Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) received a rock star’s welcome at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday and predicted that the “radical” Democratic agenda would result in a “massive conservative majority.”

“I believe we are going to control the House and the Senate by the end of this year,” Gingrich said. “I believe we will elect a new president in 2012.”

He talked at length about the benefits of “principled bipartisanship” and said conservatives must show they are willing to work with Democrats. But Gingrich added that Republicans should not acquiesce to the White House’s “secular socialist machine.”

Gingrich said Republican leaders should attend President Barack Obama’s health care summit on Feb. 25, but they also should insist on bringing two Republican governors to level the playing field with Democrats.

Gingrich said GOP leaders should tell Obama, “If you will agree to drop the 4,500 pages of legislation currently sitting at the White House and if you will agree to start over … then let us have a conservation about what we can agree on.”

He added, “Let’s test the president’s willingness to be bipartisan.”

Several Republican leaders have complained that the bipartisan meeting at the Blair House next week would be political theater.

Gingrich entered from the back of the ballroom under a “Don’t Tread on Me” Gadsden flag — instead of from the side of the stage like other speakers — shaking hands as Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” thumped inside the ballroom.