Romney Campaign Press Release - Romney: Gingrich's Problem in Florida is Not Debate Audiences, It is His Work for Freddie Mac

"Look, the people of Florida have had enough of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and government interference, it is time to get back to free market principles. So Mr. Speaker, your trouble in Florida is not because the audience is too quiet or too loud, or because you have opponents that are tough. Your problem in Florida is that you worked for Freddie Mac at a time that Freddie Mac was not doing the right thing for the American people, and that you are selling influence in Washington at a time when we needed people to stand up for the truth in Washington." — Mitt Romney

Remarks

Naples, Florida

January 29, 2012

Watch Mitt Romney's Remarks Here

Mitt Romney on Newt Gingrich and Freddie Mac:

Mitt Romney: "Well it sure has been fun in Florida these last several days, I've got to be honest with you. Those debates were fun; wasn't that a hoot? That was great, wow. Gosh you guys were terrific. I don't know if you screaming on TV or not when you were watching, but I felt energy just up there on the stage. It could not have been better. The first debate of course the audience was quiet, and Speaker Gingrich said that threw him off, he can't debate before a quiet audience. Then the next audience was very loud, very loud, and he said that threw him off, he can't debate before a real loud audience. It is like Goldilocks, you know, can't have it this way, has to be just so. And you know he is now finding excuses everywhere he can, he is on TV this morning going from station to station complaining about what he thinks were the reasons he has had difficulty here in Florida, but you know, we have got a president who has a lot of excuses, and the excuses are over, it is time to produce. I think for each of us, if we fail somewhere, if we fail in a debate or we fail to get the support of people, it is time to look in the mirror. And my own view is the reason that Speaker Gingrich has been having a hard time in Florida, is the people of Florida have watched the debates, have listened to the Speaker, have listened to the other candidates, and have said you know what, Mitt Romney is the guy we are going to support. And part of that, part of that probably has something to do with housing. I know how bad housing is here, how tough it has been. Did you know one quarter of all the foreclosures in America are in Florida? And you know how much home values have come down. And one of the greatest contributors to the collapse in housing here and across the country was government, and the intrusion of government into the housing market, and the fact that you had Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae guaranteeing mortgagees in some cases that people who couldn't possibly pay them back. That contributed to the kind of crisis you have seen here. And at the time some people were standing up and saying we need to reform this system, Speaker Gingrich was being paid $1.6 million to stand up and do what he did, which is to say these programs should continue the way they are, these institutions are fine. Look the people of Florida have had enough of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and government interference, it is time to get back to free market principles. So Mr. Speaker, your trouble in Florida is not because the audience is too quiet or too loud, or because you have opponents that are tough. Your problem in Florida is that you worked for Freddie Mac at a time that Freddie Mac was not doing the right thing for the American people, and that you are selling influence in Washington at a time when we needed people to stand up for the truth in Washington."