Juan Williams Addresses Newt Gingrich Showdown, Gets Negative Vanity Fair Profile (VIDEO)

Juan Williams has been receiving quite a bit of attention in the aftermath of Monday night's GOP debate. Williams, who moderated the event, had a confrontational exchange with Newt Gingrich that earned him boos from the audience.

The Fox News contributor had raised criticism that Gingrich's comments about food stamps and poor children's work ethic were "intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities." Gingrich had said that if invited to speak to the NAACP, he would urge black people to demand paychecks instead of food stamps. Williams asked, "Can't you see that this is viewed at a minimum as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans?"

On Tuesday's "The Five," he explained why he asked the question. When co-host Eric Bolling insisted that Gingrich's comments were about economics and not race, Williams disagreed. He said, "It's very racial and... unless i missed it, black people havent been out there demanding food stamps, or marching for food stamps."

"I don't think [Gingrich] answered the question at all," he said. Watch his explanation in the clip above.

It seems that Williams' moment in the spotlight is not over. A pair of profiles in Vanity Fair were released on Wednesday. One, discussing his career before he came to NPR, was particularly negative. The article portrays Williams' career as an ego-driven march to the top intertwined with sloppy journalism and workplace scandals.

The second piece, a broader look at Williams' fallout with — and firing from— NPR, is not much kinder to him, casting him as an over-priced star who held the network hostage due to his fame and its lack of black voices. Interestingly, writer David Margolick reveals that the comment that got Williams fired from his radio job —when he told Bill O'Reilly he worried when he saw people in "Muslim garb" on planes — was no off-the-cuff remark, but was actually a carefully planned line.

So far, there has been no public response from Williams to the strikingly hostile articles.

Also on HuffPost:

View Twitter responses to Williams' exchange with Gingrich below:

Comments

[vidian6]

12:27 PM on 02/04/2012

I'm surprised that Juan is still a member of the human race having been used by Fox for so long. Of course Newt was talking about black people, and everyone knows it. And the idea that food stamps have expanded under Obama is a lie. George W., had more people on food stamps than anyone. If you want people to get off food stamps, then provide them with a job. Gee I heard those are hard to come by.

[tnttnttt]

08:33 PM on 01/26/2012

Racial slurs, hate towards low income Americans, hate for people of color stop. Why is this behavior allowed too continue. Gingrich desires are clear, Black Americans should only hold positions which reflect his opinion of them, maid, cook, mammy. What is it that makes it acceptable for you and your running mates too continue with racial and negative statement,
against Black America.

The attempt too humiliate a professional and well respected member of the media, show how low you will go. Your dirty little secrets came to the attention of the media, when you bought them to the campaign platform. These jabs against Black American show there will never be equal representation by you or any Republican presidential candidate.

This campaign isn't about what is best for American, but about The First Black American President, who has done more good in four years, than any other president in the late 20th and early 21st century. There is no respect when you speak of this man, there is no acknowledgement to his rank, and the position he holds. If and I do mean if, one of you become president, which I doubt it, you will never be addressed with respect, as you never gave respect

You and those who feel as you do, how you truly feel about Black Americans, will be the same reason why you want be elected president. You need God! You need to stop hating.

[vidian6]

12:30 PM on 02/04/2012

Preach!. Preach! Tell it like it is, as alot of people are being sold garbage. Good post.

[Fran04]

10:21 AM on 01/23/2012

Is this a Fox's show? I bet it is. Conservative complains about "liberal" media. What about the" President Obama", , "liberal bashing" conservative media? It seems conservatives can give it, but they can't take it. When they are attacked, it okay. When someone is attacking them, they are label "liberal"

[ggranny]

09:32 AM on 01/22/2012

Well...it's about time the conservative African Americans sees that the racists GOP/Tea Party don't give a rat's bu tt about them....yes, they love a steppin-fetchin like Cain that glorifies his ignorance and self-loathing everytime he opens his mouth and by wanting to be the ONE that the bigots like. The first time he says something that ticks them off...he (Cain) too will be put back in his place.

[methnkng]

01:28 AM on 01/22/2012

If the moneyed elite who run the GOP were not so greedy, and people were actually paid a minimum wage, there would be no need for food stamps.

