Romney camp mocks Gingrich for debate complaints

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Tuesday made it clear he's unhappy that the audience in Monday night's GOP debate was barred from clapping or cheering.

It may be a fair enough complaint from the former speaker -- audience participation has helped him in the past -- but his rival Mitt Romney is nevertheless mocking him as a "cry baby."

In an appearance of Fox News Tuesday morning, Gingrich said he wished he had protested when NBC debate moderator Brian Williams asked the audience to hold their applause.

"I think it's wrong," Mr. Gingrich said, "And I think he took them out of it because the media is terrified that the audience is going to side with the candidates against the media, which is what they've done in every debate."

Gingrich won two separate standing ovations in previous debates, but on Monday night, he failed to create any memorable moments.

"We're going to serve notice on future debates," Gingrich told Fox. "We're just not going to allow that to happen. That's wrong. The media doesn't control free speech. People ought to be allowed to applaud if they want to."

Later Tuesday, after Gingrich's remarks, the Romney camp sent reporters a press release with the subject line "A picture is worth 1,000 words."

The email linked to reports of Gingrich's remarks and featured a giant image of a 1995 edition of the New York Daily News. The headline on the paper's front page read in giant letters, "Cry Baby" and was accompanied by a cartoon of a crying baby with Gingrich's head.

Romney has started to campaign more aggressively against Gingrich since the former speaker's victory in the South Carolina primaries. As they head into the Florida primaries, polls show a tight race between the two GOP candidates.

[AdelbertAmes]

Some of the great supporters of free speech in history like Stalin, Mao and Kim Il Sung liked to hear lots of applause during their 'debates'. Gingrich helped win the Cold War??? His opinion in 1989 was worth zip! er... just like now really.

[AdelbertAmes]

Some of the great supporters of free speech in history like Stalin, Mao and Kim Il Sung liked to hear lots of applause during their 'debates'. Gingrich helped win the Cold War??? His opinion in 1989 was worth zip! er... just like now really.

[Lovingcare]

I hope Newt has no intention to shut down the government again this time. Nobody can say for sure he won't after he has shut down the government once because he couldn't sit in the front section of Air Force One.

[nearl451]

"EAAAH!! That's not fair!! I need a cheering section! How else can I mob rule."

"Mean ol libral media!"

It's ROmneys fault he's losing (he keeps on saying insensitive stuff), but Gingrich is the biggest whiny baby I've ever heard......except for Santorum when Bob Casey was kicking his rear.

[smehl1506]

All that stuff Newter bragged about getting accomplished was a result of his working together with President Clinton. But that would be "treason" in the eyes of the Tea Baggers. That's why he never mentioned it.

With all of Newt's personal and political baggage, and with the unbelievable pandering to the right-wing by the former Massachusetts moderate, President Obama's reelection is getting more likely by the day.

[longtree-2009]

newt has no mass appeal except for tea party types and evangelicals. he is the equivalent of palin in that he scares off moderates and centrists even within the ranks of registered republicans.

[quatermass2]

Get the whaaaaaambulance ready. Newt has always been a crybaby.