Romney claims that Gingrich was not a Reagan supporter? Romney voted for Carter!

There is plenty to attack Newt Gingrich for when he has been less than conservative in the past.  But I do not hear Romney and his supporters attacking Newt over those things.  Rather they are going well beyond that and are suggesting that Newt Gingrich never supported Ronald Reagan and his vision.   “That kind of stuff is why people hate Romney so much," Rush Limbaugh said.  Michael Reagan points out:  “It surprises me that Mitt Romney and his supporters would raise this issue — when Mitt by his own admission voted for Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale who opposed my father, and later supported liberal Democrat Paul Tsongas for president.  Here is a clip of Gingrich and Reagan here that was edited and taken out of context by Team Romney.

Jeff Goldstein sums it well:

Watching the “pragmatic” center-right electability-jackals go after Newt Gingrich the last couple days — in a concentrated, concerted, and organized way — suggests to me that the establishment sector of “our” movement has adopted the worst tactics of the left, which it will use, amazingly, only against those to their right.
That is, these “pragmatists” are willing to smear and demonize conservatives (while pretending to define contemporary conservatism, in that way moving it leftward), and yet they make it their mission to woo the moderates and independents with pleasing panders and populist pablum.
And for this they deserve my vote?

Update: Robert Stacy McCain:  Romney or Gingrich is a false dilema:  Get yourself a sweater vest!  

Update II:  Mona Charen response to suggestions she is a RINO:

Why is it that people who support Newt believe they are backing the more conservative candidate? Where is the evidence that Gingrich is more conservative than Romney? Gingrich has supported embryonic stem cell research, Medicare Part D, global warming legislation, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, an industrial policy, amnesty for some illegal immigrants, and ethanol subsidies, among many other apostasies. True, he has also changed (and changed back) some of those views. But does harranguing the press really count for so much?

Okay Mona, doesn't this support Robert Stacy McCain and DaTechGuy's argument for supporting Santorum?  Rush Limbaugh is praising Rick Santorum.  
Update III:  Santorum to be a front runner very soon?