WASHINGTON ― After a disastrous week for a Republican presidential nominee, you might have expected the party to circle the wagons and bring out its most prestigious leaders to defend their candidate, particularly in front of a friendly, conservative news outlet. Newt Gingrich did his best to defend Trump, and effectively attacked Hillary Clinton’s recent bizarre and false statements about her email scandal. But Gingrich also had to acknowledge that his candidate’s economic plan is nonsense. When host Chris Wallace asked whether Trump’s tax and spending plan adds up, Gingrich admitted the absurdity. “Of course not,” Gingrich said.