Gingrich takes first step toward 2012 run

(CNN) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Thursday that he is taking the first official step toward a presidential bid.

"We will look at this very seriously and we will very methodically lay out the framework of what we'll do next," Gingrich said during a news conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Gingrich, who appeared alongside Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, announced the launch of the website NewtExplore2012.com to accompany the exploratory phase. The site is paid for by "Newt Exploratory 2012."

Earlier in the day, he told Georgia radio host Martha Zoller that "Callista and I prepared to see if there are enough folks who want to see if we can get this country back on the right track."

Gingrich is "beginning an exploratory phase," spokesman Rick Tyler said. How long this phase will last, he said, "depends on the success for the phase."

Gingrich is not forming an exploratory committee at this time, Tyler said, and one reason is that he and his wife "have several businesses" and they need to "tie up some loose ends."

The announcement comes just days after Gingrich's political team scrambled to clarify the Republican's presidential intentions after multiple news organizations reported that Gingrich planned to announce the formation of a presidential exploratory committee during his trip to Georgia on Thursday.

Throughout the day, Republicans familiar with Gingrich's plans told numerous media outlets, including CNN, that Gingrich would enter a presidential exploratory phase that would include formation of a committee.

But Tyler circulated a statement to reporters Tuesday night contradicting that announcement, saying "Speaker Gingrich is in Georgia on Thursday, he will NOT announce the formation of an exploratory committee."

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/Y8qjWVFgANI/index.html

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