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

[BabsfromKansas]

John Lennon d.ied 28 years ago today.

Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0

[medusa08]

I'm imagining a world without Newt Gingrich.

Ahhhh, what a beautiful place.

[RogerRantjet]

He was MURDERED by a nut with a gun. You know...the kind of subhumans that Newt depends on and appeals to.

[wigcon]

Newt is a newt, pure and simple (i.e., reptilian). Rik is a brilliant thinker, writer and so not a jerk. He is the first thing I always read in the New Yorker and am sad when he isn't in it. He was so good on the Al Franken program on Air America. All I remember about Newt is that he has been married 3 times, thereby hurting the institution of marriage and that he told his first wife he was leaving her as she lay sick with cancer. Who's a jerk?

[Tom95134]

I could tell you what Newt is but then the Huffington Post men with their blue pencils would censor my comment.

[Le nombril]

Rik Hertzberg was a regular guest on Al Franken's radio show. He was one of my favorites. He was always spot on and very much not a jerk. Newt? Not so much.

[jackwaddington]

Newt would, wouldn't he. Fascist on the left or fascist on the right. Anyone imposing their will on another is a fascist. Newt, isn't LAW just that; imposing it's will upon others????

[smallfish]

newt. you are a terroriste in my eyes. an enabler of many crimes against the american people and humanity.

[JohnnyPDX]

Look, he is right,
I am for gays marraiges but Newt is right. If this really did happen as discribed then they were fascists. They wear they same makeup as fascists (nazis). This is intimidation. What would the gay community think if christian fascists came to their community center and did the same. They should have all been arrested and thrown in the slammer for a day or two. These tactics on both sides should not be allowed to go unchallenged.

[khargushoghli]

I agree with you.
Except that this kind of intimidation is regularly visited on the gay community without Newt raising a peep.
But you're right that the knee-jerkers can't seem to understand that their White Knight Henrik could be horribly wrong and just simply admit it and move the heck on.

[WCDR]

Christians, and I use the word lightly, are down at planned parenthood everyday imposing their views on others....­Newt doesn't give a crap. Him and o'really are the lowest of low, you can tell by their fanbase...­.

[lbolle]

I had to do some work with Newt once for my work. Talk about jerk! That's exactly what comes to my mind when I think about the day I spent with him and his odius assistant. Exactly.

[Robespierre]

I look forward to the day when the daily blogs will say that this irrelevant and evil hypocrite has died. Then I can proudly fly my flag at full mast in the same honor that is due Shamey and Boosh!

[DougNTexas]

Newt is the biggest jerk in Washington. Funny sh*t indeed Newt.

[Einstein44]

Will someone please tell me ...WHY IS NEWT SO IMPORTANT FOR NEWS ? ! PLEASE !!!!

[thankulord13]

Same reason you are not he is important and you well... you get my point!

[greysells2]

What a dumb article. Who cares?

[ranchero42]

"Jerk?" Are we sure Newtie isn't asking for some deep tongue action from Hertzberg? From Newt, a term like "jerk" is practically a reacharound.

[RODERICK098]

This is the `gentleman' who said he was sick to his stomach over Monica Lewinsky while he himself was having an affiair on the side he is in no position to use the word jerk unless he is describing himself

[kay]

He's a serial liar.

He was slamming those who took money to lobby Fannie and Freddie...­while taking money to lobby Fannie and Freddie.

I think this made-up controversy is to distract from the fact that Gingrich is caught in yet another lie.

[Vyvjala]

Gingrich has developed a fine art in agitating and stirring up $h!t. He has always been long on talk and short on logic.....­..........­.......