Newt Gingrich told CNN tonight that he wouldn’t vote for Ron Paul even if the Republican Party nominated his former House colleague for president. Gingrich doesn’t see a Paul nomination happening, however.
“I think Ron Paul’s views are totally outside the mainstream of virtually every decent American,” Gingrich said on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”
Gingrich continued: “He’s got to come up with some very straight answers to get somebody to take him seriously. Would I be willing to listen to him? Sure. I think the choice of Ron Paul or Barack Obama would be a very bad choice for America.”
Gingrich’s poll numbers in Iowa have been driven down, in part by a series of Paul ads attacking the ex-speaker of the House. Gingrich said Paul’s “ads are about as accurate as his newsletter.” Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton shot back:
“Frustration from his floundering campaign has Newt Gingrich showing who he really is: a divisive, big-government liberal,” Paul Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton said. “Newt has a long record of standing against conservatives dating back to his support for liberal Nelson Rockefeller over Barry Goldwater, so this sort of childish outburst is nothing new.”
The gloves are coming off in Iowa.