Romney Blasts Gingrich for Calling Him ‘Anti-Immigrant’: ‘It’s Inexcusable‘ and ’Repulsive!’
- Posted on January 26, 2012 at 8:53pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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At the opening of CNN’s GOP debate, rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were out of the gate with a highly contentious exchange over Gingrich’s ad asserting that Romney is “anti-immigrant.”
“That’s absolutely inexcusable,” an indignant Romney blasted. “It’s inexcusable. My father was born in Mexico…. and the phrase ‘anti-immigrant’ is repulsive. Don’t use a term like that. It is simply the type of over the top rhetoric…I’m glad that Marco Rubio called you out on it, I’m glad you withdrew it, I think you should apologize for it.”
Romney scolded using “highly charged epithets,” to which he drew hearty cheers from the crowd.
Gingrich pressed, “What type of language would you use” to describe deporting “grandmothers” who have been here for years.
“Those are your words, not my words,” Romney corrected. “I want them to come here legally.”
Gingrich wasn’t letting up with the grandmother comments, however, sneering, “Our problem is not 11 million grandmothers, alright?”
The crowd was audibly on Romney’s side in this exchange.
Watch the blistering exchange below:
Earlier in the debate Thursday night, CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer attempted to entice Rick Santorum and Gingrich into attacking Romney on immigration.
It may have backfired.
Asked to respond to Romney’s past comment that illegal immigrants could potentially engage in “self-deportation,” both Santorum offered tame responses.
“I actually agree with Gov. Romney,” Santorum said. “We have to have a country that not only do you respect the law when you come here, but you respect the law when you stay here.”
Gingrich, on the other hand, said he thinks Romney’s idea is unrealistic when it comes to older illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. for decades.
“I don’t think grandmothers and grandfathers will self-deport,” Gingrich said.
Romney suggested that implementing an E-Verify system would ensure that “people who come here won’t be able to find work and over time” would leave eventually.
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Comments (113)
Eugene1
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:18pmWow . . . what do you know . . . Romney has a backbone! His 11 million grandmother quote was awesome!
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:32pmSlimy, Slimy slimy. This man is a true chameleon, Used a tactic of not answering any questions just attacking Newt.
Need Proof. John McCain and Huckabee speak for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHapuEmt2xw
Report Post »Tired of Code Names
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:33pmNewt absoutely blew that conversation. All he had to d was to admit that Rubio called him on an ad that did not distinguish between illeagle immigration and leagle. Newt got owned on that conversation. Dang, I’m just an regular person and could have told him to make that distinction. Crap, Romney clearly won that debate. Newt failed at the time he reallhy needed to express his ambitious idea and let Romney take it. Romney will not beat Obama.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:38pmYes he will. Mitt will beat Obama
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:41pm@TOCN Gonna gave to disagree. Mitt answers had no content, he sunk to attacking Newt every time he wished to dodge a question. If content isn’t important Mitt won(low IQ’s). If content is important in America Santorum won.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:45pmMitt will lose to Obama by at least 10%.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:06pmWho cares, the whole freakin country is anti immigrant …. We are being over run with third world turds on welfare and im sick of it…. They dont come here to work anymore, they come for the Democrat Welfare State… So now we work for them…… Our Government SUCKS, and the are not looking out for the best interest of the citizens any longer ….of by and for the Government…..
Report Post »joe conservative
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 12:11amThat was Romney’s best moment in the debate. I thought overall he wasn’t as good as he has been in other debates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McAksuo5Nc
Report Post »Stuck_in_CA
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:06amAll these guys should start ignoring the irrelevant, useless questions, and talk about the important issues at hand.
Report Post »The Lefty media wants the GOP to look stupid, and one way is to ask STUPID questions.
SamIamTwo
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:40amRick S had it right…both newt and mitt are too deep into trashing one another. Rather petty. Support the adult, Rick S…he has no money and is in 3rd place but should be in FIRST. JIMHO
Report Post »filiusdracul
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:07pmIf Mitt or Newt were debating Obama, either one would talk circles around him. I’m not worried. To bad this vetting process is so awkward.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:04amNewt = liberal talking points on illegal immigration/amnesty
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:17pmRon Paul 2012. At least the military will be safe here at home and able to vaporize anyone that wants trouble. These other dudes are all useless. They will not be able to change anything.
