Gingrich Endorses Romney

Former presidential candidate Newt Gingrich strongly endorsed Mitt Romney and said the former Massachusetts governor “is a solid conservative,” during an appearance Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

"Mitt Romney is a solid conservative," Gingrich told host Bob Schieffer right out of the gate. "I think you have to come down to what's the choice this November, and the choice is the most radical president in American history and a failed president at the economy and somebody who has a solid record on jobs and who in fact, on basic principles is a conservative."

Gingrich also said he was surprised that people were saying he hadn't endorsed Romney yet.

"You know, that's very strange to me," Gingrich said. "I said on Wednesday when I did the statement of suspending the campaign, I'm going to campaign for him. I favor him over Obama, and I went through, like, seven different issues where I favor him.

"I'll do everything I can to help elect Romney and I'll do everything I can to help the Senate and to help the House Republicans. I'm not sure what endorsement means beyond that. I will be campaigning with Mitt in the near future."

Gingrich chuckled when asked if he'd accept the vice presidential slot if offered by Romney.

"You have known me a long time," he told Schieffer. "Would you pick me to be vice presidential nominee? I mean, I'm so much — my own agent, it would be — it's inconceivable."

There is no shortage of talent for Romney to choose from, Gingrich added.

"People underestimate how deep our bench is," Gingrich said. "You know have somebody like Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire. Mitch Daniels, you have got Marco Rubio. You have got Rob Portman, you have got Bobby Jindal, you have got Susana Martinez. Go down a list and you'll find that there is an enormous depth of talent in the Republican Party that wasn't there probably twelve years ago."

Gingrich — four days after suspending his campaign — said another four years of Barack Obama is something Americans cannot afford.

“We’ve had change,” he said, referencing Obama’s campaign slogan. “More Americans have lost jobs. More Americas have had their homes foreclosed. More Americans have paid more for gasoline. More Americans have been driven into poverty. We’ve seen a lot of change under Barack Obama. The sad thing is, almost all of it’s been negative.

“He can dance all he wants to,” Gingrich said. “In the end, this campaign is real simple. Could you really afford four more years of a failed presidency?”