Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says he is “delighted” that rival Mitt Romney has been endorsed by the liberal
Des Moines Register, saying his own endorsement by a New Hampshire paper shows who the true conservative is.
“The Manchester Union Leader, which is a reliably conservative newspaper, endorsed me,” the former House speaker said on “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“The Des Moines Register, which is a solidly liberal newspaper, did not endorse me.
“I think that indicates who the conservative in this race is.”
The Register, Iowa’s largest and most influential newspaper, announced its backing of Romney on Saturday, citing his “sobriety, wisdom and judgment.” The paper applauded Romney for the controversial healthcare program he instituted as governor of Massachusetts, while noting that he may have to overcome claims that he is a “flip-flopper.”
In endorsing
Gingrich, the Union Leader observed: "We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing.
"We don't back candidates based on popularity polls or big-shot backers. We look for conservatives of courage and conviction who are independent-minded, grounded in their core beliefs about this nation and its people, and best equipped for the job.
"We don't have to agree with them on every issue. We would rather back someone with whom we may sometimes disagree than one who tells us what he thinks we want to hear."
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