Report Post »DRSAVAGE24
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:59pmMitt clearly won that exchange. Maybe Gingrich will self-destruct soon so we can get down to business – Paul vs. Romney. I wonder how in God’s green earth that Gingrich and Romney could somehow be the two frontrunners right now. Oh yeah, I can figure that one out – the progressive media is pushing both of them really hard (i.e. trying to pick our candidate for us) and there are a lot of clueless Republican voters who decide they have to choose between two crappy candidates because the media tells us that’s what we have to choose from.
Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are the only two candidates who are willing to have a substantive discussion of the issues in this race. It really is too bad that the lemmings out there are following the media narrative and lining up behind Newt or Romney. There are two much better choices out there. Think about it people! I’m a Ron Paul guy, but I can at least respect someone who supports Santorum. Newt Romney just doesn’t make sense! Period.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:15amObama is closing more military bases in the U.S. This will create even more ghost towns that once thrived around the the bases. How about closing some German bases and letting the Germans deal with the devastation these base closings cause? That’s what R.P wants, despite what the media and Republican establishment want you to think.
Report Post »PJL
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:11pmGreat exchange, Mitt cut him off at the knees.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:24pmGrandmothers dont breed like Cane Toads. They are’nt the problem. I have never seen an illegal mexican woman that wasnt pregnant.. Have you
Report Post »jzs
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:36pmDid Romney’s parents come here legally? Do they have their long form immigration certificates? According to the the Constitution of the United States of America, and all legal precedent for the last 200 years, unless Romney’s parent were both born on US soil, he is INELIGIBLE to be President of the United States, just as the so called “President” of the United States is ineligible to hold that position.
By his own admission, neither of his parents were born here. The Constitution of the United States of America, signed by our Fathers, is very clear on this point. Romney is not a “natural born citizen” and is, therefore, ineligible to be President of the United States of America even if he is white.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:39pmI don’t know the stats, but I’m willing to bet 85-90% of the illegals are between 20-40. Working age men and women. The grandmother caveat was weak.
Report Post »Go Mitt!!
fatjack
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:42pmPJL
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:11pm
Great exchange, Mitt cut him off at the knees.
_______________________________________–
Pass the buck mitt didn’t, his trustees did it. Mitt is not responsible for anything.
He’s worse than obama passing the buck.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:52pm@fatjack. Spot on. Romney was told by his debate coach to stay away from policies, stay away from ideas and content, stay away from articulating plans, ATTACK NEWT.
I didn’t think he was going to answer a single question tonight.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:11pm@jzs
Report Post »Were Obama’s parents born here ? Hell for that matter was Obama born here ?….. Probably NO on both…..
Nick84
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:37pmJZS- Thank you for always pointing out the hypocrisy on this site. I always enjoy your comments.
Report Post »PGMike
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 12:11am@JZS
Report Post »Mitt Romney’s grandparents were both naturalized U.S. citizens who left the country to live in Mexico. As natural born U.S. Citizens living abroad their children, including Mitt’s father, are also natural born citizens. Think of it like a military person having a child while oversees, it is the same thing. They did not renounce their citizenship they were simply U.S. citizens living abroad. Mitt’s grandparents returned to the U.S. when his father was 5 years old and Mitt was born in Michigan. He is a natural born U.S. citizen, period. No argument whatsoever.
phil1765
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 4:23amNick84
Report Post »I am glad to hear that, now you can join JZS in his parents basement and you can sit there together in your underwear and discuss your man crush for the ONE.
P8riot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:09amNewt fell flat on his face.
@PGMIKE – THANK YOU for using facts to help JZS understand what a natural born citizen is! You would think that since these people are already on the internet, they should at least google a word before using it incorrectly :)
Report Post »MBA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:07pmIf 11 million grandmothers are illegal and sucking up US taxpayer welfare then, yes, it is a big deal and it’s time for the issue to be dealt with according to US Constitutional Law not liberal hysteria.
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:05pmI hope to bother all the Nit Wit Newt lovers out there, and you know who you are !!
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:46pmAdvice for Mitt. STOP FALSE ATTACKS GT SOME FACTS.
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:04pmAm I bothering anyone yet??
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:03pmRomney !!!!
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:03pmRomney!!!
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:03pmRomney !!!
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:10amRomney! Romney! OH YEAH!
Report Post »JENGA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:02pmEye of Newt……………….. There is a reason why Newt’s name is part of a withes spell….. ha ha ha hahahahahahahahahaha…………….. Anyway, Romney has more class than the man that looks like a muffin.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:13pmSure didn’t show it tonight, Mitt went 1:12minutes without answering a question, diverted attention by attacking Newt.
