Christie: Gingrich 'embarrassed' GOP

Romney surrogate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called Newt Gingrich an embarrassment to the Republican Party on Sunday, one day after the former House Speaker rode a late surge to victory in the South Carolina primary.

"I think Newt Gingrich has embarrassed the party, over time," Christie (R), who has endorsed Romney, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "Gov. Romney never has."

When pressed on how Gingrich had embarrassed the Republican party, Christie mentioned said that Gingrich had been pressured to resign from the House of Representatives in 1998 and had been fined for House ethics violations. 

"We all know the record," Christie added. "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."

Christie suggested the former House speaker's record could predict what he would be like as president. 

"I'm not saying he will do it again in the future, but sometimes past is prologue," Christie said. 

In the same interview Christie shot down the possibility of joining Romney on the Republican presidential ticket if the former Massachusetts governor won the nomination. He said he would listen if Romney offered him the job but, as of now, he plans to stick in his current job. 

Despite regularly making vice presidential —and even presidential— shortlists, Christie has shot down the possibility of running on the Republican presidential ticket in 2012. 

"I absolutely believe that come November 2012 I’m going to be governor of New Jersey," Christie said.

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