David Axelrod interviews Newt Gingrich at the U. of Chicago Institute of Politics tonight

WASHINGTON–When Newt Gingrich was running for president during the contentious GOP primary, Obama’s top strategist, David Axelrod, wondered if he could stand the scrutiny. Said Axelrod about Gingrich at a December, 2011 press briefing, “just remember the higher a monkey climbs on a pole, the more you can see his butt,” citing the “homespun wisdom” of Ald. Dick Mell (33rd). All that’s in the past. Fast forward to Tuesday night: Gingrich sits for an interview with Axelrod at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.

The “Conversation with Newt Gingrich” starts at 6 p.m. CT at Mandel Hall,1131 East 57th St., with the event billed as a “a wide-ranging conversation about his career, his views and the future of politics today.” Axelrod is the IOP founder and director.

To register for a ticket to hear the former Speaker of the House: http://gingrich.eventbrite.com/