Newt Gingrich On Occupy Wall Street Protests: 'There Is A Frightening Level Of Anti-Semitism'

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich appeared on CBS' "The Early Show" Wednesday morning, sympathizing with the anger behind Occupy Wall Street but worrying about alleged anti-Semitism in the protests.

"If you say 'do you agree you should be angry,' we ought to be angry," he said, adding that people should be mad at the secrecy in the Wall Street bailouts. He added that he did not know what the "message" of the Occupy Wall Street protesters was. "There is a frightening level of anti-Semitism in some of these gatherings fundamentally different than the Tea Party," he said.

The Anti-Defamation League said while there were a small number of anti-Semitic protesters and signs at the Occupy Wall Street protests, they found "no evidence" that such views were representative of the movement as a whole or were "gaining traction." The group asked the Occupy Wall Street movement to condemn "manifestations of anti-Semitism and racism" at their rallies, the same request it made to the Tea Party movement.

Gingrich did sympathize with one of the chief concerns of the Occupy Wall Street protesters -- rising student loan debt. "Is it really fair to young people -- or for that matter to middle-aged people who go back to school -- to give them an inflated price just because you can borrow the money in the short-run? You have to pay that money back and that becomes a big burden," he said. He also bemoaned the rising cost of higher education.

He reiterated that the heated debate exchanges in Las Vegas between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney were hurtful to the Republican party. "It hurt everybody to have bickering going on the way it was going on in that debate," he said.

Gingrich also took a shot at President Barack Obama in the interview, saying he was "more comfortable on Leno than he is trying to govern the country," referring to Obama's "Tonight Show" appearance Tuesday.

Gingrich said Tuesday that his campaign had raised more money in October than in July, August and September, when he raised just over $800,000. A New York Times/CBS poll released Tuesday showed him in third place with 10 percent support nationally.

 

Comments

[Richard Jochum]

01:09 PM on 11/01/2011

This man shows a frightening level of ignorance.

[Mister E]

09:49 PM on 10/28/2011

It is amazing how the Republicans are so adamant against the OWS movement. What are they afraid of? If they stop posturing and do what they have been elected to do the OWS movement will disappear. Now I ask how likely do you think that is?

Newt stop being jealous of President Obama's ability to speak clearly. Instead of criticizing his appearance on Leno how about you go on there yourself and let people hear what you have to say...oh yeah that right you don't have anything constructive to say

[sharin]

09:23 AM on 10/28/2011

From an October 21 Times article:
----
Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, urged the protest organizers to condemn any expressions of anti-Semitism, but said, "There are manifestations in the movement of anti-Semitism, but they are not expressing or representing a larger view." He also pointed out that, according to his organization's periodic polls, roughly one in six Americans believed Jews had too much power in Wall Street and the American government.

"So it's not surprising that in a movement that deals with economic issues you're going to get bigots that believe in this stereotype," Mr. Foxman said. "The movement is not about Jews; it's not about Israel. It's about 'the economy, stupid.' "
----

[Mister E]

09:44 PM on 10/28/2011

nicely put

[Stan Cunningham]

07:16 AM on 10/28/2011

I wouldn't give the protesters that much credit!!

[sixtoes]

01:55 AM on 10/28/2011

Now they're using Newt to smear OWS as a whole with this charge. Pure desperation. All the politicians are waiting for OWS to go away, so they don't have to choose sides.

[time2talk]

12:59 AM on 10/28/2011

After the bigotry of the TP, I think Newt is really reaching with his antisemitism charges.

[BethanySchnepally]

08:46 AM on 10/28/2011

The bigotry? Please. The few crazies in the Tea Party got more coverage than these anti-semites ever will, thus convincing you it was far more widespread than it actually was.

If the Tea Party is bigotted, so is Occupy Wall Street.

[RepublicansAreFail]

11:09 PM on 10/27/2011

Who are the poor saps still giving money to Gingrich.

[JackHoffman]

07:50 PM on 10/27/2011

Where was the Anti-Defamation League when the TP was making derogatory remarks about Muslims, Mexicans and African-Americans?

[iridium53]

08:56 PM on 10/27/2011

Tu Quoque.

"The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people."

The better question would be where were the Muslim American Society, La Raza, and NAACP?

[Imhotep40]

07:40 PM on 10/27/2011

Is Newt saying what I think Newt is saying?

"There is a frightening level of anti-Semitism in some of these gatherings fundamentally different than the Tea Party," . . . . .

Tea Party anti-Semitism is somehow a better form of anti-Semitism than that of the Occupy Wall Street crowd? If so, Newt needs to stop while he's behind . . . .

[l78lancer]

06:04 PM on 10/27/2011

Leave it to Newt to make a racial or cultural issue where there is virtually none. He tries to act sophisticated and erudite, but because the issues of today have passed him by he focuses on the hate tactics of 50 years ago.

Face it - you're a dinasaur.

[l78lancer]

02:55 AM on 11/01/2011

...dinosaur...

[CaptMike65]

04:58 PM on 10/27/2011

Newt, Are you saying Wall St is full of Jews? Thats kinda like saying half of Hollywood is gay and the other half is nuts.

[l78lancer]

06:05 PM on 10/27/2011

None to subtle message, is it?

[BethanySchnepally]

08:47 AM on 10/28/2011

No, but Occupy Wall Streeters did.

[liberaldawg]

05:14 PM on 10/27/2011

Well, they've found their talking points.

[Momklok]

03:57 PM on 10/27/2011

Another case of Republicans making up whatever they can to do damage to . . . well, everything, especially the bulk (99%) of the American people. These people have no cousciences, no souls, no remorse, no filters, no self-muting button, They are racist, sexist, greedy, money grubbing, power hungry biggots.

[Mike Dennison]

04:12 PM on 10/27/2011

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Newt Gingrich loves the word "fundamentally".

"There is a frightening level of anti-Semitism in some of these gatherings fundamentally different than the Tea Party," -- Above
Occupy protests "fundamentally different" than Tea Party -- October 2011
"It is fundamentally wrong to give people money for 99 weeks for doing nothing." -- September 2011
"Obama's State of the Union was fundamentally dishonest." -- January 2011
"Chairman Bernanke I think is fundamentally misguided in his approach." -- November 2010
"The entire Administration approach is fundamentally wrong.." -- December 2009

My suggestion for a drinking game is take a swig whenever he says "fundamentally."

[Lvm]

04:53 PM on 10/27/2011

He thinks it makes him sound smart. You know, back in the day, the Republican propaganda machine hyped Newt as brilliant, therefore he has to keep using the word so he doesn't blow his cover.

[l78lancer]

07:12 PM on 10/27/2011

It also leaves just enough room so that he can't be seen as a complete liar when he's wrong. That is - fundalmentally...but not all.

[PillowCaseLaw]

12:33 AM on 10/28/2011

Pseudo-intellectual Fundamentalism: The New Religious Fundamentalism. I mean Gingrich, not you, just for clarity's sake.

[straight32]

03:50 PM on 10/27/2011

Judging from most of the comments here it appears that Newt Gingrich is 100% correct.

[GeoffreyF]

03:46 PM on 10/27/2011

Only a member of the GOP would come to that conclusion. Up is down, white is black, anti-bank is anti Semitic. That's the GOP thinking and yours?

[l78lancer]

06:10 PM on 10/27/2011

You posted on the wrong page. Your comment should be under the "Gingrich and Santorum Hate People" article.