listen, obama had worst baggage van newt gingrich and newt gingrich was part of the big economic growth that bill clinton did in 1996. newt gingrich was a part of that. i think he would better than obama. at least he would not about to our enemies. host: again, newt gingrich will be speaking to the georgia gop on friday night, 7:15 p.m. eastern time. c-span will be bringing it to you live. from "the washington post" this morning. obama urges his party to be flexible in debt limit debate. this article from "the washington times" -- this is from vermont. cleveland, tennessee. byron, what do you think about newt gingrich for president? caller: i was hoping he would run long before he even made the choice. i like the way he talks. i would just hope that he would take on the democrat party because these progressives are actually marxists and communists and socialists and the they are hiding behind the progressive title. i hope he would address that. i would like for him to get some of donald trump's language. because he comes out and says exactly what he thinks. and that is what we need. i t

you are the one at a newt gingrich rally. excuse me, i'm being told in my deaf ear that newt gingrich has appeared on the getra -- greta van susteren show. >> are you saying you chose the wrong words or it's not what you thought? >> you listen to the question david gregory asked me i should have said i'm not going to answer it. >> stephen: yes, no one has any reason to be upset about newt's ideas because we're not supposed to know what they are. besides newt granted himself full immunity from himself. >> let me say on the record any ad which quotes what i said on sunday is say falsehood. >> stephen: right. any accurate quote of what newt said are falsehoods about what newt said because -- >> i have said publicly those words were inaccurate. >> stephen: so -- [laughter] -- the more accurate you are about his inaccuracies, the more false you'll become -- i need some help. [laughter] luckily i have the most sophisticated candidate tracking technology. please welcome the pander tron 8,000. [cheers and applause] hi pander tron. >>

[laughter] >> jon: here is my impression of newt gingrich in a minute. [laughter] nonalcoholic tequila. [laughter] bomb sniffing turtles. [laughter] kosher bacon. [laughter] edible diapers. [laughter] two ideas a minute but a lot of them. the larger point is all is forgiven. you get a second chance to make a first impression. he chose just the place to do it "meet the press." a chance to show off. david gregory set him up with an easy one. what do you think of paul ryan's medicare. >> should the republicans change medicare? yonch think right wing social engineering is any more desirable than left wing social engineering. i don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for the society to operate. >> jon: wow appealing to the moderate wing of the republican party, a wing closed for renovations. [laughter] i'm sure they respect the gravitas. >> he detonated his campaign on sunday. >> does he want to be nominated by the republican party. one wonders. >> he was never a likable guy. >> this is a capital offense. >> how can i

>> no, how much damage has newt gingrich done to your effort to reform -- >> oh, newt gingrich, i'm sorry, i didn't hear you correctly. i'm not a pundit. i'm a policy maker and i'll let you and the voters figure this stuff out. point is this, we've got to get beyond this and we've got to get on to a serious conversation about what it takes to fix the fiscal problems in this country. and if we don't tackle these problems now while we have time, they're going to tackle us. and our whole point here is we need to preempt and avert a debt crisis, and the way we have proposed to do that is do on our terms and prevent people who are currently retired and people about to retire from having severe disruptions in their lives, and so -- >> but congressman -- >> the people of iowa and new hampshire can figure this stuff out. >> but wait a second, but that really is a dodge. you are the chairman of the committee, yes, you're serious about entitlement reform, yes. you're also a politician. you say you want to do it on your terms. law does not become law without building political consensus, and you don

newt gingrich has a complicated problem. he needs to inhabit that space, which he naturally does, at the same time, he needs to dial back, as he said. whenever you asked him a tough question today, he smiled and tried to stay calm and not be a flame-thrower, and i think that's what he'll try to do the rest of the way. >> e.j., you've covered him for many years. is he too much a symbol of the past or does he deserve a second act? >> he is a symbol of the past, but newt has always wanted to run for president, so i'm glad he's doing it. he seems to be trying to cast himself as a good-natured flame-thrower and he was very good at kind of fending off those questions, but he can never resist going a few steps over the top. right during your interview, you asked him if this comment on food stamps is racially tinged, and he doubles down and says do we want the u.s. to become like detroit, aka, motown? so, newt's always unplugged. but you've got the most unsettled republican field i think since 1940, when wendell wilkey snuck in. usu

