Newt Gingrich on Thursday hit MSNBC as, "essentially," the "Obama re-election team." The presidential candidate made his critique live at a rally that was televised on rival CNN.
A questioner wondered, "How do you intend to counter-act the bias of the media and the dirty remarks we're getting?" She added, "I've noticed that every time a Republican runs, they get slammed in the press." Video of Gingrich's reply, which included his shot at MSNBC, can be found below. [MP3 audio here.]
Gingrich told the crowd that he welcomed scrutiny, adding of the media: "Now, they're doing it partly out of bias. I understand that and I understand there are places like MSNBC that are essentially the Obama re-election team."
The former Speaker previously mocked a debate moderator's "funny" defense of how the press covered the economy.
A truncated transcript of the exchange can be found below:
11/17/11
CNN Newsroom
2:50pm EST
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: How do you intend to counter-act the bias of the media and the dirty remarks we're getting? I've noticed that every time a Republican runs, they get slammed in the press....
NEWT GINGRICH: But, here's- But here's- here's the key thing to remember: We all complained, correctly, when the news media failed to investigate Barack Obama. We complained when they refused to look at William Ayers. We complained when they didn’t actually explain what Saul Alinsky was all about and what community organizer meant. Okay?
We were right to complain about that. So now they’re actually doing for us what they wouldn’t do for Obama. Okay? Now, they’re doing it partly out of bias. I understand that and I understand there are places like MSNBC that are essentially the Obama re-election team. But, you know- but that’s fine. This is a free society.
