Mitt Romney launches assault on Gingrich

By: Corbett B. Daly
Topics: Campaign 2012

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney

(Credit: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

UPDATED 8:08 p.m. ET

POMPANO BEACH, Florida-- After using a 15-year old news clip of NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw in a television ad released Friday reminding voters of Newt Gingrich's violations of House ethics rules, Mitt Romney late Sunday decided to generate some fresh news clips ahead of Tuesday's Florida primary.

The Romney campaign launched a sharp broadside against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for questioning his character earlier in the day.

Gingrich told CBS' Face the Nation Sunday that "facts don't matter" to Romney.

"I think when people understand how many different times... he said things that weren't true, his credibility is going to just, frankly, collapse," Gingrich told host Bob Schieffer.

Gingrich told Schieffer he would let the voters make up their own minds if Romney is dishonest, but he then said Romney's "non-truths" are going to hurt him in Florida.

"I think it's really dangerous in a debate to use non-facts because you win a tactical victory, but you strategically begin to destroy your own credibility," Gingrich said.

That got Romney's attention.

Speaking to a packed crowd at the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center here, Romney said voters should look at Gingrich's past.

"If you ever try to hire someone for a job, you look at not just at what they say, but also what they've done, what their record is. And his record was one of failed leadership," Romney said, speaking of Gingrich.

Romney said "the speaker had one chance to lead our party ... and after 4 years he had to resign in disgrace," adding that his approval rating was just 18 percent when he stepped down.

His campaign dispatched his surrogates to remind reporters of Gingrich's history, and his campaign communications director Gail Gitcho called it a "stunning act of desperation."

"If Americans are looking for a leader with character, there is no better choice than Mitt Romney," New Jersey Gov. Christie said in a prepared statement.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the criticism of Romney is "way out of bounds."

"I thought I had heard it all from Newt Gingrich, but for him to question the character of Mitt Romney is over the line," Pawlenty said.

Corbett B. Daly
Corbett B. Daly is CBSNews.com's deputy politics editor.
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by bluetruckinla January 30, 2012 2:37 PM EST: You got to be kidding ! I heard it before in the Kennedy - Nixon race but I am still shocked to hear " I am voting for him because he is handsome" . Wake up lady ! If Mitt Romney looks like Barbie's Ken that does NOT qualify Mitt Romney to be President of The United States. OMG how shallow ..............

Additionally pollster Towery said Gingrich is doing "substantially better" with men than Romney, 38 to 28, but the former House Speaker still faces a "gender gap," as women are still favoring Romney.

Please Ladies think about this. Ken Oups ! I mean Mitt Romney was empty whole companies into his pockets putting working women and men into the streets. Then sent their jobs to China and Mexico. Mitt Romney was also raided retirement funds and put the money in his pockets also robbing women and men of security in their Golden Years. Mitt Romeny is receiving the working women and men sweat and blood at a rate of over $51,000 DOLLARS a DAY as income !!!!! Anything goes to make a dollar is NOT Capitalism. The drug dealer or corporate raider are both wrong. The business venture was three separate parameters is it moral, ethical, or legal. The drug dealer is immoral and illegal. Mitt Romney is immoral and unethical. Mitt Romney is not and NEVER was in business to create jobs. Mitt Romney wants to make money and any human cost incurred is inconsequential. That includes human cost to women who think Mitt Romney should be President because he is handsome or looks like Ken.

Ladies PLEASE reconsider !!!!!!!!!!!!! A lot is a stake here.; Reply to this comment


by Riverjump January 30, 2012 10:06 AM EST: These two wanna-be's keep throwin hooks and jabs at each other only proves they both are unfit to be POTUS. Looks like the President will be a shoe-in for four more years. The repubs have noone else to field. Maybe the tea-partiers will have a resurgence; listen: Sarah! Sarah! Sarag! lol; Reply to this comment

by RobAla January 30, 2012 8:19 AM EST

I will be so glad to see these two stop bickering over smaller personal things, and begin to concentrate on the real issues. Each has strong policy changes which would turn this nation around economically, but they are too busy right now with a silly pie throwing contest. Someone needs to tell these two to stop it.

I am interested in hearing about the details of Romneys 59 point plan to turn the economy around, and about Gingrichs tax plans. Both have interesting ideas, but the messages are being lost on petty spats. During the last debate, Santorum tried to bring things back to the real issues of the day. However, with both Romney and Gingrich seeing Florida as a sort of make or break deal - they haven't been able to resist throwing pies at each other.

