LE BOURGET, France — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he has
“no idea” if presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump
is going to pick him as a running mate, but he knows he’s being vetted
closely and a decision is coming soon.
Mr. Gingrich, who appeared here on the outskirts of Paris Saturday to
support a large rally by Iranian opposition activists, told The
Washington Times in an interview that he expects Mr. Trump will
announce a vice president pick this coming Friday.
The goal, he said, will be to “dominate the weekend news” heading into
into the Republican National Convention, which opens on Monday, July
18, in Cleveland.
The former 20-year congressmen, whose “Contract with
America” movement energized Republicans to win control of the House
during the mid-1990s, has drawn increasing attention during recent
weeks as a potential running mate for Mr. Trump.
With others, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Indiana
Governor Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama reported to
be on the list, speculation is surging over who will be picked.
“It’s entirely up to Trump,” said Mr. Gingrich of Georgia, who
suggested that he, personally, hasn’t decided whether he’ll say yes if
Mr. Trump invites him onto the ticket.
“If somebody calls and says would you be willing to serve your
country, then I have to take it seriously,” Mr. Gingrich said. “It
doesn’t mean yes, but it does mean take it seriously.”
He made the comments after speaking at the Iranian dissident rally
held annually in France, where tens of thousands of Iranian opposition
supporters — along with no shortage of former American political
leaders — were gathered on Saturday in a collective call for the
downfall of Iran’s theocratic government.
The event’s main organizer was the National Council of Resistance of
Iran, a group whose persistence and tactics have given it a
double-edged reputation even among some of Iran’s Western critics.
Mr. Gingrich, who appeared on stage alongside former New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson, a Democrat, and John Bolton, who served as
U.N. ambassador during the George W. Bush administration, slammed the
nuclear accord that the Obama administration and other world powers
reach with Iran last year.
The “dictatorship” in Iran “cannot be trusted,” Mr. Gingrich said,
adding that “the agreement made with it is insane.”
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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