You have to give Newt Gingrich some credit. At least he's trying to rile up voters with attacks on Obama that have something to do with his the president's management of the economy, versus crazy claims about his religion or country of birth. That's a step up from what we've seen from the right before. But the Republican presidential hopeful still might want to put some thought into a new nickname.
Digging up an attack he's used before, he recently proclaimed Barack Obama "the best food stamp president in history." What does that even mean? Sure, the number of food-stamp recipients has soared during the economic downturn, the Chicago Tribune reports. But if "most successful" means adding the most people to the food stamp rolls, George W. Bush takes the title. And if it means getting the most people off, Bill Clinton wins. (When he took office in 1993, there were nearly 28 million people on food stamps. When he left in 2001, it was down to just over 17 million. All in all, he cut the rolls by 37 percent, according to the Tribune.)
So maybe what Gingrich meant was, "The president who I'd most like to associate with food stamps because if I end up running against him, the racial undercurrents of that statement might communicate something to voters that helps me out." Not quite as catchy, but probably more accurate.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune.