ABC News points out that Newt was first to release jobs plan

When Tim Pawlenty released his jobs plan a couple of months ago, the media kept saying he was the first candidate to do so. And now Jon Huntsman has received the same treatment, with some claiming his was the first plan.

But Arlette Saenz of ABC News sets the record straight:

But there’s one jobs plan that hasn’t received much coverage this election cycle – the one released by Newt Gingrich back in May. The former speaker of the House, who announced his run for the presidency in May via Twitter, released his “Jobs and Prosperity Plan” just two days after announcing his candidacy.

Gingrich crafted an economic plan with the intent of instantly boosting new business investment in the United States. His plan proposes eliminating the capital gains tax, bringing the corporate tax rate to 12.5 percent, shifting to an optional 15 percent flat tax for all Americans, and abolishing the death tax on a permanent basis, all while reforming the FDA and EPA and repealing Sarbanes Oxley, Dodd-Frank and President Obama’s healthcare plan.

In his campaign, Gingrich has also emphasized the need to expand initiatives in developing American energy as a mechanism for creating new jobs.

These weren’t new ideas for Gingrich, who in 2009 released a jobs plan with similar goals -- shifting the corporate tax rate to 12.5 percent, ending the capital gains and death taxes, and calling for a balanced budget and an American energy plan. Gingrich also held a Real Jobs Summit in December 2009 at the same time President Obama held the White House Jobs Summit.

Saenz also had this quote from Newt's spokesman:

“The question isn’t what to do, it is, Who can do it? We need leadership now that can implement the right policies to put Americans back to work. Republicans should act now on several fronts and let the President explain why his policies create more food stamps than they do paychecks,” R.C. Hammond, spokesman for Gingrich, said.

Quotes from Newt's speech to Maryland GOP

In a speech at the Maryland Republican Party fundraiser Thursday, Newt assailed President Obama's foreign policy. From Kendra Marr:

He told the audience that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, and challenged the notion that the Libyan rebels have America’s best interests at heart. He said political correctness is inhibiting the fight against Islamist terrorists. Gingrich also charged that Obama has been “strangely quiet” about Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and that the president no longer cares about Israel’s safety.

“I’m not very comfortable that Egypt is going to work out well,” he said. “I’m not very comfortable that Tunisia is going to work out well. I’m not very comfortable that Libya is going to work out well.”

Gingrich ended his speech with a few solutions. He proposed that Congress force the president to make foreign policy decisions at home, not through foreign organizations like the United Nations, and revamp the Intelligence Act so that American can have “real effective spies.” He also called for the firing of Attorney General Eric Holder, who Gingrich charged with undermining American security.

From ABC's Arlette Saenz:

"Is the tide of war receding or is there a potential tsunami of violence building offshore?" Gingrich repeatedly asked the crowd.

"I want to challenge the president to withdraw the phrase because it totally misleads the American people and it represents a delusion of the real world."

Also from Saenz:

Prior to his speech, Gingrich held a roundtable fundraiser for his campaign. Earlier this week, two top fundraisers for the campaign quit.

The Gingrich campaign is planning fundraisers as they head into the final week of the fundraising quarter.

"I ask everyone I can for money. I’d love to have your support," Gingrich told reporters.