Glenn Beck, Newt Gingrich Spar About Individual Mandate, Climate Change (VIDEO)

Glenn Beck grilled Newt Gingrich during a lengthy interview on his Tuesday radio show.

Gingrich has been catapulted to the top of the Republican presidential race in recent weeks, and Beck didn't let him off easy.

"I have serious concerns with Newt Gingrich," he said before the interview. "...I truly, deeply care about the country just as much as Newt Gingrich does but we differ on the answers, I believe. I’d like to have him convince me that I’m wrong. I would love to have him convince me that I’m wrong." He quizzed him on his support for ethanol subsidies, his views on government regulation and his changing positions on the individual mandate in health care.

Beck played clips of Gingrich calling himself a "Theodore Roosevelt Republican," and saying that government regulation was needed in some areas.

"Regulation and the government scares the crap out of me and I think most Tea Party kind of leaning conservatives," he said. Gingrich responded that he thinks "there are minimum regulatory standards of public health and safety that are I think really important." He mentioned the classic book "The Jungle," which features a man who falls into a vat of sausages, citing that as an example of something government should prevent.

"So you’re a minimum regulation guy on making sure the people don’t fall into the vats of sausage?" Beck asked.

In another section, Beck played two soundbites of Gingrich speaking about healthcare in 1993 and 2011. He told Gingrich that "this is where we fundamentally differ," and argued that Gingrich seemed to be in favor of an individual mandate. Gingrich admitted that his current position was a "variation" on the individual mandate.

Beck also quizzed Gingrich on climate change, playing clips of him saying "the government should pay" for some solutions to the problem. He told Gingrich that it seemed as though a belief in combating climate change was a "multiyear stance."

Gingrich said that there was "evidence on both sides of the climate change argument," and that he only meant that government should help pay for things like nuclear energy.

To read the full transcript of the interview, click here.

Watch Part 1 above. Watch Part 2 below.

Background on Newt Gingrich:

Comments

[LogicNotEmotion]

02:03 PM on 01/24/2012

I love how Beck is now a credible resource to liberals when he is bashing the GOP front runner. Great example of why intelligent people don't take liberals seriously.

[vobox3343]

09:27 AM on 12/08/2011

Government regulations should scare you, Mr. Beck. Just like it scared 'Jim Jones,' another cultist.

[Sanjay0]

10:39 PM on 12/11/2011

regulations should be local. federal regulations are made by lobbyists to protect big corporations and defeat small businesses and potential competitors.

Thats what tea party means. Thats what ron paul means. No federal regulations, but you can have local regulations,

some regulations like river pollution, air pollution can be national, but most other need to be local to meet local needs.

[vobox3343]

09:40 AM on 12/12/2011

Sounds reasonable. The only problem, lobbyist at all levels of government. If the pople are properly informed and agree, it would be fine, but that rarely happens.Coal mines provide jobs, but they also give you black lung.

[Rebecca Andret]

06:23 AM on 12/08/2011

Gingrich = blah blah blah

[Bryan Longworth]

01:29 AM on 12/08/2011

I heard Beck's interview with Gingrich. Gingrich answered well but showed himself to be a progressive who views the government as the solution, not the problem.

[linmarco]

10:42 PM on 12/07/2011

So Newt has baggage. Would I be correct in saying it wouldn't fit into the overhead bin?

[catboycolo]

06:41 PM on 12/07/2011

" We disagree on who is the most heinous individual..."

[Pastori Balele]

04:23 PM on 12/07/2011

With Newt as nominee, Republicans chance for the WH is nil. People are angry with and fear republicans now. Now GOPers are bringing in Newt factor with his past baggage. This makes American people view Republican Party as cynical on present issues. Even some TEA Party members are now switching to support democrats. The whole country is now waiting 2012 for revenge against republicans. Believe it or not - no republican will be elected as state or federal senator, congress or president. With Newt, republicans will be in a "black hole" - they won't get out. Welcome President Obama for another 4 years.

[EndGOP]

02:51 PM on 12/07/2011

Big head, small brain... which is which?

[justsayno]

01:55 PM on 12/07/2011

OH no! His worst crime is 3 wives lol ha ha ha ha

[bartstew]

03:05 PM on 12/07/2011

Well, no. I don't think that's what got him booted out of the speakership by his own party.

[justsayno]

09:13 AM on 12/08/2011

and you think anyone really cares when it is Obama that he will be kicking out? Umm better think again..

[Ron Weaver]

11:55 AM on 12/07/2011

Beavis and butthead come to mind for some reason.

[TheTruth33]

11:36 AM on 12/07/2011

Let me make this easy for all Beckerheads. Beck is wrong. Convincing is easy at times.

[Babygeorge123]

10:50 AM on 12/07/2011

Newt reminds me of the Movie Blazing Saddles, When" Cleavon little " put the Gun to his Head and said , if You try to stop me The N-------------- gets it ,then all the people said Oh no, Are we that Stupid, ? newt should be in Prison, already , what the haell he wants to lead the world with our Blessings , and Yet WE out law the Mafia, "Repulicans" , what are You Thinking,, There are Many Many Decent competent Caucasan who can do that Job, stop embarrasing us,

[Iamrebelriser]

09:12 AM on 12/07/2011

Since I don't care to listen to either of these two lying fanatics, I can't immagine the two of them speaking their loaded words in the same space. Must have been electric with sparks, but on the whole, boring.

[persugram]

09:52 PM on 12/06/2011

More baggage than experience.

I admit, I am not up with the history of first ladies but would Callista be the first "other woman" to be be in the White House should Newt win? I just want to (as Mitt joked about his own perfectly coiffed head) break her godawful hair.

[john rajah]

06:05 AM on 12/07/2011

Nancy Reagan was the first "other woman" in the White House

[madame48]

09:46 PM on 12/06/2011

Newt says the taxpayers should pay for the nuclear energy disaster coverage costs, Mr. Private Market, because investors know a lousy deal...hmm Privatize the profits but SOCIALIZE the costs & risk....Lawdie what hypocrisy

[Iamrebelriser]

09:14 AM on 12/07/2011

And in the second place, no one with such names as "Newt" or "Mitt" belongs in the Oval Office, let alone whatever the circumstance of their wife or wives.

[bartstew]

03:07 PM on 12/07/2011

Some say it was going through high school with a name like Newt that unhinged his mind.