Today was Newt Gingrich's 35th appearance on Meet The Press - but it was his first as a presidential candidate.
We kicked off our Meet The Candidates series this morning with the former House speaker who has emerged as one of the most recognizable names in the 2012 race thus far. But a long history of public service also means a long history of things said and done that voters will have questions about.
I showed Gingrich a clip of what he said on the program in 1993 regarding health insurance. Here's what he told Tim Russert:
"I am for people, individuals, exactly like the automobile insurance, individuals having health insurance and being required to have health insurance, and I am prepared to vote for a voucher system which will give individuals on a sliding scale a government subsidy so we ensure that everyone as individuals have health insurance."
Gingrich argued this was different from President Obama's health care mandate, and said his proposal was a "variation" of the individual mandate. He also said he would not use the mandate against Mitt Romney, who this week gave a speech defending the law he passed in Massachusetts.
I also asked Gingrich about how he plans to overcome his extramarital affairs, which have become perhaps the most talked about negative of his candidacy. You can see his response here.
Plus, visit our website for my complete interview with Gingrich, plus our roundtable who put it all in perspective.
If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press.
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Thanks for trying, David. But looking over your tenure as host of Meet the Press - it is obvious that you need to step down. The show is boring, unwatchable, and pure fluff.
Amen. I can barely stand to watch what was once my favorite show.
I could not agree with you more. I can't watch it anylonger.
When you give this old windbag the time of day for all of his--BAGGAGE--,YES,IT'S TIME TO THROW THE TOWEL IN.
My problem with the Left wing press....is if they had been half as tough on Obama as he was on Newt Gingrich we wouldn't be in this mess. Is it any wonder that the American people have lost confidence in our "Free and Independent Press". They have become a joke......not worthy of constitutional protections.....it's quite frankly embarrassing !
You should be embarrassed. With tripe like you just posted I would be too. Not worthy of Constitutional protections? Typical Birther.
how's that Kool-aid tasteing ???
Why all these republicans on the Sunday morning programs. When he said more people are on food stamps, I wonder why. I believe our economy is getting stronger but we cannot go back to republican's voodoo economics, because it doesn't work.
I grew up as a democrate..always living off the system. Now I am a republican...living independent to government money. Being a republican is not the problem. The republicans want people to be independent the democrates want people to be dependent and on welfare programs...always raising taxes so you have to be dependent. I am proud to be a republican. I am proud to be an american...I love my country. if we don't make some serious changes....i fear the future will not be ours.
Interesting. You were a Democrat until you could support yourself.... How many people get the help they need, when they need it, and then when on their feet want to deny that help to others. Democrats do not want to keep people dependent. Democrats want to give people the help they need to get thought whatever troubles come their way. It's called looking out for the well being of others, strengthening the fabric of our society. No one is immune from trouble: lost job, serious illness, serious accidents. It is good for all when we help the ones in need.
I think the GOP candidates should boycott meet the Press until David Gregory learns NOT to accuse people of being racist when they are NOT....Shame Shame on NBC Fire David Gregory
Dems make a mistake...far too many people remain dependent on others than actually evolve, under the various programs, to stand on their own two feet. Even some people who manage to make the transition to independence will often fall back because it is EASIER to let somebody else pay your way!
Thank you to David Gregory for going easy on Newt and allowing him to redefine himself as a reasonalble, unbiased critic of the current administration and not someone who is is just a marital cheater, a hypocritical polititian and a champion of the well-to-do.
I haven't watched the program yet, but from the comments here, David Gregory is still allowing Republicans to say whatever without being challenged.
You'd better watch the show. David did everything he could to embarrass Newt and was defensive of Obama.
Turn over your job Gregory, you're an embarrassment. Your fawning over the right has gotten out of hand. Look at the panel you assemble every week? Most haven't a clue, Especially Peggy Noonan.
Softball questions. Put up a question, wait for an answer, challenge nothing. This was a campaign stop for Mr. Gingrich, not an interview. I want to see interviewers prepared to challenge the person on the spot. And that is exactly what the interviewee should feet - on the spot for his history, his prospects for the future. The simple reason that more people are on welfare is that the Bush policies put more people out of work and desperate to feed their families. Do bring that up next time if you have a chance.
