Newt warns staff: Don't go negative

Hammond explained that the campaign has been getting a series of inquiries about how they will respond to attacks coming Gingrich’s way, given the searing Web ad Ron Paul’s campaign has released, and the “tea leaves” that the Romney campaign is preparing to attack. And so, in the course of a regular morning call with his staff and advisers, Gingrich said to keep the focus on a forward-looking campaign and President Obama.

In essence, that means Gingrich will be stealing from longtime putative frontrunner Mitt Romney’s own playbook: Act like the nominee for the general election, don’t engage intraparty rivals and prepare to be seen as the president.

As one informal adviser familiar with the call put it, “Newt instructed his team this morning on a conference call from Des Moines to remain focused on what obviously has resonated: Voters want a nominee who can go toe to toe with President Obama on issues and substance. So Newt will continue to talk about how lower taxes, less regulation and pro-growth policies that will permit Americans to create real jobs. Negative attacks on fellow Republicans will not create a single new job or help rebuild America.”