Newt: Seamus Story Paints a “Picture” of Mitt

[jefferson_dem]

In Georgetown, SC colloquy with Mark Halperin, Gingrich says Romney's dog-on-a-car-roof incident would be an electability issue versus President Obama.

Newt: "I think that there are many characteristics that come out in the course of a presidential campaign. From the use of words...to putting a dog on the top of a car for nine hours. All these different things paint a picture. All of us have pictures. And the Governor has to figure out whether or not that picture is electable. I wouldn't want to debate Barack Obama with that in my background."

Read the transcript below.

Halperin: "You're a big pet lover, animal lover.

Gingrich: "I am a big pet lover, yes."

Halperin: "So this issue of electability, for a lot of voters is a serious issue — I'm not kidding — Gov. Romney once putting his family dog on the roof of the car and taking him on a long trip. Do you object to that treatment of animals that way and do you think that's an electability issue as well?"

Gingrich: "I can't believe you came up with that question, a man of your sophistication, your deep understanding of American politics. All I'll tell you is I know an amazing number of pet lovers. Both my daughters, for example, have dogs. My sister is a big cat person, etc. I think you can go out — why don't you go interview ten dogs lovers and ask them their reaction?"

Halperin: "I have. A lot of them think it's a really bad thing."

Gingrich: "Well, I think that gives you sort of a general answer, doesn't it.

Halperin: "Well, what do you think of it?"

Gingrich: "Well, I just, you know, I'd rather not have been in the kennel all the way to Canada, personally....But that's just my personal bias, you know. But then, as an army brat, we used to have a doberman pincher who rode in the car with us a lot. That has a different set of challenges. But, I love animals and I'm, you know, I'm on the opposite team. I actually think it's fun to have animals. I think that it's fun to like your pet enough to actually be near it."

Halperin: "But, again, it's a serious question. Some people think that it's part of a portrait of Gov. Romney that would make him vulnerable in a general election. Do you see it as that important an issue or no?"

Gingrich: "I think that there are many characteristics that come out in the course of a presidential campaign. From the use of words — like 'I like firing people,' which he didn't mean he liked firing people but he said, 'I like firing people,' which sounds like, 'I like firing people,' even though it wasn't — to putting a dog on the top of a car for nine hours. All these different things paint a picture. All of us have pictures and the Governor has to figure out whether or not that picture is electable. I wouldn't want to debate Barack Obama with that in my background."

http://thepage.time.com/2012/01/15/newt-seamus-story-paints-a-picture-of-mitt/#ixzz1jZUd4eVk

[immoderate]

1. Not just Newt, but Hitler was upset!

You all must have expected this.

Der Fuehrer is pissed!

--imm

[JI7]

2. so NEwts an Animal Lover ?

[Crankie Avalon]

3. So Newt doesn't say whether it's right or wrong to strap a dog to the roof of a car...

...just that he wouldn't want to have been caught doing it by anyone else?