Oh.....we're still on Bush
How's that Kool-aid tasteing ???
Obama has his Acorn buddies out there pushing food stamps on illegal aliens
whatever happened to the real meaning of "fair and balanced" - I expect all the Republican fawning on Fox News... I have higher hopes for NBC and the long tradition of Meet The Press under Russert - no fawning when he was in charge
did i watch your MTP today? NO! WHY?! because you and like the rest of the BELTWAY MEDIA. are out of touch. We're not intereted in the wackadoodle teabaggen, i think i might run ignorant crowd you've all decided is interesting. IT ISN'T! THERE is a democratic presidency, and you and the rest from last wk's percentage was 3 to 1, and today it was 9 to 1 , republican to democratic on all of your shows. YOUR LOOSING TOUCH AS THEY HAVE, peggy nooooonun is boring and really not a blast, dj is fine but please, david.. TIM MUST BE ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE.
I had been hoping Andrea Mitchell would be the host of MTP after Tim Russert. She would ask the hard-hitting questions, she knows the players in DC and the Beltway and she is a respected journalist. I frankly don't watch MTP as often as I'd like, I don't care for David Gregory.
AND ONE MORE THING, "meet the candidate"?... SERIOUSLY? NOT NEWT is all anyone really needs to know. PLEASE DAVID.. seriously???
May 15, 2011
Hi on 5-1-2011 the New York Mayor, Blomberg stated that Detroit is losing population and they should offer IMMIGRANTS opportunities for business at no cost to repopulate Detroit.
Blomberg thinks by giving IMMIGRANTS these BENEFITS and not to the CITIZENS this will help the UNITED STATES “Detroit”. I feel if he can think to do this for the ILLEGAL he surly can do this for citizens. Here we can put a persons name in the system and find out if they have a police record or not. When an IMMIGRANT is hired you can’t tell about his/her record, what is being done is you are KILLING U.S. citizens. The ILLEGALS don’t learn ENGLISH and the citizen is without a job and without a LANGUAGE.
It is one thing to be here legal but most of them STEAL their way over here and have babies and I don’t see how that should make them citizens.
We are already over populated why should the U.S. take on any more ILLEGAL????? They are already 60% of the U.S. population as it is.
What makes Blomberg think without IMMIGRANTS the U.S. will not sustain being a SUPER POWER?????
Why is it all about IMMIGRANTS??? That was fine when the U.S. was trying to populate and get rid of the AMERICAN INDIANS. Now there are to many people here.
First off ,Newt calling the first Black President A food stamp President and say it not racist, Yea,right if you think That any Blacks going to vote for you after all the crap you been putting out, Like the Kenya issue and the other carp you been talking .Look everyone knows you out for Newt an no one else. That how you are and all you are. Look Newt at best you will not get pass the Republicans selection if you do You'll find out how playing dirty politic, Is just not going to work no more Drop out now and stop the embarrassment.
And that's the problem with the Beltway and corporate media. They never challenge the blatant racism that has been allowed to prevail by Fox News or the subtle undertones by other cable news shows. Whether it's labeled "opinion" or "news", they both need to be based on fact. We all know what they say about "opinions" right?
Newt didn't say anything about a black president ....David Gregory DID
Fire David Gregory and Boycott Meet the Press
More white people are on food stamps than black people, and the total number of people dependent on them has risen under Obama's leadership.
This is a negative.
If you keep using the racism excuse to invalidate honest conversations about problems in this country, we'll never be able to address anything.
And Mr. Gregory, why did you leap to the false observation that "food stamps" = black?
Hmmm...I watched that show and i heard all the talk about the food stamps but i didn't hear a thing about "foodstamps = black..."
2005-2008 bush & the recons LOST EIGHT MILLION JOBS IN THE USA.
which makes bush/cheney the food stamp champs---the people still out of work due to bush/cheney and the recons need to eat still..or do you want then to die in the streets?
President Obama- has created 3 milloin jobs in the past 2 years- with no help from the dirty rotten recons btw.
