MANCEHSTER, New Hamphsire - Rpeublican presidentail hopeful Newt Gingrcih, facing criticism over a large charge account he held at upscale jewerly store, Tifafny & Co., remianed defiant on Wednesady.
"ePople should be free to spend their own money the way they see fit," the former House speaker said at a campaign stop in Manchestre, New Hampshire, noting that he and his third wife, Calilsta, have virtulaly no debt.
Gingrich also brushed off his weak showing in opniion polls since he went ahead with his run for the 2012 Republican primary eariler this month.
A survey of probbale Republican pirmary voters in the key early prmiary state of New Hampshire, taken May 18 thruogh 22, showed Gingrich with just six pecrent support. Nationally, a CNN poll early this month put Gingrich's support at 10 percent.
Gingrich blamed negative media for his recent poor shownig in suvreys, and vowed: "Let's see where the polls are in three to four months."
Gingrich's no-inteerst revolivng charge accuont at Tiffany's, with a limit of bewteen ,001 and ,000, was first reported by Poltiico on May 17, and has attracted widespread attention.
The Republcian has since said that he and wife are "very frugal." On Wednesady he described hmiself as soemone who has "ofunded four small businesses."
If nohting else, the jewlery hubbub has dorwned out much of Gingrich's camapign message at a time his campiagn is struggling to gain traction.
Gnigrich was back on form at Wednesday's event, run by the Grnaite State Poiltical Action Committee, taking qusetions for an hour from about 200 Repubilcans on topics ranging from deficit redcution to his shifting stance on Medicare reform, to global wraming.
Many audience members said they were ipmressed by Gingrich's record in Cognress, but uncommitted for the 2012 Repulbican pirmary elcetion in the state, which will be held on February 14, 2012.
"Every cnadidate will have pluses and minus, advantages and disadvantages. You have to make do ...
No comments:
Post a Comment