Allen West: Newt Gingrich's 'Food Stamp President' Attack On Obama Is Valid, Not Racist

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) defended GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Monday, arguing that the former House speaker's repeated claims of President Obama being "the greatest food-stamp president" were correct and devoid of any racial undertones.

"There is no race code," West said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "In fact, since President Obama has been in office you've seen a 4 to 1 increase in food-stamp recipients in the United State of America."

West continued: "We have a president that's making more American victims rather than victors ... We also have a 16 percent increase in Americans on the poverty roll -- 6.4 million more Americans are on poverty since President Obama took office."

Gingrich's attack on Obama as a "food-stamp president" has been a feature throughout his campaign, including during his victory speech after the South Carolina primary on Saturday.

The former speaker of the House continued to defend the refrain as accurate on Sunday, during an appearance on CNN:

"I think it's unfortunate that liberal leaders, whatever their ethnic background, can't have an honest, open debate about policies that fail," he said. "The fact is, far more whites than blacks are on food stamps."

West has displayed cautious enthusiasm toward Gingrich in his previous analysis of the presidential race. While he's claimed that he's not ready to endorse a candidate, in an interview with Newsmax earlier this year he praised Gingrich as the "smartest person" in the field. Last year, however, West said that Gingrich bore a "200-pound rucksack" of political baggage on his back.

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Comments

[joann95798]

08:17 PM on 01/29/2012

Obama stands today. You are no Harriet Tubman, you are no global leader to guide your people from the dredge of humiliation, degradation, you claim you are doing. You my friend are seeking approval in the wrong way from the wrong people, evidently you have not learned anything from your history - you are the fool, the Negro used to keep Negroes in check - back off brother, we know enough about how your kind deal and you would sell us down the drain in a heartbeat. So you acting as the mouth piece of the teapublican to take their country back you look like a jackass. RESIGN from the National Black Caucus, and any other party/agency/organization that you claim have the interest of Black America at heart. Disgraced from Military Service-like I should support you!

[TOPGUNELITE]

05:13 PM on 01/31/2012

Joann95798, you said it right and we as a people should not change one word. I would like to add the real touch to Mr. West's mess, he want people to send him money and he cares less about black people. Mr. West if, and I say if, you were just a bit lighter on the skin color I would think you are trying to pass for white. Black people don't speak like that to his/her black leaders and you should know that LTC West. Now you want to back track your statement!!!!!!!

[Rudman44]

05:01 PM on 05/10/2012

Joann, I apoligize, I first thought you were attacking President Obama. My Bad !

[consindenial]

08:31 PM on 01/23/2012

First of all, there are no such things as "food stamps" anymore, and haven't been for years. The term "food stamp" hasn't even been used for years. Gingrich brought it back to invoke the image of the lazy, welfare grubbing, child-popping black mother to inflame the good, God-fearing Christian white Archie Bunkers of America.

Secondly, there are a lot of good, God-fearing Christian white folks that are receiving assistance now that have lost their jobs due to the Great Recession of 2008 and can't find another that they can support their families with. The Teapublicans keep trying to blame the recession on Obama, even though it was in full force and at it's depths when Obama took office.

Alan West left the Army in disgrace, and is a disgrace in Congress.

[joann95798]

08:25 PM on 01/29/2012

OMG! I forgot all about his disgracful discharge - while the statement was meant to be racist, I am so glad that a lot of people spoke up and put these clowns in their place. Race has no place in trying to heal a nation - these guys only mean to tear apart and separate the masses. Trickery won't work this time. Thanks for the post.

[LeftLeanWing]

08:11 PM on 01/23/2012

I do not like this brotha , who still thinks it's cool to sport that tired High Top Fade from House Party 2

[Anita Maria Lopez]

07:54 PM on 01/23/2012

If Obama is the "food stamp president," then Gingrich would be the "let them starve president." Here in Maine, one in six people are living with hunger.

[Berlet98]

05:19 PM on 01/23/2012

Rep. Allen West, American Hero

Allen Bernard West was a virtual unknown entity outside the U.S. Army before he burst on the political scene in the Republican rout of 2010 when he was elected the first GOP African-American congressman from Florida in 134 years.

