You can bet that IF Newt had said this, the media and internet would have been all over it. He would then be forced into what you refer to as "school yard arguing."
Romney doesn't care about the poor, because of the safety net?! Remember when people talked about this country as "the land of opportunity." That extended to the poor, as well.
We don't only need jobs and the economy straightened out, we need someone that can inspire. Romney fails at that.
No one will say it of course, but a good % of the "poor" honestly choose to be so - not necessarily poor, but content to live a lesser life subsidized by government.
I think what need to be stressed is that government can't make you successful, but government can certainly work against your ability to enjoy success. Mr. Obama has spent three years proving that.
Both Romney and Gingrich need to create a clear vision of what they want to do as President. I think I follow the campaigns about as mush as anyone here and I still can't explain what they have planned and how they really differ philosophically.
If they would spell out a simple plan and stick to it while they get to work taking Obama apart they would be collecting mass like a snowball rolling down a hill. Newt is a complex big picture thinker and has trouble detailing a plan of action. But, he once helped create a contract with America - why not again? Romney is a business man and should be able to layout a business plan that people can see and understand.