CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      FOOD & BEVERAGE
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Face Masks
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Bedroom
        • Kitchen
        • Home
        • Fitness
        • The Case For
        • I'm Looking For
        • New Kids On the Block
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE

        Newt Gingrich’s Blowhard Ideas Go Nowhere, CNN GOP Debate Rivals Say

        MOONSTRUCK

        Gingrich proposes everything from new interstate highways to a colony on the moon. By Lois Romano.

        Lois Romano

        Updated Jul. 13, 2017 11:04AM ET / Published Jan. 27, 2012 2:10AM ET 

        Matt Rourke / AP Photo

        If there was one critical takeaway for Florida voters from Thursday’s CNN Republican debate, it’s that Newt Gingrich’s opponents on stage all think of him as a bit of blowhard, with a lot of ideas that go nowhere.

        The suggestion came up repeatedly, but nowhere was it more evident than during a discussion about the former speaker’s promise to build a space colony on the moon—made in a speech near the Kennedy Space Center.

        “I’m not looking for a colony on the moon,” Mitt Romney shot back. “I think the cost of that would be hundreds of billions, if not trillions.

        “The speaker comes here to Florida, wants to spend untold amount of money having a colony on the moon. In South Carolina, it was a new interstate highway, in New Hampshire, it was burying a power line coming in from Canada. This idea of going state to state and promising what people want to hear, promising billions, hundreds of billions of dollars … that’s what got us into the trouble we’re in now.”

        Rick Santorum added that "going around and promising a whole bunch of new ideas and new projects and big ideas … we can’t do that now.”

        Ron Paul took the opportunity to call Gingrich out on his claim that he balanced the budget four times when he was House speaker. “I went back and looked at the record,” Paul said. “The national debt during those four years actually went up about a trillion dollars … I think you’ve stretched that a little bit more than you should have.”

        Gingrich tried to defend his lunar idea—but he never hit his stride. Voters will undoubtedly ask themselves if he can possibly fulfill all those promises he’s made, going from state to state.

        READ THIS LIST

        DAILY BEAST
        • Cheat Sheet
        • Politics
        • Crime
        • Entertainment
        • Media
        • World
        • Innovation
        • U.S. News
        • Scouted
        • Travel
        • Subscription
        • Crossword
        • Newsletters
        • Podcasts
        • About
        • Contact
        • Tips
        • Jobs
        • Advertise
        • Help
        • Privacy
        • Code of Ethics & Standards
        • Diversity
        • Terms & Conditions
        • Copyright & Trademark
        • Sitemap
        • Coupons:
        • Coupons:
        • Vistaprint Coupons
        • Samsung Promo Coupons
        • Home Depot Coupons
        • Office Depot Coupons
        • eBay Coupons
        • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
        © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC