Newt Gingrich on Medicare: flip-flopping on the flip-flop?

By Peter Wallsten
NYT

Newt Gingrich may have stepped into trouble again – appearing to flip-flop on an earlier flip-flop over his statement last spring that Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plans amounted to “right-wing social engineering.”

Recall that back in May, conservatives pounded Gingrich after he made those comments during what was widely viewed as a disastrous appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. The next day, Gingrich appeared on Fox News to declare that he made two mistakes – answering a “hypothetical, baloney” question from host David Gregory, and then using “some of the words” he mentioned.

Then, to underscore his point, Gingrich offered a stern warning: “Any ad which quotes what I said Sunday is a falsehood and because I have said publicly, those words were inaccurate and unfortunate.”

A falsehood? Well, it looks as if Gingrich has reconsidered that view once again.

“Look, it was a technical mistake, but what I said was true,” the former speaker said Wednesday night when asked about the May dustup by Fox News host Sean Hannity.

(More here.)