West is also an un-sung American hero.

Although I had read Rep. West was a conservative and Tea Party supporter, I hadn’t known anything about his military record or his outspoken and heroic sense of patriotism until recently.

The 50 year old West, who followed generations of his family in joining the Army in 1983, served for 21 years in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team, the 377th Field Artillery Regiment, and the First Infantry Division among other posts, saw action in both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2004.

Those achievements alone command the respect and admiration of every American. On the other hand, the incident that led to his forced retirement deserves exposure as an example of our military’s official gutlessness and ignorance in conducting a war.

LTC West was relieved of his command after he was accused of assaulting an Iraqi prisoner in Taji suspected of plotting to ambush his men.

During intense combat, a few of those men under West’s command were captured and one suspected insurgent was also captured.

With the lives of American soldiers in danger . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=12222.)

[Micheal Anderson]

07:13 PM on 01/23/2012

His military service does not excuse his public office service.

[fredpa]

07:24 PM on 01/23/2012

Ultimately, he disgraced the military, and got off on a technicality and a plea bargain. He is not worthy to represent this country in any fashion.

[JazzMonkey]

08:30 PM on 01/23/2012

And still he lacks the courage to take exception when members of his own party publicly disparage black Americans for political gain.

[gerentrans]

05:11 PM on 01/23/2012

Allen defending Gringrich is like____ youknow what, i wont even go there

[ashley22]

06:12 PM on 01/23/2012

Newt is just jealous of Obama,because Obama is everything he wishes he could be.

[jasongrundy]

04:30 PM on 01/23/2012

Allen west is a one-term congress member and 20 year veteran of the high top fade. Cut that hair bro!

[errol44]

04:30 PM on 01/23/2012

West then called for a new white-separatist movement throughout the US.

[southernman]

04:51 PM on 01/23/2012

He wants to be " First Boy "

[Chazz280V]

04:05 PM on 01/23/2012

Right, because everything was oh so beautifull and well, and we had no problems at all. No debt, no deficit, full employment, a great stock market, houses for every person, no homeless, no hunger, and world peace before President Obama took office.
West is so fυll οf ѕhіt. Him and the rest of the CONServatives.

[Christina Topchyan]

03:59 PM on 01/23/2012

There was some fact checking done on this claim and it turns out... FALSE! Republicans claiming a falsehood? Coulda blown me over with a feather... in any case, apparently more people applied for food stamps under Bush than Obama.

[fredpa]

07:26 PM on 01/23/2012

Yep. Reverend Al just got done with the real numbers.

[mypointofview58]

03:45 PM on 01/23/2012

I think he still believes in slavery. People are starving in this country, get real. As in any program there is abuse and that should curtailed. These are extraordinary times we are living in. What do you have tunnel-vision?

[pleasantlyny]

03:34 PM on 01/23/2012

Hey repubs did you guys EVER call Bush a food stamp president? the rolls were higher at that point than any opther time in history year after year under Bush. You did not think to call him a food stamp president because he was WHITE,.

At least be honest with yourselves. Try it. I am not tryiong to make you guys have a heart or compasion or not be bigots but what i would like is you guys to be honest.

[Carol Faber]

04:35 PM on 01/23/2012

do you notice they NEVER say bush at all just like newts baggage say a few hail marys and poof all gone

[Bonnie511]

03:33 PM on 01/23/2012

I would venture to guess, Mr. West has a lifetime supply of chapstick!!!

[donnablinger]

03:58 PM on 01/23/2012

Boo Yah!!

[marka]

03:25 PM on 01/23/2012

West defends Newt and agrees with Newt's positions. Who is surprised by this? West is as confused and as far out as Newt.

[ohiotechie]

03:24 PM on 01/23/2012

The fact is if Obama was white this little catch phrase would have never been uttered. This is no different than the whole birth certificate nonsense; if he were white his citizenship would never have been questioned. The same people who were demanding the long form were the ones a few short years ago who floated the idea of loosening citizenship requirements to allow The Govenator to run...

It *is* about race; we all know it - at least stand up and be honest about it.