Newt Gingrich, Perry discuss political climate

FORT WORTH, TX (KTRK) -- Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was in Fort Worth Thursday afternoon to sign copies of his new book.

A handful of Republicans are on a book tour, kind of capitalizing on what happened during the midterm elections. Among them are Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich, and they both talked to us about the state of our country. The afternoon had the feel of a campaign rally.

"We wanna see this continue with the Republican Party," said Carlos Puente, who bought Gingrich's book. "Hopefully it'll spread to other parts."

"I think it's going to continue in 2012," book buyer said Tom Washington.

"I'm just very excited about the turn that I see the country making, people becoming more involved," said Deborah Gagliardi, another book buyer.

"It's extremely exciting and it gives you more faith in the system," book buyer Peggy Harde Gree said.

The governor and the former speaker are still on the trail stumping for votes.

"Americas are fed up with runaway spending, mountains of debt," Gov. Rick Perry said.

"We decisively defeated the left in one of the greatest landslides in America history," Gingrich said.

But it is a book signing for two men who've become political allies.

We sat down with the former speaker for his thoughts on the political shift in Washington and where he thinks the country moving after the president's party was soundly defeated.

"Do you think we're headed in the right direction?" we asked Gingrich.

"No, I think the elections last week stopped us from going toward an even worse future," he responded. "But I think we have an immense amount of work to do to replace the failed policies of a secular, socialist system with a policy that will work for Americans."

In Fort Worth signing copies of his newest book, the former history professor says there is something to be learned from the nation's early struggles for freedom and the place in which we find ourselves today - politically, economically, and how we should view ourselves globally.

"I think America exceptionalism is the heart of who we are," Gingrich said. "We are the only people in history who say we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And that makes us different. It also puts a burden on us.

A burden, he says, is not too heavy to carry, given the right choices in Washington.

A true partisan, he believes, right of center is the best way to govern. For that, he may himself consider a run at leading that movement in 2012.

Currently, Gingrich runs four small businesses with his wife, along with the book tour and other endeavors so he's keeping busy. As for his political aspirations, he says he's keeping his options open.

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newt gringrich, texas, election day, rick perry, politics, tom abrahams

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