Newt has been on 35 times? Do we really need to see him again? I am tired of watching Meet the Press and not hearing hardball questions and follow ups. Put Rachel on your panel! She will challenge them. Where are your Democratic guests?
David Gregory should be ashamed of himself as the host of
MTP. Tim Russart would have never
allowed someone to come of his show and spout off such racism without a
challenge. Calling President Obama the
Food Stamp President and saying he has put more Americans on food stamp than
any other president is not only racist, but a complete lie. For David Gregory to sit there and allow that
to be said without any challenge is a travesty and shows a complete ineptitude
as a TV host. David, if you are to
scared or intimidate to ask or challenge people when they come on your show and
lie, step aside and let someone else take over.
You should be ashamed and embarrassed of yourself.
that is not racism...its the truth. facts are facts how does that make him making racist comments???
and i suppose you would be the one to do all those intimidating questions....hmmmm
ONE more time David Gregory called Obama the black president for food stamps....NOT Newt Gingrich
MTP is all GOP. At this stage of the non-campaign, doing a Meet the Candidates show every friggin' week for the next few months guarantees the Republican right will dominate your show right into the summer. Hard for me to admit, but Fox is coming off as more even-handed than the GOP-dominated MTP. Just awful and getting worse.
Meet the Press or Meet the Republicans? David, at this stage of a non-campaign, giving each Republican his own show amounts to free advertising. This show just gets worse each week. If it's not McCain or Lindsay Graham, it's some other right-winger dominating your show. Egad. Awful.
NG became another shining example of the inconsistent philosophies and agendas of the Republican party. The post interview roundtable really hit the nail on the head when they acknowledged that most of the stronger candidates plan to sit this election cycle out. As far as MTP is concerned, I choose to objectively listen and understand the mindset of the current newsmakers. If I don't like the guests or discussion, I can change the channel. For entertainment purposes, I simply go to FoxNews or MSNBC.
Another holier than thou Republican. They are to numerous to mention, call themselves Christians, yet their philosophy is anything but Christian like. This one is one of the biggest hypocrites among them.
Mr. Gregory, Here is my opinion on Newt Gingrich and many candidates in the Republican field. They know deep down inside they do not have a chance to get the nomination unless something totally unexpected happens. But they are helping the GOP, because they can hammer away at the President and Democratic party without worrying about alienating Independent voters like me because they know they will not get the nomination. I have to admit as one reporter points out, Mr Gingrich may have 20 ideas in a day but only one may be good. So add that to a field of candidates who know they do not have a chance but can be themselves and say what they want. You have a Right wing conservative talk show posing as credible candidates. Take Rush, Beck, and company and put them in the Republican race, you have Trump, Gingrich, Paul, etc...So they do serve a purpose and I think they help the Republican party say things their main stream candidates cannot if they wish to appear legitimate to Independent voters. But being open minded, once in awhile they do say something worth listening to.
You seem to be a racist, thinking only black people are on food stamps is that true?
David Gregory may be the real racist. By believing it's a given that people who get food stamps are predominantly Black, he asks his question from that point of view (his own point of view). Does David Gregory believe that he (himself) is not a racist? How do we know? Isn't everyone a potential racist, just waiting for that opportunity to say something "coded", so David Gregory and others can decode it for us?
David r u racist??????
David,
Your show was very disappointing. You failed to challenge Newt on his "facts". You let him get away with lie after lie. A very poor job of journalism.
MTP has changed and I must say, not for the better. Why don't you sell this show to FOX where it belongs. I just don't think this is Gregory's best work. No body that I know wants to hear Peggy Noonan, she is an idiot. Newt is a bigot, not only against black people, but he is bigot against every normal human being on earth. At 55 years old he cheated on his sick wife and he thinks he has grown up. Please. Newt is a cheater, a bigot, and anybody who votes for him will need their head examined. I watch MTP when there is nothing else on TV and I cannot sleep. Gregory you really need to get on the ball and change this format or let Chris Matthews take over, he will give them all hell. I don't think Matthews would have Peggy know nothing Noonan on, she is a waste of time.