Newt Gingrich acknowledges Ron Paul, Saul Alinsky in S.C. win – The State Column

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich gave his victory speech in South Carolina, during which he acknowledged rival candidate Ron Paul and late Jewish American activist Saul Alinsky.

The reference to Mr. Alinsky was also an acknowledgement to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who compared Mr. Gingrich to the 1940s writer Alinsky for his criticism of Bain Capital co-founder Mitt Romney.

President Barack Obama was influenced by Mr. Saulinsky’s writings as a young community organizer, Politico reports. Mr. Gingrich comprised his own ethics as those of “classical America” and stated that Mr. Obama drew his from Mr. Salinsky.

In referring to Mr. Paul, the former House speaker acknowledged that he disagreed with the Texas congressman on “many things” but that he did agree with his views on the Federal Reserve. The former Georgia lawmaker has clashed with Mr. Paul throughout debates over fact checking and foreign policy.

“Dr. Ron Paul, who on the issue of money and the federal reserve, has been right for 25 years,” said Mr. Gingrich during his victory speech. “While I disagree with him on many other things, there’s no doubt that a lot of his critique of inflation, of flat money into the federal reserve is absolutely right, in the right direction, and its something I can support strongly.

Mr. Gingrich acknowledged former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum as well. The crowd chanted “VP-VP-VP” when he spoke about Mr. Santorum.

Mr. Gingrich’s referred to Mr. Salinsky several times throughout his speech though, mainly in the same regards Mr. Obama and “radical” liberal concepts.

Mr. Salinsky is best known for his community organizing efforts in low income neighborhoods. He is also known for the last book he wrote before he died in 1972, “Rules of the Radicals” professed Machiavellian principles for the “have nots” in the U.S. at the time.

The new focus on lumping Mr. Obama in with Mr. Salinsky seems to be Mr. Gingrich’s new tactic to appeal to his conservative base that likely cringes at the thought of Mr. Salinsky, considered to be an extreme liberal in his views.

Mr. Giuliani’s comments following the release of “King of Bain” comparing Mr Gingrich’s criticism of Bain to “acting like Saul Alinsky” seems to have given the former House speaker a new basis of criticism for the Obama administration and Democrats.

“The debate we’ll have with President Obama mark the outlying of two Americas, the America of the Declaration of Independence, the America of Saul Alinksy, the America of paychecks,” said Mr. Gingrich. “The America of dependence, the America of independence, the America of strength in foreign policy, the America of weakness in foreign policy.”

The former House speaker finished with 40 percent of the votes, trailed at a distance second by rival candidate Mitt Romney who finished with 28 percent.

All of the remaining candidates will meet for a debate moderated by NBC News, Monday night in Tampa Bay, Florida.