and that is something that definitely newt gingrich lacks by a lot. and frankly, mike huckabee, you know, from what i've seen, and i've met him several times, he does have a likability there, and can make a personal connection. again, i do not agree on anything from a policy standpoint. but he does have likability. he does have credibility among his own base. i think that i would advise him to really take a look at this. this could be the chance for him. >> and yet all indications are that it's a no, right? >> i'm hearing that. he could surprise everybody tomorrow. i've had several friends who say they think he'll do it. but i think he won't. he has a likability issue that the others don't. people really like him. he speaks in a way the others don't and i think if he got in, he could raise everyone else to their a game. the down side is in 2008, he largely got a pass on his record as governor of arkansas, because everyone was caught off guard. he will have to answer a lot of questions he didn't have to answer in 2008. this year we're going to see herm

newt gingrich is running for president -- what's next for 2012? we tackle it all tonight on "washington week." >> osama bin laden will never again threaten the united states of america. gwen: but nearly two weeks later, the fallout from the death of public enemy number one continues, especially in afghanistan and pakistan. >> pakistan is not the birthplace of al qaeda, we did not invite osama bin laden to pakistan or even to afghanistan. gwen: as the u.s. braces for retaliation we learn more about what bin laden planned and what happens next in south is asia and the middle east. on the domestic campaign trail, more candidates join the republican fray. >> i'm newt gingrich and i'm announcing my candidacy for president of the united states because i believe we can return america to hope and opportunity. >> there is an old saying, three's a charm. gwen: and others edge toward the ring. how long can the democratic president capitalize on the g.o.p.'s uncertainty? covering the week, nancy youssef of mcclatchy newspapers, david sanger of "the new york t

and that is something that definitely newt gingrich lacks by a lot. and frankly, mike huckabee, you know, from what i've seen, and i've met him several times, he does have a likability there, and can make a personal connection. again, i do not agree on anything from a policy standpoint. but he does have likability. he does have credibility among his own base. i think that i would advise him to really take a look at this. this could be the chance for him. >> and yet all indications are that it's a no, right? >> i'm hearing that. he could surprise everybody tomorrow. i've had several friends who say stay eve they think he'll do it. but i think he won't. he has a likability issue that the others don't. people really like him. he speaks in a way the others don't and i think if he got in, he could raise everyone else to their a game. i just don't see it happening. the down side is in 2008, he largely got a pass on his record as governor of arkansas, because everyone was caught off guard. he will have to answer a lot of questions he didn't have to answer in

newt gingrich will hit the deck running. he has campaign speeches lined up in washington and atlanta. >>> more than 300 billboards that could help find the person who beat a giants fan will soon go up along los angeles free ways. it shows two sketches of the men who beat brian stow. it also reminds people about the $100,000 reward. brian stow is still in a hospital in a coma. doctors hope to have him moved to a bay area hospital. >>> the navy seals report an ongoing problem, counter fits, guys who claim to be navy seals so they can pick up women. and they expect this problem to get worse after reports of seal team 6 taking out osama bin laden. there are genuine seals who investigate reports of fakes. one says he gets 4-50 inquiries a day. >> at the white house tonight, michelle obama is hosting a poetry event that is raising controversy. she kicked off the celebration, she praised the power of poetry and said writing played a big role in her own life. >> i was a passionate creative writer and a -- sort of a poet. that is how

that was newt gingrich. then yesterday on abc, texas congressman ron paul also announced he is a candidate for the gop nomination. >> today and at this moment i'm officially announcing that i am a candidate for president in the republican primary. >> why? >> because time has come around to the point where the people are agreeing with much of what i have been saying for 30 years. so, i think the time is right. >> all right, then there is tonight on his fox news program, former arkansas governor mike huckabee expected to announce whether he is running for president. indiana governor mitch daniels who hasn't said what he is going to do and chris christie. chris christie has said repeatedly that he's not getting into the race. so, joining me now, my favorites to talk about this and the rest of the world of power of politics maria cardona in washington for us and republican strategist lenny mccallister in chicago. guys, good to see you, as always. as we always do here, first question first. maria, what was your p

