WARRENVILLE — Newt Gingrich began his appearance in Warrenville by blasting President Obama and his rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project as a “stunningly stupid” decision that would cost America jobs.
Related Stories
The statement brought applause and jeers from a standing-room-only crowd at Bobby’s Bar-B-Q, who had gathered to hear the Republican presidential candidate as he was trying to make gains on front-runner Mitt Romney before Saturday’s South Carolina GOP Primary.
Obama said Wednesday he was denying the application for a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline because a GOP-mandated deadline didn’t allow time for a full review. The president says his decision isn’t a judgment on the merits of the proposed $7 billion pipeline, according to The Associated Press. Rather, he’s citing the “arbitrary nature” of the deadline that was set by a GOP-written provision in a recent tax bill that Obama signed. The president says in a statement that he’s disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced the decision.
Administration officials says the looming deadline cut short the time needed to conduct environmental reviews after the State Department ordered the project developer to find an alternate route to avoid environmentally sensitive areas of Nebraska.
The 1,700-mile pipeline would carry oil from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. It would pass through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Gingrich didn’t mention the deadline, but used the president’s decision to score points with the Aiken County crowd and tout his ideas on national energy policy and fixing the nation’s lagging economy.
The former House speaker said the decision was “stupid” in three ways: it would eliminate “20,000 to 50,000 construction jobs,”; it hurts the nation’s energy security by perpetuating the reliance on foreign oil; and it would force the Canadian government to make a deal with China in order to export its oil.
Gingrich said Congress should take the administration “head on” on this issue to reverse the decision and force approval of the project.
“If ever there was a time we need an American energy policy to get us free of this muddle, it is now,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich reiterated his statements that South Carolina’s coastal waters should be opened for off-shore drilling of natural gas and referred to a bill sponsored by two Democrats, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb, that would open waters off Virginia to gas and oil exploration in 2012 as a model of bipartisan cooperation.
Gingrich said he has been urging congressional leaders to pass the bill and send it to the president’s desk for his signature before the November election and defy him not to sign it.
“The folks in Washington don’t get it,” Gingrich said. “Lot’s of people there know how to make speeches, but you have to be able to get something done.”
The message rang true for Damon Comparetta, a former Marine who now owns an aerial photography company. Comparetta said he had been undecided but was ready to get behind someone like Gingrich, who he expects could make things happen.
He believes so little seems to get accomplished in Washington because of a lack of leadership from the president.
“Everybody thought Obama was going to be a uniter,” Comparetta said. “But I think he is one of the most divisive presidents ever.”
Associated Press reports were used in this article.
If there is anything "stunningly stupid" in the political news these days, it will be something said by Newt Gingrich.
Anything Newt says is heads and shoulders above what "Our Dear Ruler" has had to say in his short (and hopefully even shorter) career....
I applaud our president and his family for the courage they have exhibited while being bombarded with hatred, jealously, racism and treachery, some of which come from members of Congress. " Hang in there, my brother you will prevail in 2012."
Thank you Street smart for your remarks!!!
Amen, my brother!!!!!!!
Dear God,racism are you serious. Do you actually believe this president cares or even relates to problems in the black or any other community. Highest deficit ever, two planes.for every vacation, a hatred for the armed forces and.a.Marxist mentality. When , except when its election time has he.done anything for our black community. Disproportionate elployment stats and elevation of a government dependent society. I pray this brother is gone in a year so we can raise up out is tho! Disaster he has created.
We know Obama has no feeling for the "lower class" but we have to make sure his successor does care.
We can do with out the contempt and arrogance shown by the residents of the White House to what they consider the "middle class' and "lower middle class".
We can do so much better.
Be careful at the voting booth....
Remember the higher they go, the harder they fall...
hey Dan... or by his 'ex-wife'... Thurs niteline she tells all to ABC, and any of you out there who could vote for this man after the interview do not take character into account when voting for your representatives.
