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Clinton on Gingrich: He Thinks

Ex-president predicted his old foe would surge

By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 27, 2011 12:31 PM CST

(Newser) – Disagreements between Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton ground the federal government to a halt more than once, so it's a little unusual to hear the former president giving his old foe props. Clinton tells Newsmax that the former House speaker is surging in the polls because "he’s articulate and he tries to think of a conservative version of an idea that will solve a legitimate problem. He thinks about this stuff all the time."

While Clinton wouldn't predict whether Gingrich would win the Republican nomination, he praised his mainstream appeal, saying, "I think he’s doing well just because he’s thinking, and people are hungry for ideas that make some sense. I watched the national security debate. And Newt said two things that would make an independent voter say, ‘Well, I gotta consider that.’"

President Bill Clinton poses with House Speaker Newt Gingrich as President Clinton shows Gingrich a spork. Clinton is praising his onetime nemesis.
President Bill Clinton poses with House Speaker Newt Gingrich as President Clinton shows Gingrich a spork. Clinton is praising his onetime nemesis.   (Getty Images)
President Bill Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich share a few words in this undated file photo.
President Bill Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich share a few words in this undated file photo.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 26 comments
OuttaHere
Nov 27, 2011 6:38 PM CST
Newt is the latest flavor of Not Mitt. He'll fade when some more skeletons come out of his closet.
boxcar
Nov 27, 2011 3:41 PM CST
Point is we've already tried an inexperienced citizen community organizer and like Sarah Palin says Moving forward, how's that hopey changey thing working out for u? Its an unwritten law of engrg that you NEVER, EVER use the word HOPE in a design review- Why? IF you do say something like "Hopefully it'll work out" means you don't have a CLUE if it will or not
Non-deep-thinker
Nov 27, 2011 3:36 PM CST
Newt could present a problem for Obama in a debate.  Newt actually has ideas and doesn't need a teleprompter to try to find out what they are.  Then there's Obama's "other problem": the American people can see with their own eyes all around them in every direction how Obama's been doing so far.  You can tell people all day long that they're doing real well and everything is just swell and wonderful, but when their own eyes tell them differently, there's a little problem that pops up.

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