Gingrich: NBC owes wife an apology

WASHINGTON, June 16 (UPI) -- Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich says NBC owes his wife Callista an apology for reporting she was the reason for all the tumult in his campaign.

Saying NBC quoted sources who "lied" about his wife, Gingrich told Fox News Wednesday, "I believe NBC owes Callista an apology."

"I thought NBC this morning [Wednesday], in a program that had nobody on camera, nobody quoted by name, that quoted reporters talking anonymously about cowardly people, who, frankly, lied about my wife -- and I believe NBC owes Callista an apology," the former House speaker said.

Current and former campaign staffers and advisers told NBC News Gingrich's presidential campaign was hampered by differences over the role of his wife.

He and his wife make decisions as a couple, but "in the end, I take full responsibility," the Georgia Republican said.

Since Gingrich announced his presidential bid in May, he backed off his opposition to the GOP plans to overhaul Medicare and an Iowa Republican told him to abandon his race. It was revealed that he once owed as much as $500,000 to luxury jeweler Tiffany's. Last week, most of his top aides resigned from the campaign, citing differences about the vision for the campaign.

The latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll indicates Gingrich is having a rough time catching on.

Results indicate 48 percent of voters said they have a negative opinion of Gingrich -- an all-time high in the poll. Just 16 percent have a favorable opinion of Gingrich, down 8 percentage points since April.

Peter Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, said the numbers indicate a "total and complete implosion."

Results are based on a nationwide survey of 1,000 adults conducted June 9-13. The overall poll has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.