Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) told the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday morning that he wanted to have a “bold conversation.”
The former presidential hopeful’s idea of “bold” was to come out in support of the First Amendment and America’s veterans, while focusing his criticism on President Obama and his longtime nemeses, the Clintons.
“We have a President and a secretary of state that clearly have no concept what planet they’re on,” he told a roomful of enthusiastic conservatives. “No idea what universe they’re in.”
He slammed Secretary of State John Kerry for criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly Kerry’s recent dig at the leader’s ardent support of the 2003 Iraq War.
“How can you be an American secretary of state and criticize a foreign leader for supporting the United States unless you’re confused about who you should be supporting as secretary of state?” Gingrich asked to cheers.
“They live in a different world with a different value system and they literally don’t get any of the facts,” he concluded.
During the Q&A section, Gingrich was asked what for him was a tricky question.
“If you could give the President one compliment, what would it be?” the questioner asked. Gingrich asked her to repeat the question, to laughs from the crowd.
After a pause, he answered: “Um, I hope his farewell address comes as soon as possible.” He did not explain how this was meant as a compliment.
