Gingrich's "Fulsome" Praise for Private Equity?

After Newt Gingrich spent days denouncing Mitt Romney's career at a private equity firm, a partner at a different private equity firm is telling Bloomberg News (via Politico) that Newt Gingrich was paid $40,000 to give a speech in which he praised private equity "fulsomely."

Seriously? Did Speaker Gingrich think this episode just wouldn't come to light, or did he simply not recall it?

The more troubling question: Does Gingrich believe what he's saying now, in an effort to hurt the Romney campaign, or what he said then, in exchange for a $40,000 payday?

And he wants to call Romney the flip-flopper? Come on.