Fox News suspends Newt Gingrich while he sorts out presidential ambitions

On Tuesday night, those following Newt Gingrich’s dance toward a presidential race were confronted with two contradictory messages.

The Des Moines Register quoted Gingrich confidante Joe Gaylord as saying that the former U.S. House speaker would announce the formation of an exploratory committee on Thursday in Atlanta. Yet an urgent message from Rick Tyler, the Gingrich spokesman, arrived at 9 p.m., playing down the importance of Thursday’s joint press conference with Gov. Nathan Deal.

One wonders if the Tuesday night decision by Fox News to send letters to both Gingrich and Rick Santorum, suspending their work as contributors for the network, may have played a role as well. From the Los Angeles Times:

Dianne Brandi, the network’s executive vice president of legal and business affairs, said in an interview that the channel made the move because Gingrich aides told Fox News executives that the former House speaker is stepping up his exploration of a presidential bid.

While Gingrich is not expected to announce that he is forming a federal exploratory committee this week, he is expected to say in Georgia on Thursday that he is meeting with advisors to explore seeking the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, a Gingrich aide said….

Brandi said the network acted out of journalistic principle.

“We can’t have Speaker Gingrich on our payroll while he is in the midst of an exploratory committee to see if he’s going to run for office,” she said. “It’s a clear conflict.”

Fox News still has two other potential White House contenders on the payroll: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

“As soon as each of them shows some serious intention to form an exploratory committee, we would take the same action,” Brandi said. “Huckabee is on a book tour, so I think his present intention is to sell books.”

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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282 comments Add your comment

HDB

March 2nd, 2011
2:56 pm

dawgrific

March 2nd, 2011
2:51 pm
“RACE SHOULD HAVE NO BEARING ON HOW ANY THINKING VOTER VOTES, PERIOD! SO ENOUGH ALREADY!”

If that were the case, why wasn’t the Tea Party in existence when the nation was BUSHwhacked? Why didn’t the nation decry voodoo econmics when Reagan was in the White House?? There is a racial component in the conservative electorate that is persistently DENIED….or IGNORED!!

Gary

March 2nd, 2011
2:58 pm

THe only way to win the president is to be an unknown. No one knew who B. Clinton or Obama were before the election. People had some knowledge of Bush because of his dad, but if are a key player in politics you will loose because there is so much information about you. America loves a mystery. We know McCain, Dole, Kerry, and all these other candidates. We have a history. The next republican will be some young up and comer from a state government that most people know very little about. How do you think Palin got on the ticket last election. No one will elect a former speaker regardless of who it is. Obama gave one good speach and did a third of a term as a senator passsing no legislations and working on nothing but organizing his campaing form president. He beat Hillary because she had baggage. We know why we don’t like her. We did not know Obama. He promised an awful lot. WHy wouldn’t you beleive him. Newt has Baggage. He won’t make empy promises with false hope. He will tell it like it is and what is really going to have to be done to fix things. People will not like that. He will not make it through the primary.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
2:58 pm

LeeH1, Ryder, Fox is laughable, why don’t you drive your Prius home now instead of wasting any additional taxpayer money.

JB

March 2nd, 2011
2:59 pm

HDB……….. You are correct ….the whole place is turning blue, because when the Takers outnumber the producers, that’s what happens. We are close….and the longer the economy stays bad, the better off Obama is, because when you vote your living, who you gonna vote for. You will soon run out of others peoples money…and when you/we do, you will see what we saw in Egypt. ” WHERE’S MY FREE STUFF”. It’s coming, and it won’t be pretty. The rich are leaving NY, Calif. etc for being taxed to death. The next step is they’ll leave the country….and leave you in a long line at the welfare office!

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:00 pm

Fox is laughable, some blogs will not allow other sites to be mentioned by posters. I wasn’t sure about AJC. Thus, I put a space in there. Once again, you prove your ignorance.

Ryder

March 2nd, 2011
3:00 pm

One thing about Newt. I think he’s truly against nation-building, and sending our troops overseas to liberate Muslims from Muslims, like the righwingers demanded under Dubya.

I think Newt likes Obama’s method of letting the groundroots swelling of the countries citizens demand their own regime change. I loved seeing folks in Egypt holding up “We Can” signs as they protest.

Repubs have got to love this also, they just don’t want to admit it. They find fault, yet they know the nation-building effort in Iraq is a complete blunder, and we never seem to learn that we can’t propr up a puppet government. It always fails.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:02 pm

Obama could be President for 8 years and the left would STILL blame Bush lol Pathetic. Just WHEN does Obama get credited ? ever?

