CNN's David Gergen: Gingrich Could Win SC Primary Due to His Answer to King’s Ex-Wife Question
As NewsBusters reported, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich severely scolded CNN’s John King for beginning Thursday’s debate in South Carolina with a question about allegations made by his ex-wife earlier in the day.
After the debate ended, CNN contributor David Gergen said, “This is one of the most explosive moments we’ve seen in debate history. It was also one of the harshest attacks we’ve had on the press that I can remember in a long, long time…I think that there’s a reasonable chance after talking to people here tonight that he could win South Carolina based on that answer” (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
CNN’s Anderson Cooper agreed, “I’ve heard a lot of people online saying that tonight who have been live-blogging it.”
Then Gergen felt the need to show support for King.
“As a journalistic matter," he said, "John had a duty to ask that question. It was the elephant in the room. After all, his wife [sic] is accusing him of hypocrisy, being a man of family values who had this private life that was in conflict with what he was preaching, and the man who went after Bill Clinton on a similar set of issues.”
Gergen continued, “So, it was the elephant in the room, and John King is known by most of the people here as one of the fairest people in the country. I think he did the right thing, I think he asked the right question. We had the explosion, we move on.”
With all due respect to Mr. Gergen, Gingrich had been rising in the South Carolina polls the past few days. If he were to win Saturday's primary, it would be a stretch to say that this one moment in the debate, no matter how huge it was, acted as the catalyst.
On the other hand, it certainly couldn't hurt especially as Mitt Romney didn't have a spectacular debate.
As for King asking "the right question," would Gergen or anyone in the media have felt that way if a debate in 1992 began with the moderator questioning Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton about his infidelities?
As Gergen ended up working in the Clinton administration, the answer seems extremely obvious.
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Comments
People are sick
Submitted by Bodini on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 11:58pm.
People are sick of the Marxist-media attacking Republicans while licking the boots of Marxist Demwits! Our online forum loved it and I suspect we are not alone!
absolutely wrong venue
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:02am.
This was a presidential debate. Where do the other candidates fit in the question about Newts personal life? They don't. All of the questions should be relevant to each candidate because they are all campaigning for the same job. If King wants Newt to answer questions about Newts personal life then ask Newt to do an interview. Asking this question in a debate was very ham handed and amateurish.
Aren't libs always screaming
Submitted by Pinetree3 on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:16am.
Aren't libs always screaming that a politicians private, personal life is off limits? Oh, wait,,,they mean only a donks personal, private life is off limits.
King
Submitted by grammajane on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:57am.
is the most honest reporter in the media??? Doesn't say much for any of the other bias bashing blabbermouths. They are all the same, Bash Conservatives and support libs. Plain and very simple
The elephant in the room...?
Submitted by NeoKong on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 1:01am.
Barack Obama was living under questions like a herd of woolly mammoths and nobody bothered to ask about them.
Gingrich on the offense
Submitted by Old Vet on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 2:56am.
Most know that any conservative will be attacked. We are getting to the point where we will select Gingrich based solely on the fact that when attacked by the press in public he will not hesitate to take their question and firmly ram it up their ass.
Could not agree more
Submitted by dlwoltmann on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 3:40am.
Newt, more so than any other candidate, as figured out that if you don;t allow the press to frame the debate, you can get your point across. The tone of your response is just as important as the substance. Republican candidate need to get that thru thier skulls quickly. When you go into debates and interviews with the MSM, don;t look at it as a way to get your point across, because you will not be allowed to. Don;t go into it thinking that being nice and well mannered is going to make you look good. This culture today is combative (like it or not). If you want to be looked at as relevant, you have to put people in their place when they try to make you look bad. Reagan was great with his "There you go again" responses, but they would not work in today's culture. IF you are only going to have people view you in soundbites, you want to make sure that your soundbites are heard. Trust me... The ones from tonight are being heard load and clear.
well said.
Submitted by gr29az on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:28am.
well said.
i don't care what newt has done
Submitted by gr29az on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 9:53am.
i don't care what newt has done. he's no saint and we all know it. what we also know is he'll bury barry in the the debates. in fact i wouldn't be surprised if obama tries to wiggle out of debates. at that point the liberal left would have to come up with lame excuses that won't fly not even with their own. we have got to get rid of this cancer in the white house at any cost.
Everyone if drinking Newt Kool Aid
Submitted by Gat New York on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:46am.
Republicans were just played. Does anyone think that King's first question was not intentionally done to provide Gingrich an open forum to gain sympathy? Democrats wants Gingrich to get the nomination. David Gergen admitted after the debate that King's question probably handed Gingrich the S.C. primary.
