Evening Buzz: Is Gingrich fueling birther beliefs?
Cate Vojdik
AC360° Writer
Has former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gone too far? Comments he made this past weekend about President Obama have some of his fellow conservatives crying foul. Among other things, Gingrich accused Obama of having a “Kenyan, anti-colonial” agenda and worldview.
He made these remarks while agreeing with an article in Forbes by fellow conservative Dinesh D’Souza. But do the claims in the article and the comments by Gingrich stand up to the facts? Are Gingrich and D’Souza simply trying to fan the birther movement for political gain? Are any Republicans defending them? Tonight on 360, we’ll look at all of that, plus the White House reaction. We’ll also hear from Democratic strategist Paul Begala and conservative commentator and former speechwriter David Frum.
Filmmaker Michael Moore has jumped into the battle over the Islamic center and mosque planned near Ground Zero. Over the weekend, he wrote that he wants the center to be built directly on Ground Zero, instead of two blocks away. Did he really mean it? What point is he trying to make? Anderson interviews Moore tonight.
There’s new video of the horrific natural gas explosion that killed at least four people in San Bruno, California. Some of the images were recorded by surveillance cameras as the blast happened. An amateur video taken moments after the blast shows the intensity of the inferno that destroyed dozens of homes. There’s also new information tonight that the utility at the center of the investigation, Pacific Gas and Electric, was warned about risks posed by an aging gas line. Keeping them honest, Ted Rowlands investigates.
We’re also launching a new segment tonight called Political Theatre. Think of it as a fact-check of the most outrageous political ads airing in this overheated primary season. Do the bold claims and accusations stand up to reality? We’re cranking up our Keeping-Them-Honest-ometer.
See you at 10 p.m. eastern.
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Filed under: Cate Vojdik |
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I cannot believe the level of BS that is coming from the political bunch. Namely the nation's Republicans. The U.S. has done some shameful things in the past 200 years and I think we are headed to do another, with shameful treatment of our current president?????
I find myself ashamed of my country. We are fastly becoming a nation of racists and bigots. I fear for our safety.
I am having trouble reading and listening to a lot of the STUFF we are being told.
I pray that this is a short term thing that our country if going through????
Newt, we and our President should be anti colonialists. Our country was founded on this??
Maybe YOU should study our country's history???
Instead of trying to destroy what we have.
Another media platform to offer 1 sided properganda. Everyone knows the media will always back this dictator who continues to disregard the majority wishes of the public. These elections will show everyone who have blamed bush for everything
I quote " The time has come the walrus said to speak of many things of shoes and ships and sealing wax of cabbages and kings"
The would be King, Newt Gingrich, has put his foot( shoes) in his mouth and no matter how lyrical his speech waxes ( or wanes) his ship will sink, and if he is lucky will have enough cabbages to be vegetarian and still survive.
Are you finding that all rather stupid? If so you got the right impression about Mr Gingrich's comments!!
There were many comments about President Bush that were not in the complimentary or respectful category.
However, I do have to say I believe the numbers of outrageously disrespectful and uncomplimentary Items like You Lie, bithright and religion comments and many others need to stop, free speech or not. Slander and Libel are not permitted even under free speech in the constitution.
Please media do your job stop airing
lies,libellous comments and slander as news!!
And then hiding behind freedom of the press as your cover!!UGH!!
Regards,
Hodgson.
To the people who support his statement: what is wrong with being anti-colonial? You enjoy talking about what the founders believed, well, they were anti-colonials. The United States was founded on a stance of anti-colonialism.
Newt Gingrigh, like many of the men of his generation, thinks that real men have to bully to get ahead. They believe that the only way to succeed in the world is to divide and conquer all opposition. The problem is that this type of behaviour creates an endless divisiveness in our society. The only reason he gets away with it is that most Americans haven't figured out that no-one's special.
We buy into the fear mongering because we feel we have no personal power to look out for ourselves. As long as people like Newt Gingrich keep making comments that aren't worth making, that accomplish nothing but to slander and create division, we will continue to slip further into the dark hole we're in where we can't see each other, and where no-one wants to understand. We'll never realize our common goals. We'll never know our ideal.
You've got to be human before you understand what it is to be a man. Stop trying to be a man and be a human.
Wow!!!! and you wonder why people around the world hate americans so much...guys like this are helping digging american's grave. wake up people the world's power is switching hands. the sad part is that the american people dont even realize that they are being taken hostage by the fear machine by these scavenger politicians without any shame, for short term gain. the only loser here is the people. i feel sorry for you guys. in a way this is good for those of us who grew up in Africa and countries looking up to America. we are quickly realizing that America is full of scared people, scared of everything that is not white. Not an example for anyone. maybe the world does need change...from American fear mongering.
I think that a big point is being about the "Dreams of My Father". The foundational beliefs of Barak's father was communism, not just Kenyan anti-colonialism. That means Socialism, which Obama, in being a left wing ideolog, is consistent with.
As to the birthing issue, the people in the Kenyan village where some say he was born, insist that he was born there. If his mother was American, I think that still allows him to be a citizen. Right? His mother was American wasn't she?
Is he fueling birther beliefs? Is this a joke? He says Obama is running a Kenyan agenda and this is posed as a serious question?
CNN is so behind sometimes.
Journalists are supposed to call a spade a spade - that is what truth-telling is about. It's not merely presenting he-said-she-said commentary from partisans.
I would like to thank Newt Gingrich for identifying Barack Obama as being "anti-colonialist." This makes me think back to my 7th grade American History courses. In this course I learned that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and all the founding fathers and the first generation of presidents in our country were in fact: anti-colonialists. This only shines a light on the fact that Barack Obama shares the same beliefs as our founding fathers. Maybe Newt didn't take American History classes?
correct me if i'm wrong. Newt, but wasn't your country founded by anti-colonials?????????
judy best
Canada (still part of the British Commonwealth)
I am a white, 63 year old female registered Republican. As a result of Ginrich's statements regarding Obama I am finally over the top! I will use my voice to encourage my Republican friends and others to vote NO on the Republican Party's agenda. Enough is Enough!!
Newt is disrespectful to the president and still spreading venom and racist chatter.
Gingrich accused Obama of having a “Kenyan, anti-colonial” agenda and worldview. This is an absolute valid and ligament accusation. Another valid and legitimate accusation would be to accuse President Obama of being a socialist If it walks quacks and looks like a duck why don't you call it a duck ? why does CNN seemed to be offended by these statements as if you are telling your audience how dare Newt Gingrich and others make such a valid and legitimate accusation ? CNN finds it reprehensive someone would have the audacity to actually make a valid accusation !,do you see how you liberals think?
There was a time when Newt contributed to creating a great America. Unfortunately, he's chosen to scare people with lies and misinformation for selfish pursuits. He now will be known for spreading hate and dividing the very country he once swore to serve.
Sounds like a great show you have in store for us tonight. I can't believe that Gingrich would stoop so low to encourage the "birther" stance – Gingrich is supposedly a very smart man; why would he deliberately encourage this belief? He still is one angry GOP who does not need to be in office or have influence in the US.
Michael Moore – well I'm not surprised he has a lot to say about this but I am surprised about the statement reputedly made by him about building it on ground zero – that is so insensitive to the 9/11 families. There has to be a balance between preserving our Constitutional rights for everyone and respecting the grief and the memory of the family of 9/11 victims.
Looking forward to the show.