Newt Gingrich Scolds Wolf Blitzer for Digging for Dirt: 'This Is a Nonsense Question'
At Thursday's Republican presidential debate in Florida, the audience and some of the contestants grew visibly weary with moderator Wolf Blitzer's continued efforts to get the candidates to address each other's dirty laundry.
After the CNNer attempted this with Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House responded, "This is a nonsense question" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was the first to request Blitzer to stick with the issues:
RICK SANTORUM: The bigger issue here is, these two gentlemen, who are out distracting from the most important issues we have been playing petty personal politics, can we set aside that Newt was a member of Congress and used the skills that he developed as a member of Congress to go out and advise companies -- and that's not the worst thing in the world -- and that Mitt Romney is a wealthy guy because he worked hard and he's going out and working hard? And you guys should let that alone and focus on the issues.
(APPLAUSE)
It was obvious to all in attendance and watching on television that "you guys" meant the media. Blitzer clearly didn't get the message, and after a commercial break continued digging for dirt:
WOLF BLITZER, CNN: We're continuing the debate here in Jacksonville, Florida.
Let's get to the issue of transparency, because voters out there, they want to know as much about you four gentlemen as possible before they vote.
Tax returns -- let me bring this to Speaker Gingrich.
Earlier this week, you said Governor Romney, after he released his taxes, you said that you were satisfied with the level of transparency of his personal finances when it comes to this. And I just want to reiterate and ask you, are you satisfied right now with the level of transparency as far as his personal finances?
NEWT GINGRICH: Wolf, you and I have a great relationship, it goes back a long way. I'm with him. This is a nonsense question.
(APPLAUSE)
GINGRICH: Look, how about if the four of us agree for the rest of the evening, we'll actually talk about issues that relate to governing America?
BLITZER: But, Mr. Speaker, you made an issue of this, this week, when you said that, "He lives in a world of Swiss bank and Cayman Island bank accounts." I didn't say that. You did.
GINGRICH: I did. And I'm perfectly happy to say that on an interview on some TV show. But this is a national debate, where you have a chance to get the four of us to talk about a whole range of issues.
BLITZER: But if you make a serious accusation against Governor Romney like that, you need to explain that.
GINGRICH: I simply suggested --
(BOOING)
GINGRICH: [Turning to Santorum] You want to try again?
Unfortunately, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney didn't go along with Gingrich and Santorum leading to more mudslinging, but the point was made.
In every election cycle, Americans tell pollsters how much they hate negative campaigning. When this happens, the media typically agree as they bemoan all the ugly advertisements and incivility.
Yet at virtually all of these debates, the goal by the moderator(s) has been to stir up arguments between the candidates by bringing up the mud they're slinging at each other.
If the press really want to do the bidding of the people so desperately interested in serious discussions about the pressing issues facing the nation, they should stick to what's concerning the electorate rather than the salacious.
This mightn't be good for ratings, but it would be far better for the future of the country.
Associate Editor’s note: As you are likely aware, since the financial collapse of 2008, charities and non-profit organizations have seen a sharp reduction in donations. Although the environment has improved, contributions are still nowhere near where they were prior to the recession. Unfortunately, the Media Research Center has not been immune. With this in mind, your support has become more important than ever. With a critical election approaching, the liberal media needs to be monitored 24/7. As we have been predicting for months, the press are willing to do anything to get their beloved politicians elected and/or reelected. As such, we need your help to fight this fight. Any contribution, even $10, is greatly appreciated. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the Media Research Center to help us battle the liberal media. Thank you.
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Comments
This is what I love about
Submitted by NCfairandbalanced on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:51pm.
This is what I love about Newt. Besides him being smartest, most intellectual politician from either side in a long time, (which by the way, every Dem knows this too), he stands up to the media. Kind of like Dick Cheney. He simply does not care.
Most people think that punishing the media will come back to haunt them. First, Newt doesn't care about that in the first place, and secondly, and more pragmatically, what's to lose? They already hate him!
Ironically, that is one advantage a Republican has over a Democrat...ticking off the media. If a Dem (excluding Obama, of course) ticks them off, it might (not a sure thing, but MIGHT come back to bite them). A Republican...again I ask: What is there to lose? I would tell them all: GO FOR IT! They already hate you! Let's start punching back!