Now if you think that question was bad, then wait till the Fall campaign when Obama/Axelrod unload on this issue including details of his two sealed divorce records and how at the same time he was lecturing Clinton on morals he was banging Calista in his wife's bed!!! And, by the way, Obama/Axelrod did this before. That is how he won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and that is how he won the U.S. Senate general election. Gingrich as the nominee for the political party of "family values" will become a joke.
Now I am still trying to understand how Newt Gingrich is the reliable conservative. This is the same guy who called Paul Ryan's plan "social engineering." He campaigned with Nancy Pelosi to combat man-made global warming. He pushed for government mandates in healthcare. He lauded the presidency of FDR. And he most recently demonized free market capitalism just to get even.
I think it is the height of hypocrisy to call Romney a moderate and a flip flopper when Gingrich makes Romney look like Barry Goldwater.
The Fall campaign will have only 3 debates. Most of the campaign will be teleprompters, coats off/handshaking, commercials, and press. Gingrich cannot win and the fact is that most of his former colleagues from the House have said that they will not support him if he is the nominee.
Ok, I get it.
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 2:44pm.
Oh, I see, after losing Huntsman as their hand-picked candidate, the liberal press has now joined forces with Gingrich, who they have hated since the first Clinton administration! Yea, talk about drinking the tainted kool aid! You must have been swallowing it by the gallon!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
You're the one drinking Kool
Submitted by Gat New York on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 9:37am.
You're the one drinking Kool Aid bud.
Explain in some detail exactly how Newt Gingrich is:
1. a reliable conservative
2. someone who can lead responsibly
3. reflective of conservative family values
Based on his past and very recent history he fails on all four.
Now explain why so many former House colleagues have already come out vehemently opposed to Gingrich's nomination and said they would not support him. Are all of them drinking Kool Aid? Or is it you?
you're letting Newt hate,
Submitted by Mark81150 on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 11:43am.
Dictate your position on this. It doesn't matter that it's Newt, they'd have found an equally nasty attack against anyone running against Romney.. or,
have you failed to notice they have one by one, gone hammer and tongs against everyone who challenged Mitt's front runner status. Obama's people openlt admit it's Mitt they really wanna run against, thinking him an even lamer mark than McCain was.
It's not about Newt, it's about the foul game the media plays...
Nobody thinks Newt's perfect, not even close, but he friggin fights. Something Romney never does with Obama, he sure as Hell goes after other republicans though..
To say Mitt's the better choice, is pretty much a give away,. You're cheesed off Newt got a major boost, that's why you're upset, it's nothing short of absurd to suggest the media is tossing easy hits to Newt, when they've as has been pointed out,, they've hated him since before he engineered the GOP House win in 94. Now you suggest, it's all part of their nefarious plan.....
uh huh,... right...
Sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar.. you're giving them credit for an evil genius, they've never demonstrated before... they're attack dogs,. they plan like a starving pit bull does when it sees a stray cat, it's no more complex than that.
The Elephant in the room?
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 2:39pm.
So, it was the Elephant in the room? That's funny, I don't remember seeing this "Elephant" until the MSM made a big deal about it JUST ONE DAY PRIOR TO THE DEBATE!
Be honest, MSM, it's a paper mache Elephant that YOU created, one that Newt effectively beat with his verbal stick.
And, CNN, don't try to hide behind the excuse that "some other network" brought this up. You were more than willing to parade that paper mache Elephant in front of a live audience during the debate, a blatantly political ploy on CNN's part. Well, Newt beat down that paper mache Elephant so hard that you're all still reeling from the blows! Why else would you try to justify it as a "legitimate question?" Tell me, CNN, how's it feel to be the political pinata for once?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Gergen
Submitted by mmilesll on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 3:20pm.
I was on vacation years ago and Gergen and family were there. He was very quiet and reserve then. All I can say is-what happened. Maybe he got too much sun on the trip. I mean, how many feet and mouths can one man have?
and to think..
Submitted by Mark81150 on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 11:55am.
I used to respect him back in the early 80's, when he was still on our team. He used to stand up to Mark Shields on McNeil Lerher, acted like he still belived in conservative values...
Then, he took the man's coin, and went all moderate.. from there, to squishy, in the lefts pocket. A reliable "conservative" who would agree with liberals on cue.. the kind media people like..
You don't forget or forgive that kind of betrayal. He sold us out, for face time, and favored pet status.
....
Submitted by Gat New York on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 9:37am.
....