INEXCUSABLE!!!!!
Report Post »fatjack
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:46pmHere’s the problem…..mitt won’t take responsibility. Mitt is worse than obama blaming others.
Report Post »nocalifornia
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:56pmSilly Newt, Romney loves immigrants as long as they are illegal and willing to work under the table for peanuts.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:09pmWhen did he say that? Those are your words not his.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:12pmI challenge anyone to check out an elementary school in Texas and count the white or black students there. Oh wait, their are’nt any
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:41pmNoCal.. filthy lies.
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:53pmToday’s world is truly backwards – the christian man has had many wives and the mormon man has only had one.
Report Post »Sunflower86
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:54pmHa! That was awesome.
Report Post »filiusdracul
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:18pmYup, that’s the way it has been since 1890.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:13amThat was one of Romney’s great lines in 2008 – when he pointed out the fact that he was one of the only candidates thats had only one wife! lol – but truth be told – polygamy was a common practice in the old testament by many prophets.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:52pmmitt’s Getting Desperate. He did answer some questions in the last 30mins of debate. Mitt successfully avoided answering a question for an hour and a half by diverting attention with attacks on Newt.
P.S. Romney’s attacks on Newts small businesses ARE attacks on capitalism and the free market.
Report Post »ForTheRepublic
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:39pmI hate Mitt,
Report Post »But I have to say, I’m with him on this one
ForTheRepublic
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:41pmBTW,
Report Post »You know who’s really the most anti immigrant here
ME
lost tribe
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:35pmIf you were interviewing someone for a position, in this case president of the US, and most of those who worked with him said he was an ass, would you hire him? Porky Pig Newt is done, put an apple in his mouth and lets start to eat.
Report Post »Espada
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:34pmSick of PC BS regarding anyone’s use of the term “anti-immigrant.”
“ANTI – ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT,” jerks !
ILLEGAL.
ILLEGAL.
Get it ?
Politicians are whores.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:29pmYou got that right .. we need voter I.D. at all poling places .. once illegals stop being able to vote they will stop sucking up to them.
Report Post »Bush Hating Conervatives make me sick
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:29pmMitt’s on fire tonight. Seriously we can’t deport 15-20 ILLEGALS.. If you crack down on the empolyers, and make it where the ILLEGALS can’t get JOBS! What would they do, I could see them going back home.. Our Economy for the past 3 years, have had many of them return home, NO WORK!
BRI3D.. If you think Romney is BHO, You must believe BHO is a job creator!
Newt is more like BHO then anyone. Say anything or do anything to win. Lie cheat and steal.
Report Post »Attack the rich! Attack Reagan, attack Paul Ryan’s plan!
ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:35pmMitt hasn’t answered a single question tonight, nothing but personal attacks, very un-presidental.
Report Post »Bri 3D
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:38pmRomney’s not going to create any jobs. He is going to support the feds money printing, the endless wars and bailing out the insiders. Just like Obama does & just like Bush did.
Report Post »I hope you start to realize that when you’re paying $6 for gas to fund those expenses.
ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:44pm@bri3d Your wrong. Mitt would create jobs for plenty of cronies and Bureaucrats.
Report Post »Bri 3D
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:01pm@Elpzee
Report Post »I stand corrected. I was only thinking of middle class type jobs. How foolish of me to not worry about insider jobs.
onetruepatriot
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:15pmNo, I think you mean Santorum was on fire. Honestly, they were all unimpressive except Rick. He really did an amazing job…and I’m a Newt supporter.
If he starts leading in the polls, I wonder if Beck will start bashing him too. That would certainly be interesting. OMG, I hope Santorum’s not a closet progressive too!
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 4:15amBUSH HATING CONSERVATIVES MAKE ME SICK, Well here in Ohio we have allot of them that do not work. They sell drugs, get white girls pregnant and live with them for free, and are in the paper daily for committing crimes, including rape of children and murder. They do not pay taxes, get free HC, don’t have drivers license or insurance, have free government cell phones, and are filling our local jails. They are in gangs and a threat to the community. We had a young kid and believe it or not his name was Pedro. He had a young girl from a near by town with him. Our driveway is secluded from the road and you can not see the house. He thought he was in a vacant farm lane and was going to park with her. My boyfriend drove out to see what was going on. He threw the car in reverve and ended up in our field. Buried in mud and could not get out. He destoryed the area. He spoke little english, was dressed in fancy clothes. The cops came. He had no license, the car uninsured, and the car belonged to a friend of a friend of an uncle. All we asked was that the car be towed out and that he would come back and repair the ruts and the fence. He did not know how nor did his friends or uncles or cousins. It was never fixed and the cops towed the car away causing further damage to the fence and field. away. They let him go. We were told to file a claim with OUR insurance company. Go figure!
