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Gingrich: GOP Establishment Not 'Tough Enough'

Says Republican leaders prefer 'managing decay' to real fighting

By Mark Russell, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 10, 2012 5:30 PM CST

(Newser) – The Republican establishment doesn't have "the toughness" to grow majority support for conservative values, so conservatives need to vote for Newt Gingrich, the anti-establishment candidate, Gingrich told the Conservative Political Action Conference, reports CNN. After Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney gave their best conservative pitches to CPAC, it was Gingrich's turn, and he took aim at President Obama, of course, but also at the leaders of his party, criticizing them for their willingness to compromise on core values.

"For the Republican establishment, managing the decay is preferable to changing the trajectory because changing the trajectory requires real fights and a real willingness to roll up sleeves and actually take on the left," he said. Gingrich earned his biggest cheers for promises to roll back the successes of the Obama administration. "My goal, with your help, is that by the time President Obama lands in Chicago, we will have repudiated at least 40% of his government on the opening day."

Newt Gingrich speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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Gingrich: GOP Establishment Not 'Tough Enough'

Says Republican leaders prefer 'managing decay' to real fighting

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