CasualApathy
09-29-2007, 01:04 PM
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/29/gingrich/index.html
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Two days after hinting he wanted to try for the White House, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich decided he would not run for president, his spokesman said Saturday.
Rick Tyler said Gingrich realized he couldn't run a political action committee -- his American Solutions group -- and form an exploratory committee to run for president as well.
"He will continue to bring the American people solutions to the challenges America faces through American Solutions, not as a candidate for president," Tyler said in a telephone interview.
Gingrich told supporters in Marietta, Georgia, on Thursday that if they pledged at least $30 million to his campaign over a three-week period starting Monday, he would compete for the Republican nomination.
Gingrich, 64, has hinted for months that he would join the GOP presidential race if he determined no other candidate appeared able to take on the Democrats in 2008.
His hinting has become louder in recent weeks, with his suggestion that Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York is destined to be the Democratic nominee and that he would be the best Republican to debate her.
Gingrich said, however, that he has no desire to personally raise campaign funds.
Tyler said the assessment of whether or not Gingrich supporters could raise the money never began.
advertisement
Gingrich, first elected to Congress in 1978, became the first Republican speaker of the House since 1954 when he led his party to victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He resigned suddenly from Congress four years after his party lost five House seats in the 1998 elections.
In the nine years since, Gingrich has not sought public office, but he has remained vocal as an author and speaker for hire.
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Two days after hinting he wanted to try for the White House, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich decided he would not run for president, his spokesman said Saturday.
Rick Tyler said Gingrich realized he couldn't run a political action committee -- his American Solutions group -- and form an exploratory committee to run for president as well.
"He will continue to bring the American people solutions to the challenges America faces through American Solutions, not as a candidate for president," Tyler said in a telephone interview.
Gingrich told supporters in Marietta, Georgia, on Thursday that if they pledged at least $30 million to his campaign over a three-week period starting Monday, he would compete for the Republican nomination.
Gingrich, 64, has hinted for months that he would join the GOP presidential race if he determined no other candidate appeared able to take on the Democrats in 2008.
His hinting has become louder in recent weeks, with his suggestion that Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York is destined to be the Democratic nominee and that he would be the best Republican to debate her.
Gingrich said, however, that he has no desire to personally raise campaign funds.
Tyler said the assessment of whether or not Gingrich supporters could raise the money never began.
advertisement
Gingrich, first elected to Congress in 1978, became the first Republican speaker of the House since 1954 when he led his party to victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He resigned suddenly from Congress four years after his party lost five House seats in the 1998 elections.
In the nine years since, Gingrich has not sought public office, but he has remained vocal as an author and speaker for hire.