Gingrich in NH Retail Politicking

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich faced a skeptical, but engaged crowd Wednesday in his first visit to New Hampshire as a presidential candidate. He again worked to explain his remarks on the Republican proposal to remake Medicare, and his opposition to Obamacare, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported Thursday.

Gingrich spoke at the Derry Medical Center, and later at a Manchester house party.

Rep. Frank McCarthy asked Gingrich to explain his “right-wing social engineering” comment that he made about the Medicare proposal.

“What I said was not very well said,” Gingrich said. “There are times in life where you say something clumsy and don't really mean it.”

Tony Howd, a guest at the house party, said the Medicare comments did not bother him, and he likes Gingrich's style. “He's not afraid to be himself,” Howd said.

In Derry, much of the talk dealt with health care. Gingrich called “Obamacare” corrupt and unconstitutional. One person asked about any positive parts of the Obama health care law.

“If you take a 2,800-page bill, you can find 200 pages that are OK,” Gingrich responded. “The other 2,600 are a disaster and the parts that are OK, we can look at after we repeal Obamacare.”