..."freedom's just another
Submitted by ex buff e-dub on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 3:47pm.
..."freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.."
Romney looked like a total
Submitted by tcm14 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 2:11pm.
Romney looked like a total weenee in this exchange. Newt and Santorum are finally starting to take control of the debate from Blitzer, and Mitt jumps in like a little schoolboy trying to impress the teacher and ruins it. Blitzer should send Mitt a thank-you note.
Mitt showed his true colors in this exchange. He will betray the conservative movement in a heartbeat to suck up to whomever he needs to.
Roger that, 14.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:15pm.
Mitt looked like the teacher's pet trying to score more points with the teacher (Wolf) by making his classmates look worse!
Why not just shut the hell up and let the fight between Newt and Wolf play out?
What an absolute dork!
I'm beginning to think that we may be better off with Obama than Mitt the Snit. If Mitt is president, he will be getting pushed around and led around by the nose, and we will be able to back away from the last few years of creeping socialism very little. If Obama is reelected, he is going to piss the country off to the point that it may actually rise up and fix the problem sooner rather than later.
I Know What You Mean, As Nauseating As It Is
Submitted by tcm14 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:52pm.
I can almost respect Obama, Marxist slime that he is, more than I can respect Mitt, because Obama at least has principles and sticks to them, even if his principles are dead wrong and I would fight to defend against them. Mitt is just a liberal schmuck stiff who is trying to act like a conservative.
I mean it, I didn't really feel one way or the other about Mitt before last night, except that I hated Romneycare, but that little interaction showed me tons about Mitt, more than I wanted to see.
⇒ Say what?
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:04pm.
I'm killing the Keystone pipeline and, by the way, we need an "all of the above" approach to energy policy.
I guess we have differing definitions of "principles".
Killing the Keystone pipeline
Submitted by tcm14 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:49pm.
Killing the Keystone pipeline was perfectly in keeping with Obama's Marxist principles. You can tell Obama has stuck to his Marxist principles by how bad things are in America.
Right gain, 14.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:28pm.
Marxism says to destroy America and capitalism any ... way ... you ... can !!!
I just don't think that Romney has the shiite eating attitude to tear someone's head off and shove it up their ass, which is what it is going to take to kill this beast.
why even give these Liberal Twits-
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 2:15pm.
a chance to do any of these debates.
you are conservatives-tell these guys to take a hike.
deleted
Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:29pm.
(duplicate post)
The GOP is going to regret the day they ever proposed . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 2:26pm.
. . . these endless debates as a means of getting their messages out at low cost.
The debates stopped being about policies and real issues months ago, and now resemble a reality TV show where the participants -- and I include the candidates and the so-called moderators -- appear on national TV every week or two to piss on each.
The winner out of all this (if there is a winner) will be so badly soiled that they'll spend $ millions trying to repair the image.
Meanwhile, the MSM is focused on the minute-by-minute "who's up in the latest poll?" crap while Obama goes about relatively unscathed despite scandals erupting around him weekely.
It's political theater, and bad theater at that.
It's beginning to look like '96 all over again, and the GOP has set itself up for it. If that's what Republicans want, so be it.
Exactly right...
Submitted by CT on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:02pm.
...unfortunately.
Funny how Wolf didn't ask about the SOTU speech
Submitted by frank14 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 2:29pm.
especially since they were drooling about it a few days ago. The lib media assume no one would want to know what the Republican candidates thought about Obama's performance.
lets just vote for the best conservative
Submitted by ladeflippinda on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 3:22pm.
Not the person the media wants or says has electability.
I'd love to.
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:28pm.
Now, if you would kindly invite some "conservatives" to run, then we could vote for the "best" one. What we have now is a choice between the "least progressive" and, in descending order, that would be Newt, Mitt, then Santorum.
⇒ Newt lost that one
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 3:50pm.
Yes, the point was made, but after Romney rightly slapped Newt down for his unwillingness to defend what he'd said when Mitt is not present, Newt came off as the loser.
If Newt is going to make derogatory comments about his opponent to the news, he should also be required to defend them to the person he disparaged.
I disagree. All of these
Submitted by Smartypants on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:10pm.
