Newt Gingrich visits Furman University, Greenville, SC

After a good Mutts BBQ sandwich, Bruce Tyson met Newt Gingrich at Furman University in Greenville,SC

Newt Gingrich appeared at a lunchtime barbecue rally on the campus of Furman University today. On a cool, but comfortable fall day, supporters from the college and the community gathered around a meal catered by Mutts Barbecue before shaking hands with the candidate. Gingrich made himself very accessible to the crowd, signing autographs and posing for photos before mounting the stage to give his stump speech. Gingrich gave his entire address without the aid of a teleprompter.

Newt 2012 Campaign Office

Newt began by announcing the opening of his office on Woodruff Road in Greenville, inviting the crowd to stop by. He also alluded to his latest surge in the polls and presented himself as the best canditdate to change Washington.

Change or Manage Washington?

Gingrich drew a distinction between himself, someone unhappy with Washington in its present form, and Mitt Romney who might do well managing the status quo. Responding to people who want Newt to take the gloves off versus Romney, Gingrich said that he’s after the 85% of the vote that has not gone for Romney.

Pro Innovation and Growth

The former Speaker of the House mentioned the congressional super committee concerns Newt who said he believes it’s a dangerous idea to address economic issues through austerity and pain. He favors innovation and growth instead. Newt particularly emphasized the need to access American energy resources, including the wealth of natural gas reserves known to exist off the coast of South Carolina.

Social Security

Newt’s speech hammered home three other main points. First he emphasized the need to take social security off the federal budget. This would undo the gimmick instituted by the Lyndon Johnson regime who first used social security money to cover up the excesses of federal spending.

Now we have a President who recently threatened to hold back social security paychecks as a political tool, a threat Newt believes was uncalled for. Also, seniors are unfairly left to hope in a stockpile of IOUs, something that is also unfair. He says that Social Security and the budget should be solved separately and kept separate from now on.

Immigration Enforcement

Newt also emphasized the dysfunction of the federal government regarding immigration and the unconstitutional actions of the President in suing South Carolina, Arizona and other states together with the government of Mexico. Newt says the federal government should work to fix the border problem rather than letting it get so out of hand the states must try to act.

Challenge to Debate the Teleprompter

To culminate his speech Newt highlighted his invitation to Obama to debate him in a series of 7 Lincoln-Douglas-style debates. Newt promised that as Lincoln followed Douglas about, responding to each Douglas speech, Newt would follow every Obama speech with answers to Obama until Obama would accept the debate invitation.

Newt said those who suggest he bypass the middleman and just debate the Teleprompter would be a funny picture, but he would rather debate Obama.

Debate Tonight in Spartanburg

Gingrich was in the Upstate of South Carolina in advance of a Republican Primary debate held later in the day at Wofford College in Spartanburg.