newt gingrich kind of proved that he's not it. mitt romney isn't quite it yet. did any candidate jump in, denounce newt gingrich and take up that banner or are tea partyiers still waiting for sarah palin and michelle backman? >> michelle backman is the one candidate who saw that opening as perhaps her best opportunity. and she had planned to make an announcement in june and she this week told her supporters she may move up her announcement. gwen: and made a whole lot of robo calls into iowa yesterday after the president's speech. >> and she can raise a lot of money and that's the other thing. the candidates who are sitting on the outside, who have not made up their minds about whether they're getting in or not, the only one withs who are going to have a shot to get in here are those that can raise money fast. and that window is closing even for them. but bachmann is definitely one of them because she definitely is a grassroots online kind of candidate who can turn over donations quickly. >> i was going to say, a lot of people think mitch daniels might get in her

newt gingrich, that's not happening. sarah palin -- get serious. there's ron paul, man i think has terrific ideas about how to solve our problems but are serious questions about his ele electability. there's tim pawlenty and michele bachmann, potential to score big with evangelicals. that brings us to mitch daniels, governor of indiana, who almost everyone agrees would be a formidable challenger to president obama and new jersey governor chris christie. he says he's not ready to run for president despite the fact republicans all over this country are begging him to get in the race. daniel says he hasn't made up his mind whether he will run or not. daniels says he could beat obama and he may be right. it is pretty much a lead pipe since the rest of the republicans mentioned can't. except maybe for christie. who is left to fill the void of drum and huckabee in the 2012 field? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. pick a winner. >> we certainly will. thank you. >>> over at the white house today, president obama is pick kicking off a pivotal week. he met with th

is newt gingrich an exciting candidate? you have said recently that there was a place and a time for him. do you think he's the right candidate for the republican party right now? will he win the nomination? >> you know, i think the press always tries to paint a dark picture on everything. i think every candidate has their challenges. i think what we've seen with newt gingrich, he's had great ideas in the past. what we're already starting to see, he's coming out and showing how his ideas today match the feelings of what they're dealing with today. whether medicaid mandates, whether it's food stamps, whether it's the unions. he's come out and talked about the unions. that's what we want to hear about are the issues of the day. that's what every candidate has to do. i was pleased to see him start to do that this week. >> how do you square that, saying he did have a time and a place. does he speak to the future to you? >> you know, i think that will remain to be seen. that's what he has got to tell. i think the people in south

newt gingrich's private life has been messy, on his third marriage, two divorces. he's also had affairs. he admits one of those affairs was going on right around the time he, as speaker of the house, was helping impeach then president bill clinton for lying about cheating on his wife with monica lewinsky. at the time gingrich and others accused clinton of trying to hide the truth. >> the most systematic deliberate obstruction of justice coverup in effort to avoid the truth we have ever seen in american history. >> reporter: now the former speaker wants clinton's old job and gingrich is seemingly an open book. he's confessed his cheating, endured a series of excruciating interviews about his private life and spent long hours talking to conservatives, especially in places like iowa about how and why he's a different man. he's talked about it on the christian broadcasting network. >> there's no question that at times in my life, partially driven by how passionately i felt about this country, that i worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appro

, or that lying videotape of newt gingrich? a lot to talk about with paul begala and republican strategist rich galen, who once served as newt gingrich's press secretary. >> i did, but if you say that again. >> rich, what do you make of this? is his explanation of the explanation, does it make sense? >> of course not. this isn't just a rookie mistake, this is a mistake by somebody that's in single-a short season hagerstown. the whole part of this you left out was his press secretary then blaming everybody on the planet except for themselves. no, this is -- i think what happened was that they didn't realize how dangerous this was. it took them and day and a half to get their arms around it. as the thing kept building, newt kept trying to find new ways to wriggle out of it. unfortunately as you have done here, and i think fairly, as you have done here when you string all of the -- all of everything he said and where he said it, plus getting a box of lucky charms poured on his bed, which he didn't need this week, it's been a tough

, or that lying videotape of newt gingrich. a lot to talk about with paul begala and republican strategist rich gallen, who once served as newt gingrich's press secretary. >> i did, but if you say that again. >> rich, what do you make of this? is his explanation of the explanation, does it make sense? >> of course not. this isn't just a rookie mistake, this is a mistake by somebody that's in single-a short season hagerstown. the whole part of this you left out was his press secretary then blaming everybody on the planet except for themselves. no, this is -- i think what happened was that they didn't realize how dangerous this was. it took them and day and a half to get their arms around it. as the thing kept building, newt kept trying to find new ways to wriggle out of it. unfortunately as you have done here, and i think fairly, as you have done here when you string all of the -- all of everything he said and where he said it, plus getting a box of lucky charms poured on his bed, which he didn't need this week, it's been a toug

can newt gingrich recover from a very bad week? speaking of bad weeks, more details coming out about schwarzenegger swsz's extra marital affair and secret child. plus, president obama delivers a major speech on the middle east and u.s. relations with the arab world. we'll talk about it. how it's being received. stay with us. you're in "the situation room." ♪ ♪ when you're resonsible for this much of the team, you need a car you can count on. ♪ curtis: welcome back to geico it's savings, on the radio. gecko: hello clarence from stevens point. clarence: ok, you know the grapes at the grocery ore? clarence: well, sometimeyoone. take it foa terive, see that's stealing.rence: s i say it's sampling. what do you think? gecko: yeah, um, listen clarence, i can't really speak to the moral bit, but if you switch to geico, you could save hundreds of dollars on yinsurance. you could buy a whole heap of grapes. how's that? vo: geico.cosa yo% more insurance. you could save hundreds of dollars on yinsurance. that weight watchers online was f

first, mark, what is there to say about newt gingrich for this week? >> well, jim, if you are a republican interested in elected other republicans to office, the downside of a newt gingrich national campaign has always been greater than the upside of one. because of newt's proclivity, his inclination, his irresistable tendency to always speak in sort of bombastic sewer latif, exaggerated words and exclamation points. and that's it. i mean he wantses to draw the starkest extremes he can between his position ands those on the other side. and that's what he did. he went on to a show, "meet the press requesting can. this wasn't an on the run, 250 watt interview radio station from fargo you know, just getting you between planes. you go on "meet the press"ment you sit down beforehand, you go rehearse your answers, you anticipate what they're going to ask. you know-- and he went on there and basically just savaged what every republican in the house had voted for except four, the paul ryan plan. and then it was classic newt. he said any ad quoting what i said

newt gingrich joins us live in the studio here. mr. gingrich, let's just start with the overnight news. mitch dan yells, the one that a lot of republicans, establishment republicans and especially a lot of people who had supported george bush last time out were really putting pressure on him to run for the republican nomination. he said last night he's simply not going to do it. what do you make of that and what is the impact of that? >> i think mitch has been own reasons for not running. but he is one of the great reform governors in this country. his educational reforms are remarkable. he's done a great job of bringing jobs to indiana. his privatization program on highways is really a benchmark for the country. he has a great future, and i think he'll play a major role in designing a platform and a major role in helping other people learn that you actually can govern and you can actually be creative. i think the scott walkers, the john kay sick, even chris christie learned something from him. >> schieffer: why do you think he decided

and newt gingrich. damage control on the 2012 campaign trail. and sex scandals that rock the public here and abroad. scandals that rock the public here and abroad. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] doctors have been saying it forever. let's take a look. but they've never actually been able to do it like this. let's take a look. v-scan from ge healthcare. a pocket sized imaging device that will help change the way doctors see patients. that's better health for more people. >>> those shouts of human dignity is being heard throughout the region. through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades. >> president obama on thursday, in his first major speech on the uprising in the middle east. israel, of course, ate up most of the headlines but in many respects the arab uprising presents the white house with an urgent set of questions. revolution is happening now and my guest is caught right in the middle. he's king abdullah of jordan a key american ally

