Newt Gingrich says heavy bickering among Republican presidential candidates is a turn-off for Americans already repulsed by Washington political gridlock.
Gingrich tells CBS's "The Early Show" that harsh exchanges between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry at the Las Vegas faceoff were unbecoming.
He says "you have to have some sense of maturity and some sense of seriousness." He adds that "it hurt everybody to have bickering going on the way it was going on in that debate."
Gingrich, who has been unable to pierce the upper tier of Republicans in poll standings, says "the American people deserve a chance to see us act in a mature and responsible way." The former House speaker says he's looking forward to a one-on-one debate early next month in Texas with rival Herman Cain.
On another issue, Gingrich says he understands the frustrations behind the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations but doesn't approve of all the tactics that have been used by the protesters.