Btw: Obama has outspent Bush in two years, compared to Bush’s 8 year lol
TWO YEARS !!

How dumb ARE you libs? Do you EVER look at facts?

T Man

March 2nd, 2011
3:03 pm

The Real Chef nailed it! I agree 100%.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:03 pm

Ryder, Egypt is touchy. Those people protesting are not all pro democracy. Who will be in charge? Will a civil war ensue? Let’s watch Libya and see what happens. These protests are not necessarily good things as proven by the raped reporter.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:03 pm

Lib way out of debt:
“hmmmmm I owe $100,000 on my credit card. Solution? Charge more and pay nothing.” :)

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:04 pm

The people bashing the right on here are the same one’s that sit and listen to Chris Matthews every night as the Gospel… That is rich……….

Ryder

March 2nd, 2011
3:04 pm

BMDPD ,,,its a 2010 Camaro…lol. Another fault assumption by a Palin fan. You repubs do that alot. Just like Iraqi nation-building. I’m sure you believed Rummy, Dubya, that it would be over, Iraqi oil would pay for it, and the Muslims we “liberated” (Shia…like Al Sadr and his U.S. hating militia) would love us….and a mobile chem lab was reason to invade.

But wrong on all accounts. Head back in the sand faux christian.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:05 pm

Jim, conservative way out of debt:

Cut spending.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:06 pm

Ryder, for the record. I am no Palin fan.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:07 pm

No: conservative way out of debt is cut spending, and create a tax environment that promotes jobs and hiring. Lower the Coporate tax rate and stop the flood of corporations operating overseas.

Ryder

March 2nd, 2011
3:07 pm

Repub Lament…. “Saddam is hurting his own people…waah…waah. The U.S. has to put a stop to it…waah…waah”

No we didn’t repubs. But you called those who disagreed “traitors” didn’t you.

Dubya lead you around like sheep.

If Obama said God told him he had to use American troops, borrowed from China funds, to liberate Muslims in Iraq, you’d be totally against it. Under Dubya, you jumped in ready to go.

Your stance depends on the messenger…weak….very weak. True sheep.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:08 pm

Jim, the unions couldn’t stand that.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:08 pm

Ryder: You absolutely have NO clue lol

Ga Dawg

March 2nd, 2011
3:08 pm

Why all this bashing? Y’all really think this is fun? Bashing Georgia, Bashing Dems, Bashing Repubs, Bashing FOX. Civilized discussions here please. Both sides have things to learn. Enlighten us instead of bashing the other side. We’re not enemies, remember?

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:09 pm

I ‘m for bringing our troops home, putting them on OUR borders and taking one third of the money being spent on the war and triple the FBI, NSA, CIA and homeland security and as a working tax payer, I’m OK with turning up the heat to 1000 degrees protecting us and throwing political correctness out the window in terms of protecting us.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:09 pm

BMDPD : True lol Unions are part of the demise of America. (that’ll open a can of worms) lol

Gary

March 2nd, 2011
3:10 pm

HBD, you appear to be the racist on the subject. You seem to be putting a collective of people based on color and political party into a group with a single opinion basing their decisions on color. Is that not what you are accusing everyone who disaggrees with you of doing. I am ammused you think race has anything to do with this. Most the people you are accusing hate, RBird, TKennedy, HClinton, BFrank, AFranken and tons of other LIBERAL politicians. Obama is in his mess because he is a flaming LIBERAL. It has nothing to do with his skin. Since when does hating politicians with dumb ideas make you a racist… Oh yeah, when we have a black president. Dissagree=Racist. Good luck in 2012. You agoing to need it.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:10 pm

Once again Ryder, you misjudge me. However, I think that it shows that without strong armed leadership ruled by fear, then the middle east is very unstable. Why do you think that is?

Reality

March 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm

Jim Pierce & Terd Fergesun, as a conservative I would like to ask you two to please shut up. I’m tired of juvenile antics and just plain nastiness from people claiming to be conservative. Calling names and being a jerk does a great disservice to the conservative movement and we don’t need more of that nonsense. You drown out the actual message that the Left has policies that are bad for this country by inferring that they are all bad people, stupid, or anti-american. Reply if you wish, but I’m not coming back to read this. Turn off the talk radio and go out and talk to some real people so you to can learn to be civil.

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm

JB, you are on to something. We should not be the police.

LOL!

