The Newt Gingrich campaign finally came to an end on Wednesday just outside of Washington, D.C., as the former Speaker of the House gave a backhanded endorsement to GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney and vowed not to shrink from the political scene in the future.
"I am suspending my campaign," Gingrich told reporters, describing his bid for the White House as a "truly wild ride," and "amazing and astonishing."
While Gingrich did not take any questions, he did anticipate the one which reporters would have been asking, and that was would he endorse Mitt Romney.
Gingrich gave an answer that only Newt Gingrich could give.
"This is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan," Gingrich began, harkening back to his attacks on Romney as a Massachusetts Moderate.
"This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist President in American history," Gingrich said flatly.
Translate - while Gingrich doesn't think Romney fits the bill, he sure is better than the guy already in the White House.
Gingrich's comments were vintage Newt, overflowing with all kinds of ideas, as he gave reporters the short verbal version of his career in politics, beginning in the 1964 race between LBJ and Goldwater.
“Today I'm suspending the campaign, but suspending the campaign doesn't mean suspending citizenship,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich again argued for big ideas and big solutions in a political campaign, though he acknowledged the mocking he received over his idea for a base on the moon.
That moon colony was probably not my most clever moment in this campaign," Gingrich said with a wry smile, seemingly pleased that he had given Saturday Night Live some late night material.
While Gingrich didn't exactly give Mitt Romney a ringing endorsement, Team Romney was ready with a statement as soon as Gingrich left the stage with his family.
"Newt Gingrich has brought creativity and intellectual vitality to American political life," said the GOP frontrunner.
Gingrich's bid for the White House was derided at first as a bid to sell more books and videos by Gingrich Productions, but suddenly he caught fire late last year and zoomed to the top of the polls.
He had several near death experiences along the way, but kept chugging along, electrifying debate crowds in South Carolina and then bombing in a pair of debates the next week in Florida.
Unfortunately, Gingrich ends his bid with a large amount of debt - it was at $4.5 million at the end of March, and may now be closer to $6 million after another month of campaign efforts.
While some people are writing Gingrich's political obituary, that is probably an overreaction. Gingrich has always been able to overcome problems and work himself back into the political discussion.
And this time will probably be no different - at least that's what Gingrich is probably planning already.
