Newt Gingrich Campaigns in Doylestown

Nearly 400 people gathered at the Moose Lodge in Doylestown Tuesday afternoon to hear 2012 Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich discuss the issues at stake this campaign season.

The meet and greet was hosted by the Doylestown-based Tea Party group, Kitchen Table Patriots, which managed to secure the visit after a January attempt fell through.  

Although the group has not endorsed Gingrich, co-founder Mariann Davies said the local forum presented an intimate opportunity for people to learn more about one of the candidates early on in the campaign process. 

“This is your final call to rise up and make America great again,” said KTP co-chair Ana Puig, energizing the masses for the main event.

Thunderous applause echoed through the hall as Gingrich took the stand.

“I was shaped by Pennsylvania,” said the Harrisburg-born Gingrich, who jovially mentioned learning how to swim at Hershey Park. “I was shaped by Gettysburg…I was shaped by wisdom twice exhibited at Independence Hall,” he said, referencing the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Inspired by this history, Gingrich said later this week he will unveil a 21st century contract that is “much bolder and much more complicated” than the Contract with America he co-wrote and implemented during the Clinton administration in 1994.

“This country is in deep trouble, in deeper trouble than just Barack Obama,” Gingrich said. “And no one person can fix it. In America there’s no ‘one.’ In America, there are 305 million.”

Gingrich detailed a few of his contract ideals, which include replacing the Environmental Protection Agency with a new Environmental Solutions Agency, enforcing the 10th amendment by bringing the power of small government back to the states and re-establishing what he called a constitutional balance between the executive, legislative and judicial branches.

In response to an audience question about President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, Gingrich said if he were elected, he would not only repeal the entire act, but replace it with a new one written by legislators and presented in public hearings.

Others were concerned about a national sales tax and the deficit.  

“We don’t have a problem of under-taxing, we have a problem of overspending,” said Gingrich, who expressed his clear opposition to a national sales tax. He also supports auditing the Federal Reserve.

The best solution, Gingrich said, is to put people back to work – by increasing energy production in places like Alaska, by modernizing businesses with write-offs for 100 percent of new equipment within the first year and by supplementing unemployment compensation with worker training programs.

Chris Mendla, 16, a junior at Holy Ghost Prep, said he arranged to take a test earlier in the school day so he could see Gingrich speak.

“A lot of people my age don’t get it,” he told Gingrich, asking what his campaign has to offer to the younger generation.

In response, Gingrich asked Mendla three questions which drew audible support from the crowd: Would you like a job? Would you like to have a personal Social Security account that you can control? Do you want freedom or do you want to be defined and controlled by Washington bureaucrats?

Polls released by Rasmussen and CNN last week put Gingrich in third place among Republican candidates with 9 and 10 percent of voter support, respectively. He trails Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

“Whoever our nominee is, we need to have one, unified alternative,” Gingrich said, barely able to finish over the applause.

“This is only the land of the free if it’s the home of the brave,” he concluded, offering handshakes and autographs to a swarming crowd.

“I like the man. I think he makes a lot of sense,” said Pat Brooks of Warrington, sporting a bright green shirt that read “We Want Our Country Back.”

“People keep saying that he’s got a lot of baggage,” she added, referring, among other things, to Gingrich’s two divorces and three marriages. “But don’t we all?”

After the event, Heidi Riesenberger of Doylestown wasted no time in opening her checkbook to contribute to the campaign.

“I’ve always been super impressed with his intelligence,” said Reisenberger, a lifetime follower of politics. “I’m embarrassed that I’ve stayed at home all this time and didn’t do enough in support. I’m not 100 percent sure he’ll get elected, but I can certainly help at this time.”

The event was also streamed live and recorded on WKTP.tv.