Mitt Romney: Gingrich a "very wealthy" man

Updated 5:38 p.m. Eastern Time

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney doesn't want to be cast as the only rich person in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

In the wake of his attempt to make a $10,000 bet with Rick Perry during Saturday's Republican presidential debate - a move that put a spotlight on Romney's $190 million-plus net worth and prompted critics to cast him as out of touch - the former Massachusetts governor told CBS News on Wednesday that his chief rival for the nomination is a "very wealthy man."

"Newt Gingrich has wealth from having worked in government," Romney told CBS News political correspondent Jan Crawford in an interview in New York. "He's a wealthy man, a very wealthy man. If you have a half a million dollar purchase from Tiffany's, you're not a middle class American."

Romney's comment both spotlighted Gingrich's wealth - his campaign earlier this year estimated his net worth at at least $6.7 million - and drew attention to how Gingrich earned the money. The former House speaker made millions as an adviser and influence broker in Washington after leaving Congress, including at least $1.6 million from government-backed mortgage giant Freddie Mac. (Romney has called on Gingrich to return that money.) The former Massachusetts governor also made reference to Gingrich and his wife's onetime $250,000-plus line of credit at Tiffany & Co.

Romney was in New York for fundraisers Wednesday, prompting the Democratic National Committee to hire an airplane to fly over the Hudson river with a banner reading, "Bet you 10k Romney's Out of Touch."

More from the interview will be released on the "CBS Evening News" and CBSNews.com later today.

In a seperate interview with the New York Times Wednesday, Romney took a different shot at Gingrich, saying "Zany is not what we need in a president."

"Zany is great in a campaign. It's great on talk radio. It's great in print, it makes for fun reading," he said. "But in terms of a president, we need a leader, and a leader needs to be someone who can bring Americans together."

Gingrich responded by sticking to his (questionable) claim that he is running a positive campaign and telling reporters, "I'll let him decide what zany is."

"They should run their campaign the way they want to; I'm going to run my campaign the way I want to," he said.

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35 Photos

Mitt Romney on the trail

[MIO42]

Sooooooo there are No other options. to the political mayhemm we are stuk with
Really

[MIO42]

Yes Mittwich that is spiteful
Wealth does buy the option . "Are you ready for it".?
To not give a ................................s...........hhhhh..................t

[DebbieCorona]

This is priceless! Romney calling Newt rich! Talk about a hypocrit!

[gep1955]

John Corzine is a democrat senator and governor of New Jersey is also a very wealthy man who "lost" $1.2 billion of his customers money. Where is your outrage headline on that? Every day CBS and the liberal media prove they are biased to the left by what they don't report.

[Smail_Buzzby]

Isn't there a place called FauxNoos where you can go to get beat over the head with right-wing minded nonsense that you love because you agree with it?

You do realize that Fox showed everyone how hyper-partisan can make you money and now everyone does it, don't you? If you hate CBS and the liberal media you really have FoxNews to blame. We used to have REAL news before they came along. At least some of the time.

Every story has to be about a bad Democrat or you are not happy?

[rubio4u]

LOL, isn't that cute, one wealthy POS calling another one of his Bilderberg "cronies" rich? Hey Mitt, poor people do not build TWELVE MILLION DOLLAR MANSIONS, even working class people don't do it. So, my question to you there little pretty boy; do you think you are one of us working folks? YOU ARE NOT!

[Smail_Buzzby]

Romney is engaging in all sorts of hypocritical behavior, but then that is kind of who he is.
In this case I think he is right to point out that Newt is a wealthy person AND that he 'earned' all of that money at the direct expense of taxpayers. It is one thing to be wealthy because you are corporate raider sleazebag and a different thing to be a life-long politician who can afford to blow $500,000 on jewelry. Most Americans will never be able to afford to blow that kind of money on anything - most of us have to work crappy jobs for 20 or 30 years to pay off a house 'worth' that much.
Romney is saying - 'we are both of the 1%', but he is implying that he earned his (much greater) wealth honestly.
Really he is just trying to deflect some of the anger about his idiot 'I'll bet you $10,000' moment - which sounded like something that you say on the playground when you are 6 years old.

[ben-jammin721]

I wish I could own a 12 million dollar house. But then people would just hate me for it.

[Dianna-Rene]

It may just be me, but isn't the whole idea of Mr. Romney calling Mr. Gingrich a "very wealthy man," a bit like a call girl calling a street walker a ****?

[addict42]

The GOP candidates are falling all over each other trying to claim some remote association to the middle class...they shouldn't worry there are enough people in the middle class who will vote straight GOP all the way to foreclosure and bankruptcy.

[Fatesrider]

Oh my God... Romney, who's worth $190 million dollars DARES to imply that he's MORE in touch with "middle class America" than Gingrich? Hell, Huntsman has only a $6.5 million net worth and is probably the "poorest" of the lot!

How much of a tool is Romney? A gigantic one, based on that statement.

Seriously, the whole pack of Republicans are a showcase - or sideshow - of what's wrong with the right-wing politicians today. A bunch of elitist, privileged, rich and amazingly STUPID people each a kettle calling the other kettles black.

Are their supporters really so abysmally incapable of any inkling of reason that they see a distinction between any of them? Or are their brains so decayed by feeding at the teat of ignorance called Fox News that they can't figure out they're being lied to so blatantly?

It's amazing that the right-wing is even the threat to the future of the human species that it is. The Bible says the meek shall inherit the earth. But it seems the retarded will destroy it first.

[LosAngelesCA]

Obama is wealthy too so what is your point? It is apparent that YOU voted for Obama. How is that "hope and change" from a multi-millionaire working for you? Had enough yet?

[travellor1138]

I couldn't have said it better.

[hhandyman]

Duhha Everyone running For president is at least a millionaire in liquid assets and is part of that 1 percent living on dividends and investment returns. They don't need the income they just want the power of the office as an ego boost. (98% of Congress is the same big wallet they dont need any salary to survive quite well.) It is time to retire at least 75% of the incumbents regardless of party

[minsch02]

For once, the candidates need to focus on the real issues that are problematic to real people, the 99% of us and not the 1%. The Republican party does not seem to have the best interests of the country in mind. But then, I am not so certain that the Democrats do either. The election of 2012 should prove to be an enormously important one. I hope that the citizens will focus on the important issues and ignore the unimportant ones.

[soshaljustice]

It is becoming far more obvious every day-Obama needs to stay in office. We do not need these foolz that will broker the POTUS seat to the highest bidder through commentary as this, especially when romney sleeps his way to his position! Say no! to Mormons in the White House!! Say no! to Newts there too! No rands there either, can go to the nearest drug store if I want a map to tell me where the country is, where it is not going and needs to go! Now someone beside the current POTUS that is the only on saying how it is to get there and the no good congress that refuses to do the work to get it there, better shape up. Congress is what needs to be changed! These rethug foolz can stay on their entertainment media pages for fun if they want to, but congress is the serious business that needs changes-leave the current POTUS in position.