March 2nd, 2011
3:12 pm

He won’t make it! CLOWNS keep trying!

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:13 pm

Reality: Bite me :)

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:13 pm

And. I’m sorry to say…..If you are Muslim, and in this country, we will know everything about you, where you are, what you are doing…………..Sorry, that’s the way it will have to be……If you are working, obeying the law, enjoying American life, you have nothing to worry about

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:13 pm

Reality, I don’t think Jim has done anything inflammatory.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:14 pm

Nor do I……….but thank you BMDPD

Ryder

March 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm

Jim Pierce…..so give me a clue. Are you saying repubs didn’t lament that “saddam was hurting his own”. Did you guys not give this as reason to nation-build in Iraq?

Did we not have to BORROW from NUKE POWER COMMUNIST China over and over again to do your nation-building effort.

Tell me, what am I missing. Did we not send troops to liberate Shia Muslims from Sunni. Do you have a clue how Shia, who align with religious leaders in Iran, feel about U.S policies?

Tell me, what am I missing.

BillyTheKid

March 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm

Oh yea, real balanced!

“Fox News still has two other potential White House contenders on the payroll: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.” And with Gingrich, that three Republican candidates on Fox payroll.

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:20 pm

Interesting to watch the behavior in Wisconsin vs the Tea party’s……bottom line. You could take your Children to a tea party event…… Don’t think you would want your Children near these folks. Just Say’n.

DrinkParty

March 2nd, 2011
3:21 pm

The only source that matters is msnbc—they always report the truth, with total transparency.

ciedrick

March 2nd, 2011
3:21 pm

the traitor and socialist muzbama will not run. 12 states will require him to show his birth certificate before they will place his traitorous name on their ballots. The liberal progressive socialist democrats are scrambling for every straw they can at the moment.

What does a worm do when it gets angry? It wiggles faster and right now the traitor is wiggling as fast as he can. Nobama, scumbama, traitorbama, what ever you want to call him. He is finished.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:22 pm

Ryder : You forget that every intelligence agency in the free world thought that Iraq had WMD. NOT just the Usa.

Saddam WAS hurting his own.. but we didn’t go to “nation build”… If you remember , 9-11 played a great deal in the War in Iraq. Democracy and the quest for it in the middle east is spreading… read the news. People deserve to be free from Dictators, or do you not agree with that?

We’ve been borrowing from China for a 100 years.. Your current president has borrowed about 3 trillion just in his two years..

What you are missing is that the Middle east will do anything to destroy the very America you live in. If we aren’t pro-active in playing a part in shaping democracy, our time is VERY limited.

RIGHTISWRONG

March 2nd, 2011
3:23 pm

BMDPB
The problem with most on the right is that most have never been a victim of circumstance and therefore don’t understand it. We live in the United States of America, the GREATEST country on the planet! If I am born to a single mother on crack, or just a single mother or father who is uneducated and poor, or just born into poverty period, I STILL SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO SUCCEED!
In real life, I am adopted myself, and by the grace of God I was adopted by two wonderful parents who worked hard, were successful, and educated me via their lives and via great schools. I do very well myself because of their sacrifice.
But, had I NOT been adopted who knows what my life could have turned out to be. I mentor kids (in my spare time) and every one of the underpriveledged kids who are exposed to alternatives, mentorship, and education, eventually escape that poverty. What that means to me is that WE THE PEOPLE have a responsiblity to those less fortunate than us. I got very lucky, but think of the millions of kids that don’t get so lucky. If the Right is successful on their attack of the public school system (steering funds away from the schools without working harder to fix them), offering no affordable health coverage options for the working class, and especially trying to dismantle unions, the result will be far more devestating than you think. Stupid people, with no healthcare, no jobs or money will eventually find a way to survive which will put is ALL in harm’s way.
We have to educate (at all costs, close the bad schools, mirror the good one’s), provide affordable heathcare to all (I don’t care how we do it, just DO IT), revamp the welfare and public assistance programs to mirror programs that make the participants learn a trade and job search as a mandatory step to getting assistance, and give breaks to companies that expand in the US that will create jobs. My agenda is the same as Obama’s. We care about the people of this great nation.
The idea that everyone starts out with the same sheet of music, is hogwash. The circumstance that you are born into is not anything that you can change, but in a great nation like the US you should have a chance to be WHATEVER you want to be. If your parents can’t provide it (again because it is no fault of your own) then the government should provide a school system, mentoring, exposure, healthcare, etc., via public means so that that individual has a fighting CHANCE to be GREAT!!!

