Gingrich: Dog debate "utterly stupid"

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, speaks at Delmarva Christian High School in Georgetown, Del., Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

(CBS News) WILMINGTON, Del. - Newt Gingrich on Wednesday chastised as "utterly stupid" a Twitter debate between top aides to President Obama and Mitt Romney over the two campaigns' respective controversial histories with canines.

Keynoting the Delaware Rail Splitters' monthly meeting at Timothy's Restaurant here, Gingrich said one reason he continues to seek the Republican nomination despite the odds is "to somehow re-arouse that conversation in the American people that... this is a country with really big problems. And we have a president who deliberately trivializes politics into junk because as long as it is distracting us from the real problems, he is better off. Because when you get to the real problems, he has no answers."

One of those distractions, the former House speaker continued, is a particular back-and-forth over Twitter between Obama adviser David Axelrod and Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom.

In January, Axelrod Tweeted a photo of the Obamas' dog Bo riding in an armored vehicle with the president; a contrast to the infamous Romney vacation during which the family's dog rode atop the car. Three months later, after a conservative blogger pointed out that Obama admitted in his book "Dreams of my Father" that he once ate dog meat in Indonesia, Fehrnstom on Tuesday jumped at the chance to revisit the image of Bo, adding this commentary to his own Twitter account: "In hindsight, a chilling photo."

Gingrich used the spat as a reason to rally the Republican cause, lamenting, "I have been watching the totally stupid exchanges between Axelrod and the Romney people today over dogs and this and that - it is just utterly stupid," he said.

"I think we ought to be the serious party and we ought to blow right past that stuff," Gingrich continued. "I think in that context, the more serious we are, and the more sincere we are, the better we will do as a party and the better we will do as a country and I believe the American people are hungry for leadership that transcends the normal junk."

[thebob-bob]

Gingrich's campaign is wracking up millions in debt in his delusional run for the White House while the tax payers are paying to protect him on his trips to Tiffany's. It's time for The Newtra to submit to the Chosen One, Romnatron!

[Obama4more]

"Keynoting the Delaware Rail Splitters' monthly meeting at Timothy's Restaurant..."

______________

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!!??!?! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

Oh Nut (Newt)...how the mighty have fallen.... From third in line to the Presidency down to MC for the Rail Splitters convention.

P.S. Nut (Newt)...Give up the Secret Service protection. It's costing the tax payers $40K per DAY to guard your big fat sad ass, that nobody cares anything about!!!!

[smartnewyorker]

Who ever you are, that was completely rude of you to say what you said. Jealous are you? He is not a quitter, so why does THAT bother you? That is a horrible thing to say about a person and their weight. He could have secret service if he so desires. Obama spends our money daily and doesn't care. This is for his safety. Enough people care about him don't you worry about that. Have I addressed all of your issues? Yes they are your issues. Get over them. I am appalled that someone who has not one good thing to say about Mr Speaker, chooses to say what you've said. Oh and he is not a nut. Why do you say this, because he wants to take this to the end? He will and I'm glad for that. So here is someone who does care about Newt and am proud of him for working so hard at staying in the race. How could you insult him like that? You should be ashamed of yourself.

[smartnewyorker]

Another thing is that MIGHTY are still standing. Much to be commended for. So it doesn't matter what you think, now does it, nobody cares what you post. How does that feel?

[TimeToEvolve]

I don't think there is anything to debate. We all already know that Mitler and his party only like rich white men. It is why they have the War on the Poor and the War on Women.

And support those giant corporations that offshore jobs and drop wages for Americans. And deny the fact of man made global climate change. All those illustrate their lack of caring for these things.

[waassup]

When eating dog, I learned to stay away from the part that looks like a hot dog.

[Lindag10]

In Beijing they have a restaurant that specializes in serving at part, not just from dogs, but from all sorts of other animals. Saw it on the Travel Channel. LOL

[Lindag10]

oops: meant "that part". My bad.

[StellaWonder]

What I find as "utterly stupid" is that the taxpayer is wasting borrowed money on Newt Gingrich's Secret Service Protection. There is nothing special about him--and the protections need to be dropped.

[smartnewyorker]

There are plenty of things that are special about him. He is a public figure and he is unsafe out there in being in the public eye all of the time. Why would you say something like that? I'm ok with the money going to something like protecting a life from possible threats. We have enough "utterly stupid programs", which are even more wasteful than that. Obama wastes enough money all of the time "stimulating the economy", which is major economic (no,no). If he knew better, he shouldn't have done that. That action drives all of our prices up on everything per say. Anyway, I thought your comment was not very kind at all. He is a hard worker and intelligent, I'm sure that intimidates a lot of folks.

[smurfula]

I hope and wish and pray I am lying. BUT, someday, you may wish you had a dog, of age two years and under as you see your family starving in front of you. If you are passed on and never see this, those dogs are alive at that time.

[Lindag10]

George: I don't know about where you live, but pasta is a dollar a box in the local grocery where I live.

[Forty-Four]

On an offtopic note: I really wish this thing would show ALL the comments when it says there are more. My last 2 still havent appeared for me to see

[fxr60]

Apparently Axlerod didn't know they make dog kennels that fit on top of a car so a person can take their dog with them on vacation or where ever they want to go. Duh!! Backfired!!!! We found out Obama ate dog, snakes and grasshoppers! The Liberal left just left Obama open for the dog jokes and I've heard some pretty good ones. Oh, well in Nov. maybe Obama and Michelle will go back to Kenya and whip up a good dog stew and just lay back-but Bo better watch out!!!!

[msay3]

LOL..One joke I read was that Romney had the dog on the roof of his car, not on the roof of his mouth!!!

[dj_chi]

Strap your family pet to the roof and drive 12 hours somewhere, at freeway speeds. Let us know how it goes.

[waassup]

I ate dog once. Its taste was somewhere between a bald eagle and baby seal.

[smurfula]

As Burt Lancaster said, "might tasty if less than 2 years old". PS: the taste, you never ate an eagle nor a seal, if you did, hmmm. leave your address. A dog or cat or anything to save my family, before I have to chose and eagle or seal, and you state you have tasted them. I know people who would like to meet you.

[Forty-Four]

Considering this is not relative to the campaign, I feel no one should care. How would this affect one's ability to lead?

[Forty-Four]

Wings are down 3 games to 1. We got our injuries later in the year than usual, now we haven't had proper time to heal and get back to what matters. We have to win 3 in a row to get out of this series in the right way.

Anyway, I forgot that it is all about the voters...but the fact is, PETA or not..people need to think: Does this affect this person's ability to lead? Also, before they automatically criticize someone, they need to think: Is this something he did? Or is it something that is out of his hands (i.e. Congress)