Gingrich rides the Cain train in Georgia

By: Naureen Khan
Topics: Campaign 2012

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, right, shakes hands with former presidential candidate Herman Cain during a campaign stop Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Cumming Parkway, Ga.

(Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

SUWANEE, Ga. - Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich got a much-needed lift on Saturday from another Georgian in his home state: Former rival Herman Cain.

The Atlanta businessman, who bowed out of the race in early December and later endorsed Gingrich, said the former House Speaker's economic plan comes the closest to his trademark "9-9-9" plan for a nine percent corporate business flat tax, income flat tax and national sales tax.

"I'm still working on him," Cain told an audience of about 300 at a meeting of the Forsyth County Republicans.

Georgia, with its 76 delegates, will be the largest prize up for grabs during the critical Super Tuesday primaries on March 6. Recent polls have shown Gingrich in first place ahead of Mitt Romney.

Gingrich had said earlier this week there was a possibility he could lose here, but on Saturday amended that prediction to say, "We actually have a very good chance of doing well here, and that gives us a springboard then to go across the whole country. I think that's part of what we are counting on."

Naureen Khan
Naureen Khan covers the 2012 presidential campaign for CBS News and National Journal.
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by venusvegasvada February 19, 2012 5:11 PM EST: Gingrich had said earlier this week there was a possibility he could lose here, but on Saturday amended that prediction to say, "We actually have a very good chance of doing well here, and that gives us a springboard then to go across the whole country. I think that's part of what we are counting on."

Translation:
"Yesterday I managed to BS my sugar Daddy, Sheldon Adelson, into giving me another 10 to 15 million dollars more. Those checks should clear by next week sometime. So now I will have enough money to pay for a new wave of devastatingly negative attack ads in Georgia. Negative attacks and attack ads work, I have based my entire career on them and people still don't get it after all these years. I couldn't be happier right now! I'll have these Georgians eating out of my hand by come election time."; Reply to this comment