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Newt Gingrich 'is an embarrassment to the party', Gov. Christie claims

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't mince words, which is one reason the Republican is so popular. The larger-than-life politician who endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney picked apart GOP hopeful Newt Gingrich Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I think Newt Gingrich has embarrassed the party, over time," Christie complained to host David Gregory. "Governor Romney never has."

Christie had no problem providing examples of how the former Speaker, who has recently surged in the GOP nomination race, has put a black eye on the party.

"We all know the record," Christie said. "I mean, he was run out of the speakership by his own party, he was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This is a guy that's had a very difficult career at times and has been an embarrassment to the party."

Gingrich who was once considered a longshot for president won the South Carolina primary by a large margin over Romney and now has his sites set on Florida.

Even action star Chuck Norris is backing the Georgian. Earlier this week Norris wrote that despite Gingrich's failures he is the best candidate to take on President Barack Obama.

"No man or candidate is perfect. We all have skeletons in our closet," Norris wrote online. "If buried bones became unforgivable bones of contention, the world would never know or will never know another Benjamin Franklin, King David and others like them. We must remember that we’re electing a president, not a pastor or pope."

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Christie backed off a tad on NBC today when he said he wasn't predicting Gingrich would continue to embarrass Republicans. "I'm not saying he will do it again in the future, but sometimes past is prologue," Christie said.

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