So, this is either a bit of a temper tantrum for not receiving ringing support of his running for President or he is positioning himself left to setup some kind of goofy ass independent run. There is no way he thought these comments would be ones that would bring him the nomination.
He figured out social conservatives will not vote for him in the primaries and is going for the brain dead suburbanite “moderate” vote.
With Gingrich, it is difficult to tell which is bigger — his mouth or his ego.
He can get many feet in that mouth.