Newt Gingrich Calls for Expanded Oil Production at Rally in Everett

The recent startling increase in gas prices nationwide played right into Newt Gingrich’s speech at a rally Friday at the Historic Everett Theater in Everett.

The Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House called for an unleashing of America’s full energy production potential of oil, saying the political left has been trying to drive up gasoline prices for 30 years by ignoring that potential.

“When I was Speaker of the House, gas was $1.13 a gallon. When President Obama (took office), it was $1.89.” Today, gas prices are quickly approaching $4 a gallon again. “If you want gas at $2.50 a gallon, vote for me. If you want gas at $10 a gallon, vote for Obama.”

By taking full advantage of oil in the Arctic and Gulf of Mexico, Gingrich said, by the end of the decade the U.S. could be producing more than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined.

Gingrich’s comments were red meat to the enthusiastic crowd who filled the Everett theater. Before Gingrich took to the podium, they were led in prayer and a singing of the National Anthem by Tony Moore, president of the Federal Way School Board. Moore helped organize Gingrich’s rally earlier in the day at the Best Western Plus Evergreen Inn & Suites.

The crowd cheered loudly for Gingrich’s wife, Callista Gingrich, who spoke for a few minutes before her husband took the stage. She remained at his side for his entire 40-minute speech.

Gingrich touched on familiar themes, including welfare reform, repealing the estate tax (or “death” tax), balancing the budget (he said he’s the only Speaker of the House to preside over four consecutive balanced budgets “in our lifetime”) and creating a 15 percent tax rate.

He also took a swipe at leading Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who acknowledged that he expects to pay an effective federal tax rate of 15.4 percent in 2011, a rate much lower than most Americans.

“I’d like to have you have the same tax rate as Romney,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich also said it's time to get tougher on terrorism.

“If you look at the average terrorist bomb plot, they do not come from the Kansas Kiwanis. We allow Muslim front groups to dictate to the U.S. government what appropriate behavior is. We hold meetings with the Organization of Islamic Countries, which is basically organized for the purpose of having a totally one-sided (perspective). And we assure them that we want to help them. I don’t want to help them.”

If the U.S. wants to help them, Gingrich added, “We have to start by asking them, how soon can we build a church in Saudi Arabia?”

, the rally in Everett had only one interruption, when a man in the theater’s balcony yelled that Gingrich was “part of the 1 percent,” a reference to the “We are the 99 percent” slogan adopted by the Occupy movement.

The crowd quickly chanted “Newt, Newt, Newt,” while one rally member near the stage stood up and yelled at the protestor to show himself in the lower level and repeat what he said.

Gingrich recognized the man’s rights to his opinions, but fired off: “It’s better that some people should ventilate rather than explode.”

Gingrich, of course, took some shots at the president, but wasn’t as harsh in tone as in previous speeches across the country. He did say, however, that the country is “becoming a secular dictatorship under President Obama.” And one of the biggest cheers of the evening came with this: “I believe the economy will turn around late election night when people know Obama is no longer in office.”

The recent influx of Republican presidential candidates to Washington—, Mitt Romney is scheduled next week—comes in preparation of the state's Republican caucus on March 3.  

Gingrich reminded those voting in the caucuses to keep a few things in mind.

“I want this campaign to offer every American the chance to pursue happiness by having a job. I believe America only works when Americans are working. I believe that means we go back to when it worked for Reagan, when we created 16 million jobs, and when it worked for Clinton and me when we created 11 million jobs in four years. Pretty simple. Lower taxes, less regulation, more American energy and respect for and enthusiasm for people who create jobs.”