Gingrich offers campaign highlights and platform

Callista Gingrich introduced Newt to a packed house in the basement of Mabe's Pizza on Tuesday night. But before she left the podium she couldn't resist telling the audience that before she graduated from Luther in 1988, she lived her senior year in an apartment above Mabe's, so it was like coming home.

Gingrich began his remarks by expressing an appreciation for Decorah, Mabe's and the Luther College music programs that had so well prepared Callista. Gingrich went on the highlight the three focus points of his campaign:

• Jobs and economic growth where he would cut taxes, cut regulations, and encourage job creation. His remarks through the evening frequently referenced his "picking up the Ronald Reagan playbook."
• His commitment to sticking with a positive campaign.
• A campaign that speaks to voters not only being potential voters, but citizens with him in a citizens' movement.

Other highlights of his remarks, much in response to questions, included:

• His pledge to replace the EPA with a common sense organization. He said no agency destroys more jobs than the EPA.
• He would shrink the Department of Education and shift power to states and local governments.
• A commitment to appeal "Obamacare," as he noted that nobody gets denied medical care at an emergency room in America.
• A commitment to straight talk about the Middle East and his support for Israel. He said he seriously disagreed with Ron Paul who says it is ok to ignore nuclear threats of terrorist states like Iran.
• Admitted he was wrong when he had earlier endorsed Massachusetts "Romneycare" and added that Romney hasn't been able to admit he was wrong.