Romney Campaign Press Release - "That's Just Stupid"

"Today Speaker Gingrich said it was 'just stupid' to point out that his unpopularity with the American people helped re-elect Democrats. As a historian, he should recall that Democrats linked Speaker Gingrich to Republican candidates all over the country in an effort to defeat them. Pointing out Speaker Gingrich's unreliable leadership isn't 'stupid' or dishonest - it's just a fact." -Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Gingrich Said it's "Just Stupid" to Say His Unpopularity Helped Elect Democrats:

Today, Gingrich Said "That's Just Stupid" To Charges That His Tenure As Speaker Helped Get Democrats Elected. GINGRICH: "Wait, they're saying I helped re-elect a Democrat?" QUESTION: "That's in an ad, yes." GINGRICH: "That's just stupid." (Newt Gingrich, Press Availability, Winnsboro, SC, 1/18/12)

In 1996, Democrats Made the Election a Referendum on Gingrich:

According To Political Analyst Stu Rothenberg, Congressional Democrats Made The 1996 Election A Referendum On Gingrich. ROTHENBERG: "Essentially, Democrats have to hold their own seats, and they have to pick up the Republican freshmen. The way they seem to be trying to do it is by nationalizing the election. Rather than take this district by district, they're trying to make the congressional elections a referendum not on Bob Dole and Bill Clinton but on Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress." (PBS' "NewsHour," PBS.org, 9/20/96)

• Rothenberg: "Democrats... Have Been Quite Successful In Bashing Newt Gingrich, The Republican Congress, And Linking Them With Individual Republican Candidates." ROTHENBERG: "Well, I'd agree completely that the Democrats at this point in the cycle have been quite successful in bashing Newt Gingrich, the Republican Congress, and linking them with individual Republican candidates." (PBS' "NewsHour," PBS.org, 9/20/96)

Republicans Were Forced to Distance Themselves From Gingrich:

According To Political Analyst Charlie Cook, Republican Candidates "Consciously" Distanced Themselves From Gingrich. QUESTION: "Are you seeing [Republican candidates], though, distancing themselves at all consciously from Newt Gingrich?" COOK: "Oh, absolutely." (PBS' "NewsHour," PBS.org, 9/20/96)

• Tampa Tribune: "GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich Has Become An Albatross Around Many Of His Own Party's Necks." "The economy is up, the country is at peace and GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich has become an albatross around many of his own party's necks." (Gene Marlowe, "Dole Doubts Exist Even Within GOP," Tampa Tribune, 10/20/96)

Bob Dole's Presidential Campaign Publicly Blamed Gingrich for His Loss to Bill Clinton:

Dole's Presidential Campaign "Publicly Blamed" Gingrich For "Dragging Down The Republican Ticket." "Newt Gingrich had long since given up hope of orchestrating a 'team effort' by the GOP. Dole campaign aides had stopped coming to his meetings. They publicly blamed the unpopular speaker for dragging down the Republican ticket." ("Bridge To 2000," Newsweek, 11/17/96)

Clinton Campaign Television Spots "Repeatedly [Showed] Footage Of Dole With Gingrich." "Some Republicans seem to have forgotten how polarizing Gingrich was during the Clinton years. But Clintonians sure haven't. Check out this spot that repeatedly shows footage of Dole with Gingrich." (Debra Saunders, "Newt Gingrich, An Anchor Around The GOP's Neck," San Francisco Chronicle, 11/29/11)

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President Clinton's "Final Pitch" During The 1996 Presidential Election Characterized Dole "As A Twin Of House Speaker Newt Gingrich." "Before flying to Little Rock, Ark., to vote and await election returns, the president made his final pitch, characterizing Republican challenger Bob Dole as a twin of House Speaker Newt Gingrich, contending that he has kept his promises and vowing to lay out a 'modern, moderate' agenda for the turn of the century." (Paul Bedard, "Clinton Ends Where He Began In '92," Washington Times, 11/5/96)

After Gingrich Resigned As Speaker, A Clinton Adviser Said Gingrich "Literally Was The Best Thing The Democratic Party Has Had Going For It Since 1994." "'We are mourning the loss of having Newt to kick around anymore,' said one White House adviser who did not want to be named. 'Newt Gingrich literally was the best thing the Democratic Party has had going for it since 1994.'" (Guy Gugliotta and Juliet Eilperin, "Gingrich Steps Down In Face Of Rebellion," The Washington Post, 11/7/98)

Exit Polls Found a Large Majority of Voters Had a Negative Opinion of Gingrich:

Roughly 60% Of Voters Had An Unfavorable View Of Gingrich. "Nor did any tsunami of change develop in the battle for Congress. Speaker Newt Gingrich, the Republican Democrats love to hate, proved unpopular with the electorate as a whole, with 59 percent expressing an unfavorable view of him in exit polls." (R.W. Apple Jr., "A Divided Government Remains, And With It The Prospect Of Further Combat," The New York Times, 11/7/96)