans have gone from "not meant to be a factual statement" to just "not meant to be a statement" and you lie if you say he said what he said

[Guitfiddel]

Why do Republicans expect anyone with any brains to take them seriously when the first thing they did when they duped the American People about "JOBS" to get reelected was threaten to hold Emergency Unemployment Benefits back from 40million American Families in exchange for the extension of the Bush tax breaks for Top1% who outsourced all the JOBS overseas that caused Americans to need EUB in the first place. Most Republicans are liars, dishonorable, cheaters, and campaign money prostitutes. That's why they weren't really concerned about OBL. Republicans couldn't have cared less about OBL and showed they didn't. They were not concerned about the 7,400 Americans that died or, their families because of Iraq and 911. They were only concerned about the OIL! More profits$$$ for their Pimps and campaign$$$ money for them.

[meboard]

"Ryan Plan? Oh...I thought you said the Nyan Plan...my bad."

[Harden_Tar]

Someone needs to take that verbal gun away from the Newt-ster before he blows his foot all the way off with it instead of just having the gigantic gaping hole.

[stn_sage]

Wow! A little criticism and he's doing an 'about face'!
Well...if he wasn't...it sure sounded like it!

[Bisk1]

I am not posting on a CBS News Thread and if anyone says that I did, they would be Lying.

[tsigili]

If he can't even "man up" to what he said, then he is not a good candidate. Period.

[doctor_know]

You can't be president if you stole Christmas.....