Republican frontrunner Gingrich courts Donald Trump

Newt Gingrich, the new frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, courted billionaire developer Donald Trump and promoted his controversial ideas on putting children to work. Gingrich told journalists in New York he was "delighted" after meeting Trump, a maverick political activist, reality TV star and businessman who has previously toyed with the idea of running for the White House. Buoyed by polls putting him on top of the Republican heap, Gingrich returned to his insistence that young children in poor neighborhoods should learn the work ethic by getting jobs cleaning their schools. Gingrich has taken flack for the idea, but said Trump agreed with him. "It's fascinating when I go out and talk to very successful people that... surprisingly early they began to learn something about the relationship between work and income," Gingrich told a press conference at an upscale private members club in Manhattan. He said Trump, a flamboyant, but polarizing fixture in US business, had agreed to establish an apprentice program for poor children in New York. "When you have 43 percent of black teenage unemployment, there's a very, very serious challenge of making sure people get the work habit," Gingrich said. He added that Trump "liked the idea a lot and knew exactly what I was getting at." Outside the club, two dozen activists from the Occupy Wall Street movement yelled abuse at Gingrich, who'd previously dismissed them as lay-abouts who needed to wash and "go get a job." "Newt needs a bath. He's rolling in dirty money," one placard said. Gingrich brushed off the protesters, waving and smiling at journalists as he got into his SUV, but not even looking at the noisy demonstration across the narrow street. Latest polls showed the former speaker of the House of Representatives in a surprisingly solid lead ahead of previous Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney in the battle for the nomination to challenge Democrat President Barack Obama next November. On Monday, Gingrich ran his debut television ad in Iowa, where the first in a series of primaries will be held in a month, giving the winner there potentially major momentum and fund-raising ability. Analysts say Gingrich's surge is partly linked to the implosion of Herman Cain's candidacy after a slew of charges that he was unfaithful to his wife. However, a spokesman for Gingrich denied reports that Cain would imminently endorse his former rival. Trump also did not issue an explicit endorsement. But given the negative reactions provoked by "The Donald" in many quarters, not everyone necessarily would have considered that a minus. NBC's anchor Chuck Todd on Monday goaded Trump, saying that a poll in New Hampshire found that a Trump endorsement could actually turn two thirds of voters in that politically strategic state away. Trump responded, saying: "You mean to tell me if someone is going to be worse off if I endorse them? I don't think so, because I have a huge following of people." Another Republican candidate, Ron Paul, has said he will not attend an upcoming debate due to be moderated by Trump and on Sunday criticized Republicans' attraction for the developer. "I don't quite understand the marching to his office," Paul said. "I didn't know he had the ability to lay on hands and anoint people."