Please do not respond with the typical “you want the gov’t to take care of folks”, No, I want the gov’t to provide the level of services that WE THE PEOPLE DESERVE, the rest is up to that person.

Gary

March 2nd, 2011
3:23 pm

I love the poeple who keep saying Bush lied about Iraq. I just watched the interview with the Iraqi scientist who admitted to lying to the German intelegence agencies about all of the mobile chem labs and providing the Germans with all of the information. The Germans would not let the CIA interrogate him (probably would have gotten the truth out of him). He said he would do it again to save his country and has not regrets about his decision. So W, the worst speach giver in the last 100 years, one of the least respected presidents convinced England, Germany, France, Italy, etc… That Sadam had weapons? NO, every intellegence agancy in the world thought they had them. Why were we searching for WMD’s under Clinton? Did W convince him to do it. The only thing Bush did was act on faulty information. HE DIDN’T MAKE IT UP. The world agreed with the assumption. While we did not find WMD’s we know the guy had some and used them on his own people. We knew he was trying to get some. In the end I smile because Bin Laden was pissed we had a military base on holyland. We also just took two more countrys. If nothing else that has to piss bin laden off. He can’t even stay in his pitiful afganistan anymore.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:24 pm

BillyTheKid

March 2nd, 2011
3:16 pm
Oh yea, real balanced!

“Fox News still has two other potential White House contenders on the payroll: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.” And with Gingrich, that three Republican candidates on Fox payroll.

um… Billy. No one else on Fox has DECLARED they are running. When and if they do, Fox stated that they too, would be dismissed.

Ryder

March 2nd, 2011
3:24 pm

Jim can’t do better than one line “drive-by” postings. Because they can’t defend stances intellectually.

Ask Jim about his support for nation–building in Iraq, using borrowed funds…his response

“You don’t have a clue”

LOL. Typical small minded Palin fan. No response, so attack with something stupid. Like Palin, get back to us Jim, when you have an intelligent response.

LetHimRun

March 2nd, 2011
3:25 pm

YAYYYY GO NEWT!! I ‘m so excited….EASY WIN FOR OBAMA! I so see a 2 term presidency if this is his opponent! Let’s all make sure he wins the republicans vote. Pure Comedy. God bless America!!

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:25 pm

This proof your citizenship thing in these 12 states could get sticky for the teleprompter stick man. It’s very curious WHY he doesn’t just put this to bed by showing it. What’s the big deal? Gonna LMAO if he’s not even a US citizen………….Most of you left wingers wouldn’t care I’m guessing…LOL

BMDPD

March 2nd, 2011
3:26 pm

Ryder, I don’t think many of us lament that Saddam was hurting his own. We were concerned that he, (like the idiot in Iran) liked to run his mouth about the west, while he had a history of testing chemical weapons on his own population. Now this might be a stretch for you to understand, but LOGIC dictates that if he would use chemical weapons on his on folks, then he would sell chemical weapons to the enemies of the United States. Add some flawed intel into the mix and you have a mess.

Jim Pierce

March 2nd, 2011
3:26 pm

Ryder: I would, but you wouldn’t recognize an intelligent response . :)

FOX LIES

March 2nd, 2011
3:28 pm

I did the Google – FOX News Viewers aka T-Baggers surveyed ARE about as educated as the general public. This means 3 things:

The general public is not very educated.

‘Baggers lie about their level of education.

Educated people can be stupid and gullible too.

Georgian

March 2nd, 2011
3:30 pm

Not all Georgians like Newt. Go Trump!

agreeing

March 2nd, 2011
3:30 pm

@b4life… that caught my attention too.. what a joke…

Tired of Stupid

March 2nd, 2011
3:31 pm

All of your FAKE Fox Nonsense lovers are the most ignorant people I’ve never seen. You are the ones who need to keep your fingers shut.

Babs

March 2nd, 2011
3:33 pm

Judge not lest we be judged. This seems an appropriate quote for all those responding to the Fox story. There is so much hostility here. I am appalled. Who care who runs for president. I just want to know where are all the jobs and why do the Republicants seem to target the American worker?

JB

March 2nd, 2011
3:33 pm

RIGHTISWRONG….We all have a story…….I grew up very poor, on Gov’t assit, and had no help….I’m now a republican and I’m paying BACK my help now by being a productive tax payer….and gave 32,000 to my church last year. I don’t want to ever go back. I want to work and pay taxes…..just fair taxes though. Our Tax system is punitive to success…..