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

[cpandtle]

Hypocrite much?

"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."

Oh, you mean like people defying marriage their own way and forcing everyone to accept it, regardless of whether it robs them of personal liberties? By your definition that's fascism, and you'd never support that right?

Right?

[MechaMike]

I wonder why O Reilly ignored Candace's article and media appearances about Newt's comments?

I think we need to encourage the gay relatives of anti-gay politicians and pundits to speak out more.

Laura Ingraham has a gay brother, Curtis. Alan Keyes has a lesbian daughter. Cheney has a lesbian daughter. Newt has a gay cousin as well as a lesbian sister. Phylis Schafly has a gay son etc.

I bet all of the famous anti-gay folks have gay relatives. We need to find them and encourage them to speak out!

[JiminNC]

Isn't Newt Gingrich calling you a jerk sort of a profound statement that you are normal and very very cool?

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

It's like being called an automobile by a Buick.

[gintheb]

There are few bigger jerks than newt. He always thinks he's the smartest person in the room.

[oscartucker]

Newt has suddenly crawled from under a rock and become so popular. He's everywhere and saying some of everything--a sure sign that he is planning to be the head of the republican party and that he is running for something. What a great fight it's going to be: Newt, Romney, Palin, Gulliani, Huckabee, Jindal, Crist, etc. etc. etc.

[wagthedog1001]

NOUN: 1. often Fascism a. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

from Newt: "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."

To anyone who has been aware of the events of the past 8 years: Who are the fascists?

If we haven't seen belligerent nationalism and racism from the self-righteous right I don't know what else you can call it. Have fun in your new neighborhood, George.

[bdaved]

You'd think a fellow with Mr. Gingrich's background would know that fascism is a political term, and the issue at hand is about i

[bdaved]

??ndividual behavior. I guess he's just being unpleasant and calling names.

[DMSmith]

The Rev. says: "...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."

Interesting, given that the Rev and his ilk would have me change who I am as a gay man. He seems to be calling himself fascist. However:
From the dictionary "A right-wing nationalistic form of government or social structure.­.." Seems he can't even get the definition of fascist right. let alone any of the rest of it.

To quote Cartman...­.'Screw you, I'm going home.'

[BannedInBoston]

No, Newt, YOU are the jerk....

[tandrmcdonald]

Newt Gingrich calling anyone a jerk is the ultimate howl.

[MikoJaan]

"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."

What about using the law to impose your views on others?
Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black...

[darthmaul]

What bugs me the most about Newt is his smug arrogance. He thinks that the Republican party is on the ropes because he got out of politics. Newt fashions himself as the "intellect" of the republican party. Whenever Newt's on a talk show, he's always shamelessly plugging some book or DVD .Newt is just like a cockroach. You may hate them, but you just can't seem to get rid of them.

[Letterman]

Who???

[BannedInBoston]

Herzberg is a New Yorker columnist who's been on the Republicans' case for years....

[Letterman]

Who?? as in Newt's relevance.­.

[Pete Cenedella - Huffpost Blogger]

One of my favorite things about Repugnicans these days is that they've cornered the market on whining and portraying themselves as victims -- which frankly was the bete noir of the identity-politics left for so long that these very same repugs rode it to victory again and again in the culture wars. NOw they've forgotten that no one really likes a b i t c h and m o a n-er. It really sux to go from heroes to zeroes so fast. PITY PARTY!

[MechaMike]

And while they complain about "grievance mongers". Hipocrasy abounds with these right wingers.

[Einstein44]

Touche ! Touche ! Touche !

[timinhi]

A "jerk," huh? Well, in this case, I suppose it certainly takes one to know one.

[steveo39]

Newt clearly has no historical knowledge of what Fascism is, despite his armchair dilettantism. Fascism implies a mass movement, not isolated incidents of (possible) thuggery. So which is it Newt--you contradict yourself in a sound-bite. That takes some doing . . .

[Beachchick]

Oh, Newt! Despite your pseudo-academic revision of philosophy and facts, fascism and fascist tendencies are a right wing phenomena. Liberal fascist is an oxymoron.

Projection, projection, projection­...