White House Smacks Gingrich For Calling Sotomayor A Racist

The White House hit back at Newt Gingrich on Wednesday for a twitter post made by the former House Speaker accusing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor of being a racist.

Early on Wednesday, Gingrich put up a post on twitter rapping Sotomayor for saying that her background as a Hispanic female allowed her to understand cases in a different, better, manner than her white male contemporaries.

"Imagine a judicial nominee said "my experience as a white man makes me better than a latina woman" new racism is no better than old racism."

Asked at the daily briefing to respond to the tweet, spokesman Robert Gibbs offered a bit of thinly-veiled shot at Gingrich and warned against the escalation of racially heated rhetoric.

"I think it is probably important for anyone involved in this debate to be exceedingly careful with the way in which they've decided to describe different aspects of this impending confirmation," said Gibbs. "I think... when people of American and the people of the Senate get a chance to look at more than just the blog of a former lawmaker that they will come to the same conclusion as the president did... I think that when people get a chance to look at her record, I feel certain that partisan politics will take a back seat to common sense and open-minded decisions based on a full examination of the record and I think that that's what every Supreme Court and judicial nominee deserves."

Playing up the racial aspect of Sotomayor's candidacy is a dangerous proposition for the conservative community, with the risk of offending wide swaths of Hispanics omnipresent. To this point, the charges of reverse-racism have been primarily trumpeted by non-elected officials. But as Greg Sargent pointed out first, the director of new media for the Republican National Committee, Todd Herman, re-tweeted Gingrich's post, bringing the line of attack ever closer to the rank-and-file GOP.

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Comments

[Mover]

""I think it is probably important for anyone involved in this debate to be exceedingly careful with the way in which they've decided to describe different aspects of this impending confirmation," said Gibbs."

Veiled threats from the federal government is OK?

"Imagine a judicial nominee said "my experience as a white man makes me better than a latina woman" new racism is no better than old racism." - Newt

Of course, the entire quote is taken out of context. The remark is part of the larger debate on how the legacy media treats politicians that give them tiggles up their legs as opposed to how they treat talk show hosts and politicians, former and present, that they despise.

If a Republican had used Barry's nominee, Ms Sotomayor's exact words, he or she would have been hung out to dry.

[dirtfarm]

Shameless, mean-spirited, hate-hawkers aren't going away. Their screeds deserve only cool scrutiny, not reckless, flip, tit-for-tat responses. Ignoring them has dangerous consequences. Better to recognize and articulate their only purpose is to create a 'demon', easily identified as a common 'enemy-of-­the-common­-man', an 'us' against 'them' because God-is-on-our-side, or we're-righ­t-and-they­'re-wrong, or fill in the blanks. We know the code words, inuendo and gossip. We know how controversy is incited when there is none, and fear and hate provoked and directed with slogans and slander. Most of all we know that smug feeling of "I hate you because ". Can we resist the urge to fall into the trap of that kind of mob logic? I hope so.

"I think Newt Gingrich has an opportunity to have a somewhat unprecedented role for a Republican House member," Atwater says. "He can truly be a national political guru for our party. He can be a spokesman, he can be a philosopher, and he can be a strategist for our party. As Teddy Roosevelt once said about the bully pulpit, Newt Gingrich has an opportunity to be as big a man as he can be."

[Lee Atwater quote] *'Good Newt, Bad Newt*, by Peter J. Boyer, Vanity Fair July 1989 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/boyernewt1.html

[ppp1604]

...Edwards writes that neoconservatives and the religious right have wrecked the conservative movement by driving it away from its core beliefs in individual liberty and divided government, in favor of an activist, mostly sectarian, social agenda, and an imperial presidency bent on global adventurism.

more---> http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/04/06/not_doing_the_right_thing/

The greatest villains in Edwards's story are George W. Bush and Newt Gingrich. According to Edwards, Gingrich destroyed the bipartisan collegiality of Congress by ruthlessly pressing GOP colleagues to toe the line in his all-against-all war to win a Republican majority.

