The Republicans gathered for the South Carolina presidential debate in Myrtle Beach Monday night cheered and leapt to their feet when Newt Gingrich flatly dismissed any suggestion that his rhetoric is racially insensitive.
Debate co-moderator Juan Williams tried to engage Gingrich on some of his more incendiary lines, which have raised eyebrows and drawn swift condemnation from minority groups. Gingrich would have none of it — and neither would the crowd.
After the debate, Fox News commentator Frank Luntz — who was apparently in the room — was surprised at the crowd’s reaction. He said it was the first time he’d ever seen a debate audience give a candidate a standing ovation during an ongoing debate.
What led to such a response? This question from Williams started it.
“Speaker Gingrich, you said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. You also said poor kids lack a strong work ethic and proposed having them work as janitors in their schools,” Williams asked. “Can’t you see that this is viewed, at a minimum, as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans?”
“No. I don’t see that,” Gingrich said flatly.
The crowd cheered for that one. But they really got going when Williams followed up with this:
I have to tell you my Twitter account has been inundated by all races, who are asking if your comments are not intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities. You saw some of this reaction dug your visit to a black church in South Carolina. We saw some of this during your visit to a church in South Carolina where a woman dad’s asked you why you referred to President Obama as the food stamp president. It sounds as if you are seeking to belittle people.
The crowd booed Williams as he tried to get the question out. When Gingrich responded, they (according to Luntz) jumped to their feet and gave him a standing ovation.
“Well, first of all, Juan, the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history,” Gingrich said. “I know among the politically correct you are not supposed to use facts that are uncomfortable.”
Gingrich also once again accused Obama of being the “food stamp president” and said there was a nearby part of South Carolina the president had singled out for its minority unemployment, only to see nothing done. The crowd liked that too.
Here’s video:
