HMMM ... THAT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE A DOG WHISTLE I HEAR, COULD IT, NEWT?

Newt Gingrich today, as he unveiled his economic plan:

"Do you want to be a country that creates food stamps? In which case frankly Obama is an enormous success, the most successful food stamp president in American history," Gingrich said. "Or do you want to be a country that creates paychecks?"

Newt Gingrich Wednesday, as he announced his candidacy:

Said Gingrich: "If you look at the collapse of Detroit and the rise of Texas and you say to yourself which would you like better: the [state] that had the most job creation in America in 10 years or a city which has collapsed. I know how to get the whole country to resemble [Texas]. President Obama knows how to get the whole country to resemble Detroit."

Food stamps?

Detroit?

Is anyone else picking up on a subtext here? A subtext Gingich must think will get a strong response among the white exurban members of what he hopes will be his base?

Gingrich, remember, is supposed to be the GOP's "ideas guy." I guess now we know what his campaign's big idea is.