During Edwards’ sixteen years in Congress, he served variously on the House Budget and Appropriations committees and was the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations. He was also a member of the House Republican leadership, serving as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee...

more ---> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Edwards

from the Huff Post---> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mickey-edwards/reclaiming-conservatism_b_101950.html

What's happened to the conservative movement in America?

more --> http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07112008/profile.html

This is just Newt being Newt...

more ---> http://books.google.com/books?id=OdZh06liZVIC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=mickey+edwards+reclaiming+conservatism&source=bl&ots=8bcK5toOoF&sig=iSIjX-EtNSK0JdEhk45wZfXg7sI&hl=en&ei=ZawhSs_tLqKJtgeb-oi3Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#PPA90,M1

[Mover]

Edwards uses a powerful flavor of kool aid

[landoffools]

Yep Newt, Mr. Family Values !

After dumping his dying wives for virgin teenage girls !

His kids hate him as much as Rudy G's kids hate their father !

[FormerReaganite]

It is so ironic when racists call others racist.

[Taylor Taylor]

How soone they forget. Mr. Gingrich needs to keep in mind a lot of voters in GA have not forgotten his fall from political grace. I don't know if he has plans to return to politics but statments like the one he put on twitter regarding Ms. Sotomayor is not going to help.

The Republican party saw it;s base in GA move to the center the 2008 election. There was even a run-off for one of the senate seats. If he keeps talking his words may not only hurt his chances but other leaders in the republican party in 2010 and 2012.

You can disagree with her decisions from the bench. But leave her gender and race out of the discussion. It's still a very painful topic in this part of the country. For a large group for people.

[NuMexMama]

Just shut the Hell up, Newt. You are never going to be President. Give it up.

[amirtalai]

Yeah! they "smacked" him! (?)

[frag1409]

"I think we would ALL be better served if someone on HuffPost would just list for us, the judicial record of this woman instead of "griping" about what the republicans are "griping" about

Wow, I actually agree. Why isn't HuffPo plastered with articles extolling this nominee's virtues and detailing the wisdom of her hundreds of decisions in sixteen years on the bench? That' should be easy if she's so qualified.

We already know the Republicans are racists and morons. Lets see the White House actually defend one of it's decisions.

[PinkoPanther]

I think we would ALL be better served if someone on HuffPost would just list for us, the judicial record of this woman instead of "griping" about what the republicans are "griping" about...

I don't think we need to give The Gingrich That Stole Christmas any more of our attention.

I think Sotomayor's record should be a sufficient topic for exploration... I still have no idea what this woman has accomplished, but yet the media will only allow me to know what the loudmouth Republicans think of her.

That's a problem for me.

[KYZipster]

We all saw what happened when we ignored the crazy rightwingnuts for too long, they took control of the entire country and wrecked it. We had too much faith that the voters would reject their insanity. It's refreshing to see the Obama Administration responding to their endless nonsense, it exposes the Republicans as the fools that they are. Sotomayor's record will come up with a quick Google.

[Jaxy]

"She's a raacist! A raaaacist, I tell ya!" Shrieked the amoral, inauthentic, serial adulterer.

[damebee]

Hey jerk who is paying you're loud mouth, I'll double it if you just shut up

[Acidic]

Uhhh... I think J is being sarcastic? damebee take a deep deep breath it' gonna be alright.

[captainindustry]

wow!! That's the first time I've ever seen "you're" used where "your" would be correct.

Usually it is the other way around!! Thanks for the stupid post. Learn to Read before posting please.

[poaster]

You're an id1ot.

[Jaxy]

Are you such a 'Friend of Newt' that you fail to see that that the attribution fits?

[StayinLeft]

What is it that you Rethugs fear so much? Something new and different perhaps? You had the wheel, and look what happened to our country. You did everything in your power to destroy it several times over. People who love this country are not inclined to destroy it so why don't you just relax and let someone else take the wheel and repair the wrongs that you all have committed. You obviously don't love this country if you were so willing to make such a horrible mess of things.

