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

[miles120]

Wow, and this guy thinks he's qualified to be President.

[XME]

Yup, but he's only looking at it by Republican standards!

[Candyx]

yup hangs around with Palin too much!

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Newt thats not the definition of Fascism, rude behavior yes, Fascism no. When churches become big business and spend huge amounts of money on campaigns to suppress peoples rights under the Constitution, as well as pushing amendments to said Constitution, that qualifies as Fascism. There is nothing in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that defines marriage and when politicians bend to the well and money of private groups like churches than they are in violation of the founding document that they have sworn on the bible to uphold and should resign. We are not Christian nation, not in the very least, the very success of this country has been based on the freedom of all religions, weather we like them or not, and the freedom of expression, if churches can't deal with that concept than they don't have to. They can leave or mind their own business.

If I was Hertzberg and had his power of the pen, I dig up every piece of dirt on Gingrich I could find and I would remind folks what a low ball politician he really was. This is fair since Newt is trying to re-ignite the culture wars for a run in 2012.

[punkingale]

Where's Larry Flynt when you need him?

[lisa58]

If Newt thinks he's a jerk - he must have many redeeming qualities!

[shadow322]

Newt Gingrich - any one who even thinks of this person as a national leader or intellectual - please study up on his life's history. He is just an opportunist of self promotion and by any one's standards, a hypocrite and a liar. Washington already has enough of his kind - we're looking to upgrade in this new administration.

[pamelagoodenough]

Hertzberg's column is the first I read when the NewYorker arrives. He is spot on everytime he takes up the pen.

How could Gingrich have ascended to any power when he is such a morally bankrupt, ignorant, arrogant fascist? hmmmmm...

Let's try to ignore jerks such as N. Gingrich. Maybe they will slip back under the rock from which they slithered.

[mikesw]

Newt Gingrich obviously doesn't know what fascism is.

[mairs]

It's strange, but ALL of these right wingers start looking cr e e p ie r as they age. Something really off-putting and u n s av ory comes out in their faces. As far as the less well-known ones go, you can guess what party they're from even before you read the story. Just look at their faces.

[MCpiano]

Check out: ARE CONSERVATIVE WOMEN PRETTIER THAN LIBERAL WOMEN?:

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?read=72178

[punkingale]

Liberal women have what matters, BRAINS.

[BlackYowe]

Hate does that to a face.

[BobSF94117]

It's not generally known but the Nazis marched around Europe knocking styrofoam crosses out of people's hands. As you can well imagine, faced with such blatant viciousness, the continent was soon subdued.

[newshawk14]

Hertzberg might possibly be a jerk, but Gingrich is definitely a jerk off, and has been one of the
more destructive forces in American politics.

[doublels]

Gosh darn!! I wanted to call him that..JO! I completely agree with you. He's a complete hypocrite and not even worth listening to.

[MCpiano]

His senate leadership in 1994 led to the economic surplus under Clinton.

[newshawk14]

MCpiano, I might give your reply some weight if you knew that Gingrich was not
a senator, but Speaker of the House.

[TKDMike]

ARE YOU FRIGEN kidding me???? THE NEWT calling ANYONE a jerk....he is the KING of JERKS..... again, showing the world what a complete ass he is!

[OldPete]

From Webster's Handy College Dictionary:

fascism (n) a governmental system characterized by nationalism, regimentation, rigid censorship,and suppression of opposition.

fascist (n) a supporter of fascism or a believer in its policies.

Someone PLEASE tell Newt what fascism is!

Hendrik Hertzberg rocks my world!!!!

[bubbuh]

Dat Newt, He so funny.

[BlackYowe]

Gingrich is a hack with no brain or moral authority. It amazes me people tolerate him on TV. I once named a Silver-Grey Dorking Rooster after him but when he got mean I ate him. That is a true story too. He was kinda built like Newt as well. Same loud crowing too.

[montemalone]

Pot, meet kettle.

[Ron1951]

Just which voters are you positioning yourself for Newt? Your blind ambition to be president has been known for years, but you old pander bear, who are you trying for with this?