Report Post »beckyspatflaveredstew
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:28pmMitt expects to be as god, do some research.
Report Post »Bush Hating Conervatives make me sick
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:34pmQuit the Morman bashing!! There is nothing that points to Romney thinking that!
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:58pm@bushhater.
Big government progressive republicans make me sick= Mitt Romney
Report Post »hybridbts
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:02pmYeah, quit with the EXTREMELY COWARDLY attacks on his religion. Why don’t you grow up, do a little research, and act your age! You don’t have any proof to back a claim like that up!
Report Post »beckyspatflaveredstew
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:41pmBush hating conservatives no bashing here LDS prophet Lorenzo Snow said “As man now is, God once was; as God is now, man may become.”
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:06pm@jj I look at what people do, not what they say.
Obomneycare??? continued support for tarp and government stimulus. Romney is the definition of a Big government top down politician.
Report Post »NDPINDNT
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:27pmRomney scored a big one on his response..
Report Post »Ronko
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:25pmWhoa, 1st things 1st Romney, Anti Immigrant isn’t repulsive, sure Immigrants built this nation but Illegal Immigration is a huge problem in this country. Take the PC hat off or your going to lose badly to Obama this fall, which judging by the way this primary is going that’s probably going to happen because people will be too disgusted to vote. A lot of us know where the radical Obama stands on issues, the rest of the Republicans who knows where they will be and if a Republican wins this year, that means no Chris Christie or Mitch Daniels in 2016. That pretty much adds up to another 4 years of George W Bush if a Republican wins this year including Santorum.
Report Post »fatjack
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:54pmDon’t blame mitt, it was his trustees position on immigration.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:10pm@fatjack. I’m wondering if Romney EVER MADE HIS OWN MONEY. Or if he paid someone to make his money for him.
Next Debate= Romney” My consultants created Obomneycare, not ME”.
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:21pmI think Newt knows the truth in how our government has shammed us through-out all this time! I remember that about two to three years ago our State government said that we had a surplus in our general fund and now we are billions in debt??? Makes you wonder about all the other lies they pass onto the rest of us!
Mitt will only create the largest government that we have ever seen, tax us out of our reach and make the cost of living rise like never before! Just take a good look at Massachusetts! Highest cost of living, highest in taxes! Now if that doesn’t sound like a liberal, I don’t know what does???
Track record speaks for itself!
Report Post »Bri 3D
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:29pmOf course newt knows, he’s been in on it.
I agree you should look up the track record of ALL four candidates. One stands out.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:34pmCNN debate was time for payback by The media on Newt. Mitt still hasn’t answered a single question, attacks on Newt and broad reaching statements that have no content; just like Obama’s hope and change, man I hope Republicans aren’t use-full idiots like democrats, if they are Romney will be our candidate.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 10:47pmELP.. your bias is so obvious it’s ridiculous. Mitt didn’t answer a single question?
Oh kayyyyy
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:08pm@jj He didn’t until the 1h12minute mark, I watched.
He diverted every question before then by attacking newt. FACT.
Report Post »Bri 3D
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:11pmI’m DVRing the debate tonight so am not watching live at the moment.
Is it another banker puppet show with a bunch of he said/she said exchanges between newt & romney or are they letting Paul talk about Balancing budgets and returning america’s wealth by stopping the counterfieting scheme of the federal reserve?
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:36pmSorry, I am going to spoil it for you …..Bruce Willis is actually dead.
Report Post »Bri 3D
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:05pmNewt = Romney = Obama
Anyone that thinks anything will be different with any of these puppets probably believes their 401k or pension will be there in retirement.
Report Post »ElPzee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:03pmMitt Hasn’t answered a single question tonight. Looks like he’s going to Dodge every question by using re-direction attacks against Newt.
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:08pmMaybe it’s time for him to “self-deport”.
Report Post »He’s like 1010 WINS… “1010 MITT…Give me 22 minutes and I will make you hate me”
oldguy49
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 8:56pmi prefer romney on immigration ………..but…………….
Report Post »