I disagree. All of these candidates have made disparaging comments about one or more of the other candidates at one point or another. To take significant time in a debate to address what is nothing more than political volleyball is absurd. The moderators job is to try and make the debates as meaningful as possible. Personal drivel is not nearly as meaningful as policy; they should stick to policy questions for the most part. It's funny, I do not remember the media focusing on personal side issues during the Democrat debates of 2008. Had they focused more on that, we would have known more about Anthony Rezko and some others in Obama's background. We would have seen more of a story of his self-reported drug usage, personal history and his policital philosophies. Instead, we got fawning coverage of how great he is and not much more than that.
⇒ Smartypants
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:26pm.
Well and good, until Romney decided yes, that is something he'd like to hear Newt explain.
It may have been a silly question by Wolf, and a seized moment by Newt that almost paid off, but Romney snatched that trophy right out of Newt's hands. Newt was already acknowledging the congratulatory cheers from the crowd when Romney stuffed him and the ball through the basket.
We can say what we want about the media's petty tactics, but I'd be dishonest if I proclaimed Newt the winner in that particular exchange.
Similarly, Newt should have looked into his own mutual fund investments before basically calling Romney a mortgage vulture.
Santorum won last night. That's my opinion, but it certainly isn't fact at this point.
If he has a problem, ...
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:18pm.
... ask newt to step outside and defend it. Otherwise, shut the hell up and don't align yourself with the common enemy, Wolf.
⇒ Again, I disagree
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:36pm.
I think Mitt had a right to point out Newt was saying things out of class he wasn't willing to defend face-to-face.
It's not as though Newt didn't go after Mitt concerning an ad on a Spanish station, is it?
Wolf is unfairly biased against Republicans, given, but both parties fell for Wolf's direction.
What a ridiculous statement
Submitted by balboa on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:16pm.
What a ridiculous statement by Newt. It's OK to make the remark outside a debate, but "nonsense" when it's brought up in a debate? This was an attempt by Newt to have another "moment" like in South Carolina.
Yes. Let's talk about ridiculous statements. Shall we?
Submitted by The Vet on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 1:35am.
Kingfish17: Do you think that Mumia and Assata are innocent of the crimes for which they have been convicted?
balboa: I think there's a possibility, from what I've read.
Still waiting for you to show us all the evidence that you have read and keep under your bed that will free your two beloved cop killers.
Mitt
Submitted by mmilesll on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:00pm.
Mitt can't even stop the petty bickering when Rick and Newt say enough is enough. And people wonder why real conservatives don't like Mitt. He can't stop telling lies-just like nobama. And say what you will, Mitt will NOT drop nobamacare.
But Noel
Submitted by ant on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:13pm.
How will we know how these candidates will deal with the deficit, Iran, illegal immigration, jobs, etc. if we don't talk about who Santorum's wife was dating 20 years ago?
I would have asked Wolf how it felt to get pity money from Trebek after a comedian handed his ass to him on Jeopardy.
Newt Gingrich is a nonsense candidate.
Submitted by CT on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:50pm.
Newt is a bombastic blowhard undoubtedly a legend in his own mind. Not a happy proclamation on my part I like a lot of his ideas just not the wild ones, I no longer trust him. Nasty Newt is clearly unelectable, but he continues to damage the Republican Party to salve his ego. His anti-capitalist anti-free market attacks just disqualify him from any serious consideration by anything Republican.
Every class had one
Submitted by metaphorsbwithu on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:06pm.
I was waiting for Romney to raise his hand and say, "Wolf, Newt was rolling his eyes and making a face at you when you looked down on his notes."
I had no choice but to watch
Submitted by joeschmo1 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:58pm.
I had no choice but to watch CNN in our company lunchroom and this story was reported COMPLETELY different on the left-leaning network. The headline was "Blizter fights back at Gingrich Remark". And of course, they made it sound as if Mr. Blizter won the battle. So far from the truth.
CNN is a failing news network that needs to go the way of the typewriter.
What else would you ask a nonsense candidate.....
Submitted by jdripper on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:02pm.
but a nonsense question. Romney was right don't trash people and then run and hide behind the moderator's skirts. Netwer was skewered last night and he deserved it. The world needs to see more how he is a weak and ineffectual little man who is 95% showman and 5% man.
Jack
Invited him to lunch. Well,
Submitted by michael lofrano on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 11:45am.
Invited him to lunch. Well, there you have it. Irrefutable evidence that the governor is a racist. Right, Jessie?