As we get deeper into the election season, I believe the question to Blacks should be, Will the Republicans be better for us? Blacks who are in doubt about Obama should answer this question. I would have thought Blacks would be cheering him on, pointing out his accomplishments as well as the impediments the Republicans have placed in his way. We can't afford to sit this one out. All of us should take this opportunity to get behind the truth and push as hard as we can to ensure that this country makes the necessary turn before we crash and burn. When Obama wins, the country wins.
The Economist – American Politics
“The right Republican”
“Although the presidency is theirs for the taking, America’s Republicans are in danger of throwing it away”
Darn, TransCanada won't be able to use America as its conduit for shipping duty free petroleum to Asia. Also, ever notice how the number of jobs the right claims the pipeline will create keeps growing? Sort of like their noses.
TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada) (TSX, NYSE: TRP) today is pleased to announce a Project Labor Agreement for a significant portion of U.S. construction of the proposed US$7 billion Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Pipeline Project (Keystone XL). The agreement will provide TransCanada with a capable, well-trained and ready workforce in the U.S. to construct Keystone XL. During construction, the project is expected to create over seven million hours of labor and over 13,000 new jobs for American workers.
[TransCanada, Wash. Post: Based On TransCanada's Numbers, "The Number Of People Employed" Would Actually Be 6,500. A November 5 article in The Washington Post reported that TransCanada CEO Russ Girling "said Friday that the 13,000 figure was actually not a true job number, but actually accounted for 'one person, one year.'" The Post added that "if the construction jobs lasted two years, the number of people employed in each of the two years would be 6,500."
Street Smart, exactly what has Obama done that is so great????? Besides of course wanting to keep people on welfare and more free handouts from the goverment that our country cannot afford? This is nothing to do with racism, but of course you know someone has to throw in the good old race card...if that is the only excuse you can come but with for people feeling the way they feel about him then go ahead. Everyone is a racist in one way or another if you're really being honest, including yourself, racism comes in many colors it isn't unique to whites. Yeah boy, those dang white folks they hate everybody! NOT! Faithson, funny but character has never meant anything to the democrats so why should it mean anything to the republicans? WE all know what womanizers the Kennedy's and Clinton was. By the way I am not a fan of Gingrich, I have not decided yet who I am voting for yet but it will not be Obama.
yea still, good point.. character in politics has been replaced with 'secular power', a poor substitute. to bad so sad.
Street Smart. Black leaders see things a little different than you. Most are angry with Obama and what he has done TO the black race.
Maybe it has to do with the fact the Obama doesn't see himself as one of the black race, that he doesn't realize what this country is about (or care). We don't know much about his background but what we do know is that he led a different lifestyle than the people in the United States, black and white alike and therefore, has a different vision of himself.
McCain won the 2008 primary in S.C.
Now Gingrinch? Come on neighbors, we can do better than this. Can't we?
The pipeline decision is yet more proof that obama and his handlers are intentionally trying to destroy the economy and long term health of the USA. Impeach the America hater and financial terrorist.
That Keystone would provide 20,000 American jobs is simply a fact. The Bama types cave into the green baloney and joblessness today was ....352,000. Not a great number. We need the energy. We need shale, oil, coal, gas on and offshore drilling. Perry dropped out, and perhaps those votes will carry Newt over Mitt. Did Newt repent? Would he keep jobs here? Yes. Bama did not. And today, Bama gave an airplane contract to Brazil??? Brazil/ Why not give 1500 jobs to a KS. industry???
You trust Newt?
So he finally found the woman he thinks he wants and then he can repent? Is that the way it works? Suppose he finds that this is not the one either..
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
Back 
![Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks to supporters at Bobby's Bar-B-Q in Warrenville. Gingrich said President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline was a "stunningly stupid" decision. ZACH BOYDEN-HOLMES/STAFF](http://aug-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/superphoto/10846869.jpg "Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks to supporters at Bobby's Bar-B-Q in Warrenville. Gingrich said President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline was a "stunningly stupid" decision. ZACH BOYDEN-HOLMES/STAFF")