now newt gingrich is trying to defuse the controversy. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." >> it's hard to put into words the sheer force of the monster tornados that have hammered the midwest this week. look at this amazing twister caught on tape in chick cache, oklahoma. >> it's crossing the road white where we were [ bleep ]. >> slow down. get out your window. get out your window. >> i am. that i can that shed. >> watch behind you. you're good. don't push. oh, my god! back up. oh, no. stop. oh, no, what did it destroy? running back. slow down. no, slow down. debris. >> and near sean knee, oklahoma, more video of a tornado literally ripping this giant semi to shreds. the 29-year-old driver believes he was either sucked from the window or fell out as it was happening. he was treated for a fractured shoulder bone and some scrapes. other than that, he's fine. >>> in joplin, missouri, the sight of the killer tornado that's captured the world's attention,

newt gingrich, on his third marriage. mitch daniels whose wife divorced him, left him with their in our daughters and then returned three years later and then they remarried. and of course donald trump. howard, this is a strange story. let's start with the personal ones and strange for people even thinking of running for president. maybe a situation of desperation they're in. mitch daniels, his story was in every paper this week. they decide to put it out. somebody did. his wyche many years ago left him, left the four daughters in his care, split, married some guy who got divorced himself, then came back three years later, they married again. is this going to be the kind of -- for lack of a better word ickey discussion that no wife or husband really wants to spend a year talking about? >> well, there are a lot of republican leaders who want mitch daniels to run. and my understanding is that he wants to run. and in his own mind has decided to run. but this is what he's dealing with right now. i think this story is out beca

>> i'm sorry, neither is newt gingrich. we are talking about a man here who was carrying on a long-term affair in a party that apprises itself as being a family values party. we are trying to take down bill clinton at the same time. if he doesn't think that's going to be a legitimate issue going forward, he is nuts. >> let me play for you a clip from this morning's "meet the press" where david gregory did raise this question more explicit fashion. he started out by talking about how gingrich's personal image may be hurting his poll numbers. >> some of that has to do with your own personal life. you have been married three times, extramarital affairs, one of which during the time republicans were pursuing president clinton for impeachment. the label of being hypocrite. and i wonder how you are going to deal with this. >> i have made mistakes in my life. i have had to go to god for forgiveness and seek reconciliation. i asked him to look at who i am today. look at the strong marriage calista and i have. look at close relation

let's talk about newt gingrich, mary. he's causing waves, as he always does, and i've been covering him for 20 years or more. he said this at a speech. i'm going to play the clip and then the explanation that he gave he to charges of racial bias, if you will, towards the president. the answer that he gave in part on "meet the press" yesterday. listen to these two clips. >> president obama is the most successful food stamp president in american history. more people are on food stamps today than at any point in american history and he's proud of it. i would like to be the most successful paycheck president in american history. >> this kind of automatic reference to racism, this is the president of the united states. the president has to be held accountable. he follows the same destructive political model that destroyed the city of detroit. i follow a model that rick perry and those used to create more jobs in texas. >> the charge that there's a racial overtone here, mary, go ahead. >> you know, sometimes newt does invite co

you may lose the presidential election, but you'll hold the house. >> i think newt gingrich did cross a red line of sorts, but it was not the red line of criticizing the ryan medicare approach, which other republicans have done. some republican candidates have pulled back from it. it was the red line of calling the republican leaders radical social engineers, which, you know, if during the debate on health care, if a democrat, who opposed the health care plan had called the president social lift, the entire democratic party would have come. chris: so that social engineering is the worst thing you can say. >> who is criticizing the medicare plan? >> you have somebody like mitch mcconnell, who i think does not support the ryan approach. but there are other republican candidates, when the budget came out, they were generally supportive. but they want to leave themselves -- >> that's why they're not all getting in. none of them can bear the direct question -- would you vote for paul ryan's plan on medicare? they can't bear it, because if the answer is no, they're all but out of the party.