[glorysong]

07:55 PM on 01/21/2012

Jaun William got just what was coming to him . I do not feel sorry for him. He set up there on T.V. and put Black people down. He should had said to Newt that more white people are on food stamps that Blacks, he did not say nothing. He just showed me that he did not have a backbone.

[Frederic Wells]

04:39 PM on 04/07/2012

I feel that the same as you do about "House Slave Juan' the day he threw Dr. Michael Eric Dyson under the bus on a FOX show to earn his keys to the door of the FOX plantation. He felt that he was a "new style Knee-Grow" and thought he was riding high until he was regarded as being "uppity" during the debate in South Carolina, which Newt of all people had to put him in his place. I LMAO!!!!!

[dailyjewel]

12:22 PM on 01/21/2012

To the reporter who said the janitor was feeding his family expensively on a union salary.... How much are you getting paid to sit in a chair discussing this compared to the janitor who has to clean up other people's waste? Who are you to talk about people being lazy?
I do not understand how she has a job when she clearly does not think before she opens her mouth. One should not judge if they have no compassion.

[pace1100]

01:37 AM on 01/21/2012

FOX has always treated Jaun like an adopted stray. He needs to do a Micheal Steele and get before he seriously embarrasses himself.

[vidian6]

12:32 PM on 02/04/2012

I'm afraid that ship has already sailed. Juan has been used by Fox for a long time to give the impression that they aren't racist. He should have left a long time ago.

[verylargehat]

12:56 AM on 01/21/2012

Why is it that the GOP applauds subsidies (which is corporate welfare) for big oil, and have such contempt for helping the least wealthy among us?

Many of the people who benefit from food stamps are children. That doesn't sound very pro-life to me.

[TheNewShadeofBlue]

09:58 PM on 01/20/2012

Juan Williams, OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, Clarence Thomas, JC Watts, etc....Forget them all!

[vidian6]

12:33 PM on 02/04/2012

How do you include Michael Jackson in that crowd, don't see the comparison.

[grapost]

01:16 PM on 01/20/2012

I hate Fox News but Juan Williams is one of the few there that will openly disagree with the other NutJobs and voice opinions that don't conform with their NEOCON agenda.

I saw him the other night arguing strongly with Bill O'Reilly on the Factor about the Newt Food Stamp statement. O'Reilly was his usual arrogant and pompous self, while Williams calmly stated his opinion and case without backing down.

Williams is not a hardcore Idealogue like the others, and will concede that "others" may be right when expressing opinions opposing the Fox News line.

He comes across a moderate compared to the others. You can have a two way conversation with Williams where the other NutJobs, just run off at the mouth attacking guests the whole time during an interview.

HIs comments about Muslim were unfortunate considering he is one of Color but nothing he should have been fired for. The 2 magazine articles appear to be designed and deliberate Hatchet Jobs just because he works for Fox News

[alethabd]

01:00 PM on 01/20/2012

Just wondering If Juan knows his "place" now?

[vidian6]

12:34 PM on 02/04/2012

Great observation.

[bradyhull]

12:00 PM on 01/20/2012

SIMPLE.....JUAN WILLIAMS is a ....................YES MAN!!!!!!!

He will anything to get the light and that means denegrate blacks, hispanics and anyone else if it will rise that STAR. He is a LEECH!!!!

WILLIAMS follows in the foot steps of .....CLARENCE THOMAS!!!!

Being a Republican does not mean to be a SELL-OUT like the two men I have mentioned. It means being CONSERVATIVE....PERIOD!!!

JUST LOOK at the GENERAL COLIN POWELL!!! A Republican...one so admired that MANY, ALMOST NONE on the LEFT CAN ATTACK!!! A real, steady person!!!

Those Republicans who are out there with GINGRICH and APPLAUDING AND SCREAMING ARE .....SIMPLY LOST RACIST THAT NEED TO BE DESTROYED......PERIOD!!!!

[ZonaCumia]

11:53 AM on 01/20/2012

Welcome back to the field Mr. Williams. Now you know what they are saying behind your back. Remember, you were "put in your place".

[Mabeline]

11:35 AM on 01/20/2012

More white people are on food stamps than any other group. Newt's comments WERE racially charged.

[verylargehat]

12:54 AM on 01/21/2012

Newt is a racist.

I am appalled at how free the GOP feels to showcase their racism.

[vidian6]

12:35 PM on 02/04/2012

I"m appalled at the fact that the so-called news media doesn't call him out on it.