Sarah Palin says that Newt Gingrich is being crucified

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says that Newt Gingrich is being “crucified” by the Republican establishment, including allies of Mitt Romney, who are trying to rewrite his record with a barrage of negative attacks.

"Look at Newt Gingrich, what's going on with him via the establishment's attacks,” Palin told John Stossel of Fox Business on Thursday.

She added: “They're trying to crucify this man and rewrite history and rewrite what it is that he has stood for all these years.”

Palin has not endorsed any of the GOP presidential candidates, but has been enthusiastically supportive of Gingrich.

Last week before the South Carolina GOP primary Palin said she would vote for Newt Gingrich if she was voting in that state’s primary.

Palin’s husband, Todd, has officially endorsed Gingrich for president.

Sarah Palin explained her husband’s endorsement of Gingrich: “I think that endorsement was real reflective of a lot of Americans who understand that somebody with experience in cutting government budgets, cutting taxes — which does more for liberty and an economic turnaround than anything else — someone who has waged war on Hillarycare and government taking over of healthcare — somebody with that experience plus somebody who has struggled personally and overcome struggles and challenges — would be one that was embraced by voters.”

And Sarah Palin’s defense of Gingrich, especially of his conservative, Reaganite record, has gotten significant backing from leading conservatives.

On Thursday, Rush Limbaugh slammed Romney allies for a “coordinated attack” on Gingrich.

Limbaugh described Gingrich as the “premier defender of Ronald Reagan” and said such smear tactics against Gingrich hurt Mitt Romney.

“That kind of stuff is why people hate Romney so much," Limbaugh said.

Palin also struck out at conservative writers like Washington Post columnist George Will and Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, who earlier this month called Gingrich an “angry little attack muffin.”

“That's that typical hypocrisy stuff in the media, you know, I've lived with over a couple of decades in the political arena," she told Stossel, complaining that Mitt Romney doesn’t get the same treatment.

Last week, in a radio interview with Sean Hannity, Palin blasted ABC News for its interview with Gingrich’s ex-wife, Marianne Gingrich, saying these kinds of media hits “incentivize conservatives and independents” who are tired of “the politics of personal destruction.”

“We know the game now, and we just won't put up with it. Good call, media."

Romney is suffering a major backlash from conservatives outraged by his tactics.

Michael Reagan, the conservative commentator and son of President Reagan, slammed Romney for his recent assault on Gingrich.

“As governor of Massachusetts, Romney’s achievement was the most socialistic healthcare plan in the nation up until that time,” Reagan said.

“Say what you want about Newt Gingrich but when he was speaker of the House he surrounded himself with Reagan conservatives and implemented a Ronald Reagan program of low taxes and restrained federal spending.

“Newt’s conservative program created a huge economic boom and balanced the budget for the first time in more than a generation.”

Mike Reagan concluded: “I would take Newt Gingrich’s record any day over Mitt Romney’s.