say what about newt gingrich. that is what i appreciate about what newt gingrich says. host: this tweet -- we will let that stand as a comment. next is a river field, florida. caller: i just wanted to say that i did not understand -- when you first came on, you said that you liked newt gingrich. for the past few days, he has been making comments which were racial in tone, and not to mention he cheated on his wife. his intelligence should put him on a level or a plateau of both gop members because a lot of the gop members that are now candidates do not really actually fit the criteria of being the president of the united states at this time. we have newt gingrich, one of your colleagues in the gop -- this guy is constantly throwing daggers at mr. president obama for no apparent reason but just to gain some political atmosphere. host: i want to ask you a question. he suggested that newt gingrich has been making comments recently with racial overtones. what is an example? caller: he spent of president obama's kenya race. we all know from donald trump and everything that pr

newt gingrich -- watch him, listen to him. he will make news. >> let's talk the politics of the pre-1967 borders. >> when obama in white's daylight between us and israel, in most injured. -- when obama opens up daylight between us and israel, it invites danger. >> that is tim pawlenty speaking in florida about obama's recent statement that the borders of israel and palestine should be based on 1967 lines with agreed swaps. earlier we heard plenty promised -- we heard pawlenty promised to tell the truth. is he telling the truth about this, colby? >> i listened to bibi netanyahu speak before the congress, which was well received -- >> i'll say. >> treated like a rock star there. i had a sense of sadness, that you can see what is inevitable. the peace talks will go nowhere , and that means that the confrontation is almost inevitable. what i cannot understand, and maybe somebody can explain it to me -- the statement that said that the united states believe that parties can agree on an outcome that has an independent, viable state

gingrich's campaign seriously in fact it seems pretty pretty clear that newt gingrich is running for president so the economy ask for more when he gives paid speeches i could hear him it's america listen to us foreign john did . words from running john edwards can brought you know i just don't wish to go because. we've got to go i use if you are just making a full time job at all times it only affect the federal prison system might be soon barring john edwards the running. but if you let me i'm with you i think that this is newt's retirement you know he's also one of the new campaign laws or i guess over the last decade to change enough that people can keep money that they raise for a given go so he's he's just trying to know how much his political action committee raised last month not enough to pay his wife stephanie three hundred two thousand dollars the guy is not a serious contender and nobody nobody is going to very quickly get my take on this is if you look at david vitter you know he was busted on a hollywood madam you see madam and and he comes out and confesses and ask for

"barack obama can only defeat a republican like newt gingrich. obama barely won the presidentsy in '08, though he held the best hand of cards any candidate in our lifetime had. obama still required an unprecedented economic meltdown to put him over the top. he still could not beat mccain, he had to beat george bush. anywhere in america where bush had an unfavorable rating, obama won. in this election, with democratic blue states like florida, north carolina and virginia returning to republican red and unemployment higher than any president who has won re-election has suffered, obama needs a similarly unpopular opponent." >> i think that's the case we have. you know, we always say in politics you can't beat somebody with nobody. obama may be the rare beast that can only get beaten by a nobody. he does not want this to be a referendum on obama. he needs to create what he had last time, which was an unpopular george bush figure. who is that in the republican party? that could be a newt gingrich, a sarah palin, i think that could be a michele bachman

>> stephen: you could play newt gingrich in the biopick. (laughter) >> not so much him but the only other newt i can think so that young girl... remember the feral girl in "alien?" >> stephen: you could play a feral eight-year-old. you're very... >> (laughs). >> stephen: you've won your tony, your emmy, and your oscar. >> tio. >> and you got theio. why keep acting? it seems like you've won acting? (cheers and applause) you're in it for the awards, right? that's the joy. that and doing these press junkets. (laughter). >> yeah, we can't wait. the moment you get the script from the agent you think "i can't wait for the press junket. just sitting in the room and doing 16 of these in a row is going to be fantastic!" >> stephen: this movie is 3d, right? >> yeah. >> stephen: is it harder to do 3d? is it a burden to have... >> no, i always act in 3d. (laughter) >> stephen: geoffrey rush thank you so much for joining me. (cheers and applause) the man is geoffrey rush. the movie is "pirates of the caribbean: on stranger tides." in theaters next frida