Newt Gingrich: Hendrik Hertzberg A "Jerk"

Politico caught up with Newt Gingrich and asked him about comments that fueled an on-air fight between Bill O'Reilly and New Yorker writer Hendrik Hertzberg:

"I thought that was funny. I thought the fact that O'Reilly played unedited the entire walking interview with Hertzberg--who is a total jerk--was just funny. If you go back and look at what I said, it was a very narrowly focused reference to people who were invading churches and in one case surrounding a 65-year-old person and harassing her about wearing a cross. Now, in my judgment, people who do that are fascists. And whether they are fascists on the right or fascists on the left, they're fascists, because they believe in imposing their views on you, outside the law, or they believe in using the law to force you to change who you are. And I'm opposed to fascism of any kind."

O'Reilly sent a camera crew to ambush Hertzberg, calling him a "far-left zealot" for his writing on Gingrich.

Comments

[naeldwyck]

"calling him a "far-left zealot" for his writing on Gingrich"

Noooooooo, he called him a "far-left zealot" in general, just as Ginrich was talking about the pro-gay marriage and secularist movement in general, and called Hertzberg a "jerk" in general. There's no reason to make it seem like these people are capable of nuance.

[KarateKid]

Takes one to know one.

[naeldwyck]

Or, in this case more accurately: takes one to think you recognize one when you actually don't.

[Patterman]

Would people kindly start calling the right-wing on their over-use of the word "fascist" to describe anybody they disagree with??? The word has a pretty specific meaning, and it applies to RIGHT WING CORPORATIST AUTHORITARIAN MILITARISTS. Sound like anybody we know?
Hint: Hendrik Hertzberg is NOT a fascist.

[JailNeoconVicts]

Pot calls kettle.

[Carolab]

Rick Hertzberg is no jerk.

[JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin]

"He's a jerk".

What a thoughtful, articulate, profound quote from the GOP's "man of ideas".

[radiojunkie]

So is Newt, I can prove it. I have a can of "Georgia Jerk" seasoning in my kitchen cabinet. It's got ol' Newtie's ugly mug on the label.

I show it to dinner guests every chance I get. When asked whether I cook with it, I say nah, it's only good for fu

[noamjunior]

So Hertzberg is a a jerk, Newt?
you mean like a guy who would divorce his cancer -stricken wife while she lay dying in the hospital?
like he couldn't wait 3 months for her to die?
that kind of jerk ?

[Jesster]

Newt Gingrich's name almost should be allowed to be mentioned in the same sentence (or even page) as Hendrik Hertzberg.

Hertzberg is a thoughtful, disciplined and authentically knowledgea­ble/intell­igent journalist. Newt is a rash, self-indul­gent/cente­red and all-around genuine jerk.

Hertzberg a fascist? Maybe Gingrich should spend less time spewing non-sense - and more time listening to himself, looking in the mirror and just plain reflecting on his life and how he's lived it...

[TurkerB]

Naw, "Mad Dawg" Newt doesn't have time to genuflect. It would interfere with his time being a skirt-chasing, self-centered, loud mouth jerk who is a hypocrite to boot.

[Pragmatus]

This, from the man whose public and private behavior have redefined "jerk" for all time.
.

[brklynivn]

What I don't understand is why jerks like Newt and O'Reilly are not treated to the same sort of ambush tactics they use.

[AllenD]

"who is a total jerk-"

I guess it takes one to know one..

"And I'm opposed to fascism of any kind."

Except for the fascism practiced by Newt and his fellow wingnuts.

[nwfurn]

He would think bullying is funny. "Narrowly focused reference" doesn't he use those three words every time he speaks and what exactly do they mean each time. They just sound big and important, don't they dough boy.

[goodgravy]

"they're fascists, because they believe in imposing their views on you, outside the law, or they believe in using the law to force you to change who you are. And I'm opposed to fascism of any kind."

that's rich.

newt: the other white meat.

[oldleftcoastdude]

Gingrich calling someone a Jerk is like the pot calling the kettle black.....

[Bruupo]

Grinchgin calling anyone a fascist is even more hypocritical. This is the guy who called for mass executions of drug dealers.

[tploomis]

Hendrick Hertzberg is at the very top of the heap in terms of articulate political commentary, usually on display in the lead off article for the New Yorker. He is extremely insightful and maintains a very high standard for his commentary. His articles are the first things I read when my New Yorker arrives. I'm not surprised Gingrich and O'Reilly would be threatened by Hertsberg. They are both real lightweights compared to him. Their modus operandi is to attack and bluster when threatened, so this is all par for the course.

[SillyGit]

I consider Gingrich and O'Reilly's attacks on Hertzberg to be the best possible endorsement Hertzberg can receive. The only thing that would be better is if Rove would also call him a jerk.

Hertzberg must be doing things right.