Gingrich Campaign Press Release - Newt Launches Three-Day Georgia Bus Tour

Newt and Callista kicked off their three-day bus tour across Georgia yesterday with stops in Dalton, Rome, and Carrollton. In Dalton, more than 500 people packed in to the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center to hear Newt talk about his American energy plan.

Gingrich is seeking the Republican Party's presidential nomination, and he urged his supporters Tuesday during an appearance in Dalton to spread the word of his energy plan, which he says could get gasoline back to $2.50 a gallon, through social media such as Facebook and Twitter or at convenience stores or other places people buy gasoline.

Gingrich told more than 500 people gathered at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center that many "elitists" have called that goal impossible. But he said those people have no memories of even the recent past.

"The price of gasoline when I was speaker was $1.15 a gallon. The price of gasoline when Barack Obama was sworn in was $1.89 a gallon," he said.

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Gingrich criticized the Obama administration for its energy policies, especially for canceling a pipeline that would carry oil from Canada to refineries in Texas and for the $500 million it pumped into Solyndra, a solar energy company partially owned by a contributor to Obama's election campaign that declared bankruptcy last year.

Gingrich said one supporter in Nashville, Tenn. earlier this week had told him that Obama has his own 9-9-9 plan, a reference to former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's call to replace all federal taxes 9 percent income tax, a 9 percent sales tax and a 9 percent business tax.

"This person said, 'You know what Obama's 9-9-9 plan is.' He said It's nine dollars and ninety nine cents a gallon for gas,'" Gingrich said.

Watch the full Dalton rally here. In Rome, Newt spoke to a large crowd at the Richard B. Russell Airport about energy independence, job creation, and national security.

The former U.S. Speaker of the House spent the bulk of his 31-minute speech at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport addressing energy independence, discussing his American energy plan designed to get the cost of gasoline in the U.S. down to between $2 and $2.50 a gallon.

"When I was speaker of the House, gasoline was $1.13 a gallon, when Obama was sworn in gasoline was $1.89 a gallon, all we're trying to do is get back to a pre-Obama world," Gingrich said to loud applause.

Gingrich said if the U.S. decides to maximize its production of oil and gas the country would be the largest oil producer in the world before the end of the decade.

Gingrich also detailed his tax program, which includes zero capital gains tax and a 12.5 percent corporate tax rate. His plan would eliminate the death tax permanently, and create for the individual a 15-percent flat tax alternative.

The Republican said the Obama administration was so pro-Islamic, "that it can't even tell the truth about people who are trying to kill us."

In Carrollton, Newt held a "hometown" rally at the University of West Georgia, where he started his career as a history professor. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal was on hand to introduce Newt at the packed rally.

Newt Gingrich told a cheering "hometown" audience Tuesday night that this is the most important election in American history and he is the candidate who can defeat President Obama in November.Gingrich spoke to a 7 p.m. rally at the University of West Georgia Campus Center, not far from the classroom where he once taught history and began his political career in 1974.

He only briefly mentioned a Republican primary opponent by name, but instead leveled most of his attacks at Obama's energy policy, handling of Mideast diplomacy and economic decisions.

"Our challenge is to put a clear and compelling alternative so the country can tell the difference between our plans and Obama's," he told the packed ballroom. "We really need somebody who understands the change we need, has large ideas for leading the country and can explain them to the people."

Gingrich repeated his pledge that his energy policies would bring gasoline prices back down to $2.50 per gallon. He chided the president for saying there's "no silver bullet" for bringing gas prices down.

Gingrich said he would counter the high fuel prices by signing the Keystone pipeline pact to bring 700,000 gallons of oil per day from Canada; reopen the Gulf of Mexico for drilling, bringing another 400,000 gallons per day and open up public oil land in Alaska, which would generate 1.2 million gallons per day.

Click here to watch Newt's "hometown" rally in Carrollton. Day two of Newt and Callista's Georgia Bus Tour will take them to the Georgia State Capitol, Covington, and Gainesville.