Gingrich talks technology as Deep South primaries are underway

Hours from learning whether Alabama Republicans will reinvigorate his political fortunes, Newt Gingrich made a midday stop to speak to a suburban chamber of commerce, mentioning just a few times that he was running for president and not mentioning his opponents at all.

Gingrich, who spoke after an expert on cyber crime, lapsed into a short discourse of the marvels of technology, extolling ATMs and the composite technology in the 787 Dreamliner. He said bringing such innovative technology to Washington was one of the reasons he was running.

“This is an intellectual problem. This more than just ideology,” said Gingrich, a former college professor who has staked his campaign, in part, on selling himself as the only candidate with ideas big enough to revolutionize the government. “Granted the administration is too far to the left, but the whole city is obsolete. The whole city’s mind-set is mired in a world that’s gone.”

His nine-minute speech to about 250 members of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce was subdued and succinct compared to his barn-burner at a Republican forum the night before, which was peppered with cutting sarcasm and barbed put-downs. Instead, Gingrich sounded like his professorial persona, displaying his memory of arcane knowledge and his belief that technology can transform the world. “It’s more than just left versus right. It’s future versus past. It’s competent versus incompetent. It’s productive versus non-productive,” he said.

Gingrich was introduced by J. T. “Jabo” Waggoner, the state Senate majority leader. Waggoner, who said he has known the former House speaker since 1984, noted that Gingrich had invested heavily in Alabama and Mississippi. The two Southern states, which vote Tuesday, could help Gingrich revive his claim that he, not Rick Santorum, is the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. If Gingrich wins, Waggoner said, “It’s a new dynamic in this election.”

The most Gingrich displayed his crowd-pleasing wit was when he noted that UPS and FedEx can track millions of packages a day and said, “The federal government can’t find 11 million illegal immigrants while they’re sitting still.” He continued, “One of my proposals is that we ship a package to every person that’s here illegally and when UPS and FedEx deliver it …” He did not get to finish delivering his punchline before the audience erupted into applause.

Winding up much more quickly than usual, he said, “I’d love to have your votes,” and urged supporters to put technology – email, Twitter, Facebook – to work for his campaign.

john.hoeffel@latimes.com

Gingrich talks technology as Deep South primaries are underway