Posted on 01/17/2012 1:17:13 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
If former House Speaker Newt Gingrich does the impossible and somehow defeats Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination, analysts will look back and say the upset was sparked Monday night at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
The knowledgeable, rhetorically gifted Newt Gingrich conservatives love showed up at the Fox News/Wall Street Journal debate and shook the house. Instead of shining by attacking Romney, he thrived by battling his old antagonists: the “elite” media and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
Asked by debate co-moderator Juan Williams whether he could understand why his comments that “black Americans should demand jobs not food stamps” and that “poor kids lack a strong work ethnic” and perhaps should “work as janitors in their schools” were insulting to Americans — especially African-Americans — Gingrich dismissed the notion out of hand.
“No, I don’t see that,” he said bluntly to wild applause.
“New York City pays their janitors an absurd amount of money because of the union. You could take one janitor and hire 30-some kids to work in the school for the price of one janitor, and those 30 kids would be a lot less likely to drop out,” the former House Speaker said.
“They would actually have money in their pocket. They would learn to show up for work. They could do light janitorial duty. They could work in the cafeteria. They could work in the front-office. They could work in the library. They would be getting money which is a good thing if you’re poor. Only the elites despise earning money.”
Williams followed up by asking Gingrich to respond to emails that suggested Gingrich intended to “belittle the poor and racial minorities” with his words.
“Well first of all, Juan, the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history,” Gingrich responded to more cheers.
“Now I know among the politically correct you’re not supposed to use facts that are uncomfortable. Second, you’re the one who earlier raised a key point: The area that ought to be I-73 was called by Barack Obama a corridor of shame because of unemployment. Has it improved in three years? No. They haven’t built a road, they haven’t helped the people, they haven’t done anything.”
“So here’s my point,” he concluded. “I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness. And if that makes liberals unhappy, I am going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn some day to own the job.”
The crowd again erupted, rewarding what sounded more like a sermon than a debate answer with what pollster Frank Luntz later said was the first standing ovation he had ever witnessed during a presidential debate.
Newt and Perry had a good night. Perry, with what few questions he had, was fantastic. I expect a Perry and Newt boost after this. I’m personally hoping Perry surges over Newt.
Some will say Newt hit it out of the park at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. I will say it was the first debate in history that a candidate hit it into orbit! Obama must be in the fetal position and clicking his heels together in fear that Newt may be the one facing him.
You paint a lovely picture. LOL
". . . They would be getting money which is a good thing if you’re poor. Only the elites despise earning money.”American Beliefs by John McElroy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1385564/postsEngland (it wasn't Great Britain until later) found in the portion of North America which it was able to claim nothing but stone-age people and forests. The land was rich and had tremendous agricultural potential but wasn't farmland until it had been laboriously cleared of trees and vines. The English colonists found that gentlemen were pretty useless; what the situation cried out for was farmers. So England sent over poor people - some, including some of my ancestors, came from Lutheran Germany - and so the American polity was dominated by practical people (even if they often had religious motivations for wanting to come, still they learned that the situation required diligent work).The conclusion is that Americans respect any honest work. If you reflect on English costume drama, you will realize that we didn't get that attitude from England - where the emphasis was on who you were rather than what you did - but in the American melieu where people were respected because they were useful, and were respected for the caluses on their hands.
unlike anyone else in the race Newt would make Obama look like an ill informed slap downed punk in a debate
Why was Juan Williams allowed to “moderate” a GOP debate?
Newt kicked butt, I love it
Juan Williams was shown to be a racist pandering fool when he kept pounding on Newt that “blacks are disproportionately affected”, and about the demeaning character of Newt’s saying those poor who want to live off others should get entry level jobs and develop a work ethic. I especially liked his equating the 99 weeks of un-employment funding as a waste, and saying it was the period that could get an Associates Degree, with that money in the same time period. He was on top of his game all night.
| >> unlike anyone else in the race Newt would make Obama look like an ill informed slap downed punk in a debate >> Newt kicked butt, I love it I AGREE! NEWT KICKED BUTT!!! woo-hoo! Best in debate against Obama? |
It might be because someone thought Williams' slap down by PBS gave him conservative creds.
Tip for you, Rush...if you’re looking for something to “Right on, right on, right on!” about; Newt has graciously provided you with several very juicy soundbites.
Regarding why blacks were “disproportionately” represented among the incarcerated, the elephant in the room was that they commit more crime than any other ethnic group. Even stating this fact usually brands one as a racist, but one hopes, not on FR.
Great post. I’m a Perry backer, because I want to see his accomplishments implemented in all states, but I will vote for Newt with bells on because he’s studied Perry’s resume and goals and will probably also implement most of them.
Our news report depicted the debate as a big nothing with no clear winner.
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