If Victorious, President Newt Gingrich Plans Day 1 Executive Order Blitz

Not wanting to jinx his chances in 2012, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich announced Friday that IF he secured the Republican presidential nomination and went on to defeat President Barack Obama, his first day in office would be spent issuing hundreds of executive orders.

Speaking before a group of religious conservatives gathered at the American Family Association's pastors' policy briefing in Iowa Friday, Gingrich speculated that he could sign as many as 200 executive orders on his first day as president, on issues ranging from abolishing an entire circuit court to restricting federal funding for abortions.

“If we have the right election in 2012 and we elect the right congress and the right president that from day one, we can have executive orders — maybe as many as 150 to 200 of them — on the first day,” Gingrich announced.

Politico reports:

The former House Speaker said that after the inaugural address, there's a break before the traditional lunch — an opportunity for a newly-elected president to get right to work.

“Walk into a room, have all the documents already prepared, already on the Internet, already reviewed by the American people, already written by people who were in the Bush and Reagan White Houses, so they’re all technically correct,” he told the audience. “And just sign as fast as you can.”

Gingrich called for abolishing the Ninth Circuit Court, which he sees as part of an activist judiciary, abolishing all “czars” created by the Obama administration and ensuring no American money pays for abortion (the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to "ordain and establish" lower courts).

“This is not hyperbole,” he said.

When asked if he's definitely running, Gingrich remained coy. But he hinted that in a more appropriate venue, he might have a better answer soon.  “It is conceivable, that for example, that at Steve King’s [conservative principles conference] tomorrow I might be a little closer to answering your question,” Gingirch said.

“We working overtime to be able to give you a yes in the very near future in a venue other than this," he added. "Because we wouldn’t want to mar up this venue.”

It's unclear how conservative Republicans might embrace Gingrich's gusto and readiness to grab the executive order pen.  Both President Obama and former President George W. Bush have both come under fire from conservatives in recent years for using the presidential executive order privilege to bypass the legislative branch.  Judicial activists would also likely voice heavy objection to a president using his pen to strike away the Ninth Circuit, a court jurisdiction that covers nearly one-fifth of the country's population.

While many Republicans would likely support Gingrich's sentiments and sympathize with his distaste for activist judges, many constitutional conservatives would likely balk at such a one-sided course of action that carries considerable consequences for the other two branches of the federal government.

For more on Gingrich's potential 2012 campaign, click here.