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Fact checking Newt Gingrich's speech at the Atlanta Press Club

Newt Gingrich spoke at the Atlanta Press Club Wednesday. Newt Gingrich spoke at the Atlanta Press Club Wednesday.

Newt Gingrich spoke at the Atlanta Press Club Wednesday.

By Willoughby Mariano June 22, 2011

PolitiFact Georgia kept our Truth-O-Meter handy for Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s appearance at the Atlanta Press Club Wednesday.

It served us well. The former U.S. House speaker made claims during the breakfast talk that the Truth-O-Meter previously checked.

Some were old chestnuts. Newt Gingrich frequently calls President Barack Obama the "food stamp president. He did it again today. We ruled that accusation Half True.

Gingrich also talked about the "Reagan recovery," which he said was much stronger than the current one. We checked a similar claim he made during last week’s Manchester, N.H. debate and found it Half True. The recovery during Reagan’s presidency was strong, but one of the numbers Gingrich used during the debate was incorrect.

Other claims resembled common Republican talking points. Gingrich called the nation’s current economic woes the "Obama depression." PolitiFact recently ruled two comparisons between today’s economy and the Great Depression False.   

Gingrich also said that the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a major financial regulatory overhaul, hurts the economy. A statement by a Republican congressman that Dodd-Frank "will kill jobs" earned a Barely True in January.

For other fact checks on Gingrich, click here.

Did you hear anything in Gingrich’s speech that you want us to check? Tell us on our Facebook page. Press "like" to join the discussion. You can also find us on Twitter.

And be sure to keep the Truth-O-Meter handy. 

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Fact checking Newt Gingrich's speech at the Atlanta Press Club