Even veteran politician Newt Gingrich couldn't muster up the on-camera enthusiasm when chatting about likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney. The former House speaker's so-so praise of his former rival was on full display during a Hardball interview today with msnbc's Chris Matthews.
The highlights:
- "Mitt Romney did what he had to do in order to become the nominee."
- "I think he might turn out to make a surprisingly good president."
- "He was in a situation where everything he had ever done was going to disappear if I beat him in Florida. And so he said, Look, I got two choices. I can throw the kitchen sink at Gingrich or I can be a nice guy and not be the nominee."
- "I thought comparatively I was a better choice."
- Matthews asked, "Did he tell the truth about you?" Gingrich responded with a flat out, "no."
- I'm saying that you don't know today and he doesn't know today exactly what kind of president he'd be.”
He "might" make a good prez? "I was a better choice"? That was his ringing endorsement. Settle down now fella, don't get all Tom Cruise on us by jumping on couches or anything.
Snakes, now that's when Gingrich’s face really lit up. Chris Matthews asked him to discuss his passionate love of zoo animals. Pythons are his favorite, in case you were wondering, because they are "big and passive."
Newt Gingrich, who formally endorsed Romney earlier in the month, is scheduled to join Romney on the campaign trail next week in Las Vegas.