[wfoster]

I know it is usually all the rage on the Left to portray Republicans as Nazis but there are similarities.
A. The Nazis persecuted not only Jews but gays the mentally ill and non-Christians the Republicans blame everything on non-White, non-Christian races, immigrants and yes even Gays.
B. Hitler once proclaimed:
"The National Government will regard it as its first and foremost duty to revive in the nation the spirit of unity and co-operation. It will preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built. It regards Christianity as the foundation of our national morality, and the family as the basis of national life...."
C. Adolfe Hitler wrote a book "Mein Kampf" which described the way he and the Nazi party would restructure civilization to create a new society once in power. Newt Gingrich also wrote a book called "Politics of the Third Wave" this book also describes the restructuring of civilization to create a new society

[OptimusMaximus]

I can give you a brief list of what we conservatives fear:

(1) Socialism;
(2) Continued usurptaion of power of the Fed government by non-compliance with the constitution,
(3) Higher taxes,
(4) Higher energy prices,
(5) Destruction of our (mostly) free market economy,
(6) Destruciton of the value of the dollar.
(7) Islamofacist acquiring weapons of mass destruction, and attacking us again.

Hey, other than that, no worries.

[ppp1604]

Perhaps this can help you:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mickey-edwards/reclaiming-conservatism_b_101950.html

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2008/04/06/not_doing_the_right_thing/

http://www.us.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Politics/AmericanPolitics/HistoryPolitics/~~/dmlldz11c2EmY2k9OTc4MDE5NTMzNTU4Mw==

http://books.google.com/books?id=OdZh06liZVIC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=mickey+edwards+reclaiming+conservatism&source=bl&ots=8bcK5tpPpE&sig=83wIAkjHmOmA1ctIHTJaBuaDPp4&hl=en&ei=urAhSv-VGMSltgfLrd3GBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5

[xlntcat]

Were you away over the past 8 years or were you given a lobotomy? Your fears all became realities under the Bush/Cheney Administration. The government was turned into a deceptive dictatorship who raped the constitution, pilfered the national coffers until the country was bankrupt, sold the nation to China and Saudi Arabia. Turned the word Capitolism into an obscenity both at home and around the world. Destroyed the free market system by forgetting Reagan's insistence on a Fair Market System. Conservatives broke all of their own rules. At least, you do recall that we were attacked and that the intelligence that would have prevented same was not a "priority" for the cowardly Mr. Cheney.

One consolation, after the worst has occurred, you can quit being so afraid. It will be a while before the majority will be willing to follow scared cowards. Maybe you can use the time you have been wasting being so afraid looking for your courage.

[RJPasadena]

Newt is a hippocrit and shameful excuse for a human being. The Rethugs always wants to reflect on how in the 1950's how Americans use to be......his behavior is an example how Americans have become...bitter and angry.

[motamanx]

She's the brightest Supreme Court nominee in memory. If the Republicans screw this one up, you'll know for whom not to vote in the next election.

[OptimusMaximus]

Wow, no offense, but do you have alzheimers? I mean it would take some sort of memory impairment to say her legal mind is the "brightest Supreme Court nominee in memory". Or, perhaps you are really a child prodigy and simply have no memory of the recent nominess....

[damebee]

Hey Clarence Thomas is writing his exodus right now

[sparkandy]

Lighten up. It's what the lockstep liberals are being told to say so they can sound like they're actually saying something. Just as some conservatives are lemming like, so are a lot of liberals. They just spout the party line and puff all up like peacocks because they had an 'original' thought.

[AMERICANWOMAN99]

Ha ha ha ha ha!!! You go O.M.!! These people are insanely ignorant!! This is truly entertainment at it's best!!

[gatogato]

A good Newt hides it slimy self under the rock it was born.

[SiberianRat]

Please don't compare this Newt to animal newts--they're far superior in every sense.

[gatogato]

You are right. My apologies.

[sparkandy]

Thank you. No human should ever be compared to far superior creatures like animals because we all fall far short.