The last thing in the world that I want to see is for 4 more years of failed socialist policy pushed by President Obama. His policies are destroying the nation. Our biggest threat to national security is out out of control deficit spending - we are over the $15 trillion mark, and last month President Obama mentioned wanting another $1.2 trillion in deficit spending. During the SOTU address, President Obama never once mentioned our horrible national debt and deficit spending. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN ANY PRESIDENT GIVE A STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS (GIVE A STATUS OF THE NATION), AND NEVER MENTION THE WORST PROBLEM THE NATION FACES?????? Here is the fact of the matter: President Obama has NO plan to control deficit spending - he has ZERO plans to deal with it. We are all on a train racing toward a spot where the tracks end at a cliff, and we must elect a President and Congress that have practical and enforceable plans to stop this nonsense before it is too late.

Here is the deal: Our next President will probably be President Obama, Romney or Gingrich. None of them are talking about how to turn this mess around. Romney and Gingrich have solid plans - but they are too busy with personal spats to talk those plans - and President Obama HAS NO PLAN AT ALL.

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by FormerUSMCSergeant January 30, 2012 8:33 AM EST: Where were you when dubya was borrowing trillions for regime changes?


by BlameRepublicanz January 30, 2012 10:23 AM EST: we spent an entire summer talking about the deficit with Republicans obsctructing left and right...how much longer do you want to talk about a problem that wont be solved for decades?? The deficit isnt going anywhere for a long time, get over it...there are other issues facing this country.


by FormerUSMCSergeant January 30, 2012 8:17 AM EST: Newt is not only arrogant but downright audacious.

This man who has demonstreted time and time again that he has no morals, no scruples, actually has the gaul to assail another's character?

Same old hypocritical Newt....just like when he was lambasting Clinton over Lewinski while Newt himself was carrying on a six-year affair.

If that's not audacity, I don't know what is.; Reply to this comment

by Kenny777_y January 30, 2012 7:25 AM EST

someone explain to me , the fact is Ron.Paul. is no doubt the smartest. and has more support, and backers from the military. and has raised more money. in the past few months then all the other idiots combined, yet the bias multi media has him at a % so far behind the others. NEVER MIND I ALREADY KNOW the bias media is full of B.S.

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by FormerUSMCSergeant January 30, 2012 8:19 AM EST: Paul gets less than 10% every time her runs.

It's not the media's fault his message only resonates with a few.


by longtree-2009 January 30, 2012 5:30 AM EST: lets not forget that obama is no bargain. if you have been doing well since the obama administration then vote for obama else vote for someone else. the coming election will be no different than past elections where voters must choose the lesser of two evils. there has never been a perfect candidate or a perfect potus of either party.; Reply to this comment


by nancy_naive January 30, 2012 2:33 AM EST: ... and in the weather today, two large hot air masses continue to press into Florida...; Reply to this comment

by NewtsArmy931 January 29, 2012 9:34 PM EST

What will 17 million bucks buy you? Lets see how the Florida election turns out!

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by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 January 30, 2012 2:19 AM EST: Romney in a landslide.

by NewtsArmy931 January 29, 2012 9:33 PM EST

What will 17 million bucks buy you? Lets see how the Florida election turns out!

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by voiceofthepast January 29, 2012 11:25 PM EST: 17 million bucks in this election doesn't mean you can buy anything. It only means you have been bought.

by gszak January 29, 2012 9:29 PM EST

I believe it is Newt who is collapsing and I am sure voters will realize there is no better choice for Republicans than Mitt Romney. He is a proven leader with some serious ability to work with Republicans as well as Democrats. And that is what the GOP needs to face a strong Obama who's numbers will rise before the Nov.2012.

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by nearl451 January 30, 2012 12:19 AM EST: LOL. They're both self serving and have been for a long time.

Mitt cannot tell the truth about anything. Blind Trust (not); he knows what its like to get a pink slip (not); Corporations are people (oh errrrr they're made up of people [and other things]), I I I I I created 100,000 US jobs at Bain (not); Wanna bet $10,000? I was for Oromneycare before I was against Obamneycare. I was for Roe before I was against.

How out of touch can you get? There has to be about 100 better candidates for Pres than Mitt Romney. They have just been hushed by the big money GOP establishment.