Gingrich Tours Phoenix Zoo on Thursday
My FOX Phoenix
October 18, 2012
Steve Krafft
Newt Gingrich was once the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president. But today he was far away from the campaign trail.
Newt Gingrich was in town to give a couple speeches and also stopped by the Phoenix Zoo.
The president of the zoo, Bert Castro, invited him to visit, and Newt, an animal lover, said yes.
Newt: “So they actually produce a venom that comes out of their gums?”
Zookeeper: “Yes it is in their lower jaw.”
Newt Gingrich thinks Mitt Romney will win the presidency, but today he was more interested in Gaia, a komodo dragon, and checking out some endangered black-footed ferrets.
Being a loyal republican, of course, he paid a visit to the elephants.
The former House Speaker is a zoo lover from way back.
“Well I think I am, because I love animals. My wife will tell you I watch NATGEO Wild and I am like a 4-year-old,” says Gingrich.
Mr. Gingrich is, after all, a political animal.
FOX 10′s Steve Krafft: “Being speaker, was that a little bit like running a zoo?”
Newt: “Actually it is. There is a great book called ‘Chimpanzee Politics’ which is a study of…
Steve:” Sees I was kidding!”
Newt: “But I wasn’t, trust me!”
Members of congress, just a rowdy bunch of primates? Don’t tell your representative.
At any rate, Gingrich was more interested in finding some new animal adventures.
He had an encounter with a giant tortoise between 90 and 100 years old. The speaker fed him some vegetables.
For Newt, there’s nothing like going to the zoo.
“If you relax and let the animal talk to you on its terms, elephants are different from komodo dragons which are different from black footed ferrets.”
Dr. Doolittle has nothing on Speaker Gingrich.
Mr. Gingrich says he has visited 100 zoos. He says the Phoenix Zoo is an outstanding example of a public-private partnership — a model for other zoos.
