In Ashland, Gingrich talks of possible presidential run in 2012

Newt for president?

Newt Gingrich, the Republican former Speaker of the House, didn't rule it out last night in Ashland, before he was to address a packed house of 650-plus at Randolph-Macon College.

Gingrich and his wife, Callista, "will look seriously and we'll probably get our family totally engaged, including our two grandchildren, probably in January 2011, and we'll look seriously at whether or not we think it's necessary to do it," he told reporters during a sit-down interview before last night's speech.

"And if we think it's necessary we'll probably do it. And if it isn't necessary we probably won't do it."

During the interview Gingrich ticked off a list of young up-and-comers in the Republican Party, including Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, the House minority whip, with whom Gingrich, 65, has cultivated a relationship.

"I see the party moving towards a whole new generation," he said.

"Right here in Virginia, the No. 2 Republican in the House is Eric Cantor, who I think is going to become Speaker of the House someday and is a great, great leader emerging."

Gingrich, speaker of the House from 1995-1999, said Republicans owe it to President Barack Obama to listen to his ideas and seek areas where cooperation makes sense, citing Obama's plan to attack health problems such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

"Cooperate when you can, offer a better solution when possible, stop something only if you have no alternative," he explained.

It's just that right now there aren't many areas where Gingrich sees things going in the right direction. Here's Gingrich on the economy:

"I know of no experience in the last 50 years where a big-government spending program has successfully restarted the economy." He also lumped the bailouts proffered by the Bush administration into the mix. "You can't spend your way out of debt."

Gingrich said Obama made a mistake in "ramming" through the $787 billion stimulus package, but having gotten his way, must take ownership if it fails. But Republicans can't just sit back and throw stones.

"I think they have to be the party of better solutions, not the party of opposition," Gingrich said.

And the upcoming governor's race in Virginia will send an early signal to the rest of the nation as to whether Republicans have the right answers.

"The president is setting out a path of very high taxes, very big bureaucracy, moving power to Washington, redistributing wealth, punishing people who are successful, rewarding people who are not successful," Gingrich said.

"I think Virginia will be one of the first tests of that philosophical difference."

Whether or not he seeks his own votes, Gingrich made it clear he plans to be involved in thinking it through, developing and teaching his brand of practical conservatism to the next generation.

"I think it's conceivable that by 2012 you could have a second Contract for America," he said.

Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or .