Newt Goes All 'Dede Scozzafava' on Immigration!

Remember Dede?

Michelle has the refresher: "An ACORN-Friendly, Big Labor-Backing, Tax-and-Spend Radical in GOP Clothing."

Old Newt's getting a little too comfortable up there in the frontrunner's spot, it turns out. He's already angling for the independent vote and we're still weeks away from the Iowa caucuses. Can you say "RINO"? See The Hill, "Immigration exchange during GOP debate nudges Gingrich toward the center":

Newt Gingrich ended up to the left of his GOP rivals on immigration during a CNN debate on Tuesday, defending his position that the United States shouldn't deport every illegal immigrant while the other presidential hopefuls accused him of supporting magnets that attract illegal immigration.

"I don't see any reason to punish someone who came here at 3 years of age and wants to serve the United States of America," Gingrich said, adding that those whose parents brought them to the country illegally but want to serve in the U.S. military should be included in a program that lets foreigners earn citizenship through military service.

Gingrich said he found it hard to believe that Americans would support deporting millions of people and that visas should be made available for those with math and science skills.

But he also made it clear that flexibility would apply only to those who had been contributing positively to the nation for years, not to those continuing to flout U.S. immigration laws.

"I do believe if you've come here recently and you have no ties to the U.S., we should deport you," he said.

Basically, come here illegally, don't get caught and live in the shadows for a decade or two, and you're good to go!

Yay Newt! We knew you still had the old RINO spirit!

Also at Politico (and Memeorandum).