Gingrich praises opponents, draws applause

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) stole the spotlight at the Republican Party of Iowa’s Reagan Dinner on Friday evening in Des Moines with a unique strategy that drew the most applause from the audience.

Gingrich, who spoke last, spent nearly half of his 10 minute time allotment praising his fellow GOP candidates, saying “I’m really proud of my colleagues.”

Gingrich said U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has been “consistently correct about the need to audit the federal reserve,” and is right about the need to return to a gold standard.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry “was my mentor on the 10th Amendment and the importance of implementing it,” Gingrich continued, and has good ideas on energy and tax policy.

Gingrich said U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) “deserves a lot of credit” for fighting against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and other things.

“Not only did she stand up to Republican leadership at time when she was virtually alone,” he said. “But in addition she was the first person to introduce a bill to repeal the Dodd-Frank bill, which is one of the most destructive bills crippling our economy today.”

And former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) has shown courage in his foreign policy stances, Gingrich said.

“No one has done more to try to arouse Americans to understand the challenge of radical Islamism, to understand the dangers in Syria and Iran, than Rick Santorum,” he said.

Not in attendance Friday evening were businessman Herman Cain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the national frontrunners.

“I look at my colleagues and say this was a great group,” Gingrich said. “There were a couple I wish were here tonight, and I would have said nice things about them. But we’ll skip over that.”

Gingrich spent the rest of his time outlining why he is the best choice to take on President Obama. He said he’s offered the most substantive candidacy in modern times through his plan for a 21st Century Contract with America and a series of executive orders.

He also noted he’s the only candidate who at the national level has led efforts to balance the budget, cut taxes, create jobs and garner a Republican majority.

“What we are faced with is the results of a radical ideology and an inexperienced, incompetent president,” Gingrich said. “And I would simply suggest that to get the scale of change we need we need somebody who understands the legislative branch, somebody who understands how to get things done in Washington, and somebody who has a track record of having built a national movement which can in fact bring pressure to bear in Washington.”

Friday marked the second time in recent weeks Gingrich has garnered the most applause at a major conservative event in Iowa. He also stole the show at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition presidential forum on Oct. 22 in Des Moines.

About 1,000 people attended the Republican Party of Iowa’s Ronald Reagan Dinner on Friday evening in Des Moines. Each candidate was given 10 minutes to speak to the crowd.

Tickets were $75 for general seating, $150 for reserved seating, $1,000 for a table of 10 or $1,500 for a table of ten with two host reception tickets.