On Fox News Sunday, Newt Gingrich said that a House Republican didn't choose the "wisest words" when raising the possibility of a government shut-down, but that, yeah, it might happen "if the President wants to push it."
WALLACE: A top House Republican, Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia, said on Friday that if the GOP takes control of Congress, they are going to pass spending bills that the President is likely to veto, and then he said this 'If the government shuts down, we want you with us."
Is that what we can expect from a Republican House -- another government shut-down like when you were in charge?
GINGRICH: No, I don't think you can expect that. I think that John Boehner will do everything he can to find a way to keep the government open, and I think that he will seek to get the President to agree to a continuing resolution, but I don't think he will give up on principle, and so a lot of it depends on the President.
WALLACE: But isn't it a little bit troubling that even before you take control of the House, you're already talking about another government shut-down?
GINGRICH: Sure, look, I don't think those are the wisest words he used. But the point he's making that was valid is: if the Republicans say we're not going to spend, for example, let's say they do what the country wants. We're not gonna spend anymore money implementing the Obama health reform, and let's say that Obama says that "I'll veto the whole bill."
That's a real challenge.
WALLACE: So a shut-down is possible?
GINGRICH: If the President wants to push it, it is, but I think a Speaker Boehner would work very hard to find a middle-ground that kept the principles that are gonna be in effect on election day that, nonetheless, the President could sign.
But remember, this President when he first met with Republicans in January of 2009 said to them "I won the election."
It'll be interesting to see what happens if he has to meet with a Speaker Boehner and a Majority Leader McConnell and they can say to him: "We just won the election".
