A new Web ad from Newt Gingrich mocks Mitt Romney for speaking French and compares the former Massachusetts governor to two failed Democratic presidential candidates from the state, Michael Dukakis and Sen. John Kerry. 

“What has Massachusetts given us? A liberal governor who wanted us to believe he was strong on defense, a liberal senator who wanted us to believe he was a man of the people and a Massachusetts moderate who runs away from Ronald Reagan,” the narrator says. 

{mosads}The ad goes on to knock Romney’s record in the Bay State.

“Romney donated to Democrats, and given the choice to vote in the Democrat or Republican primary, Romney chose the Democrats, voting for a liberal Democrat instead of President George H.W. Bush,” the narrator continues. “Romney opposed the Contract With America, raised taxes and authored government-mandated healthcare with taxpayer-funded abortions.”

The narrator then proclaims that Romney would “say anything to win.” And, the narrator adds, “Just like John Kerry, he speaks French too.” The ad then shows a clip of Romney speaking about the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics in French. Romney helped organize the Winter Games, of which the official language is French.

Kerry’s French connection became an issue in the 2004 campaign, with Republicans frequently jabbing the senator. Former GOP House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Texas) would frequently open speeches by saying hello, then quipping, “Or, as John Kerry might say, ‘Bonjour.’ “