Florida GOP Debate: Romney Goes in on Newt Gingrich

Newt's old tricks don't work in recent debate

For the first time in a long time Mitt Romney came out the aggressor in a debate.

While we all grew accustomed to seeing him on the defensives, in Thursday's Florida debate Mitt immediately charged Newt Gingrich for ads saying that he was "anti-immigrant."

"That's inexcusable," Romney said, staring Gingrich down. "I'm not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. ... The idea that I'm anti-immigrant is repulsive. Don't use a term like that."

In a debate that some have labeled "Newt's worst night," Gingrich also saw some of his debate tricks fall flat.

Recently, he's used a strategy of attacking moderators for asking him certain questions and getting a rouse from the audience. When he tried that on Wolf Blitzer, it didn't work.

The Newt was also ridiculed when Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum ganged up on him about a promise he made to laid-off space workers. He said he was elected president that he would build a colony on the moon.

"I don't think we should go to the moon," Paul said. "I think maybe we should send some politicians up there."

Newt also didn't do much to bury rumors that he asked his first wife for an open marriage. When candidates were asked which of their wives would make the best First Lady, everyone chose their own wife, except for Gingrich.

"I would rather just talk about why I like Callista, and why I'd like her to be first lady, but she's not necessarily in any way better," he said. "These are wonderful people, and they would be wonderful first ladies."