Updated 9:16 a.m., Feb. 19, 2012
Newt Gingrich worked with the Clinton administration when Gingrich was U.S. House speaker. He does not see any similarities in the administration of Barack Obama.
Asked Saturday in Suwanee to compare those administrations, Gingrich told Suwanee Patch, "You can't. ... President Clinton had a streak of practicality. He had been a governor ... he was used to negotiating with the legislature. ... (Obama) tries to dictate everything."
Gingrich was just as critical of Obama during his speech to about 400 people at Collins Hill High. He criticized what he called "bigotry" and "dishonesty" of the Obama administration. (See the attached video and Patch coverage of Gingrich's appearance in Forsyth County.)
"You can't put a gun rack in a Volt." -- Newt Gingrich (see attached video).
And referring to the president's policies on national defense, Gingrich called Obama "the most dangerous president in modern American history."
Gingrich's speech followed a meeting of the Gwinnett Republican Party. At that meeting, Ron Paul won a straw poll, and Gingrich finished second. Also Saturday, Gingrich spoke at a rally in Forsyth County before heading to Suwanee. At both rallies, Gingrich was accompanied by Atlanta-based businessman Herman Cain, who ended his presidential bid last year and threw his support behind Gingrich.
In Suwanee, Cain said his ideal job in a Gingrich administration would be as a "senior adviser in charge of nothing."
Gingrich, an Emory University graduate and former West Georgia College professor, made it clear that his former home state is crucial to his presidential hopes. The state has 73 delegates that will come into play on March 6 (Super Tuesday).
"I need your help," he told the Suwanee crowd.
Regarding his criticism of Obama's defense policy, Gingrich said the president has cut the defense budget "that guarantees that America will be at risk."
"(Obama) refuses to tell the truth about people who want to hurt us."
Energy independence also was a strong point of Gingrich's speech. Stressing his record as U.S. House speaker, he said he feels a gasoline price of $2.50 is "realistic."
He referred to North Dakota as a state that has done well in developing oil reserves. The state has "25 times more oil than people thought 20 years ago."
As a goal of energy independence, Gingrich said that "no American president would ever bow before a Saudi king."
