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
Captain Midnight
March 2nd, 2011
4:32 pm
Joan, who told you God was on his side, Jeremiah Wright?
Get Real
March 2nd, 2011
4:33 pm
Joan…
I should have read more of your comments. The ‘God is on his side” bit is way over the top..
clyde crommett
March 2nd, 2011
4:33 pm
The president job goes to the CASH, OBAMA has 1 billion as of now. Corporations funneling cash now. Corps dont want immigration,thats why previous ones did not close borders, need cheap labor. Obama shoooo in already
clyde crommett
March 2nd, 2011
4:38 pm
correction, Corporations need/want borders open so cheap labor for house construction an farming operations. Who will harvest your veggies? I mis-spoke, as in Hucklebeee
Truth
March 2nd, 2011
4:47 pm
Every time you watch “FauxNews”, a small kitten dies.
Fox News is like the KKK’s our personal news channel. Fair and Balanced huh?
Travis McGee
March 2nd, 2011
4:57 pm
Good Lawd, Jimbo Pierce: How many postsdid you enter today? Are you trying to outdo ol’ Charlie Sheen?
Lawd have mercy, Jimbo. Take a breath. You’ll have a chance to put your best man (or woman)forward, but you need to know, you got a rather motley looking bunch lining up right now. Maybe a sleeper will emerge.
gatsby
March 2nd, 2011
5:13 pm
Newt is our Churchill. (cause he’s fat).
bwa
Eon Rodeo
March 2nd, 2011
5:13 pm
Newt is unelectable. Way too many skeletons.
Oh, and Fox “News” is a joke.
Gman
March 2nd, 2011
5:17 pm
Herman Cain couldn’t win a statewide seat in Georgia and even he knows this. Newt can’t keep his pants on. Sarah can’t utter a single sentence without a cliche. Huckabee cna walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. Mitt is a mormon. NEXT!
hsgrad
March 2nd, 2011
5:22 pm
Has anyone seen the movie “That Evening Sun”, starring Hal Holbrook and 3 other lead actors from Georgia. Great film!
the mehlman rings twice
March 2nd, 2011
5:37 pm
People, once again Newt will not be elected POTUS. The women of this country will not allow it. The women of this country will never vote for a First Lady who slept with another woman’s husband and Fantasia is the Calista Gingrinch of the entertainment business.
Voice of Reason is a joke
March 2nd, 2011
5:41 pm
I’m sure you also think Charlie Sheen is sane, the earth is flat, that 9/11 was an inside job, that……what a fool
the mehlman rings twice
March 2nd, 2011
5:42 pm
Who respects Obama? How about all those who have had their retirement accounts restored! Hahaha.
Ken
March 2nd, 2011
5:42 pm
Fox has been paying that guy?
Reality Bites
March 2nd, 2011
5:43 pm
Journalistic Principle…….WTF. Fox and Friends in the morning gives us Republicans a bad name. Its like a show for tards….Gretchen is hot, and Killmeade is funny(sometimes), but the blonde derp has to go. Heres a topic….who is more insane atm……Charlie Sheen or Glenn Beck? I report….u decide…..
the mehlman rings twice
March 2nd, 2011
5:53 pm
I got some other ideals for videos for the 2012 campaign.
How about the video of conservatives cheering that the U.S. lost jobs for not landing the 2016 Olympics?
How about a video showing copies of your 401K statement in August 2008 and December 2010?
How about a Willie Horton style video naming Mike Huckakis as being responsible for signing off on the parole for the Seattle cop killer?
How about a video showing a man standing next to his wife’s hospital bed while handing her divorce papers?
How about a video of Queen Sarah wanting to spend $233M of tax payer money to build a bridge for 50 people?
Double Zero Eight
March 2nd, 2011
6:12 pm
Newt has too much baggage. Herman Cain would stand
a better chance than Newt against Obama.
Be Careful of the Stones U Throw
March 2nd, 2011
6:16 pm
@robbie March 2nd, 2011 1:47 pm
All of a sudden Obama is the problem. where were you when George Bush destroyed everything and put us all in the mess we are in now. Stop blaming Obama.
We all know the reason why most of you don’t like Obama (because he is an intelligent, well spoken, proud, educated BLACK MAN).
GET OVER IT. HE IS THE PRESIDENT SO LIVE WITH IT. SOME OF YOU COULD NOT BE ELECTED DOG CATCHER.
Be Careful of the Stones U Throw
March 2nd, 2011
6:22 pm
@JB March 2nd, 2011 3:36 pm
One thing is for sure, Obama is more qualified than YOU. STOP HATING ON OBAMA. Stop beating that dead horse. Its dead. You can’t put the sh*t back into the horse.
Be Careful of the Stones U Throw
March 2nd, 2011
6:27 pm
To all of you who support the Republicans you have been SCREWED. They ran on creating jobs. WHERE ARE THE JOBS? All they want to talk about is abortion and Obama. YOU HAVE
SCREWED. We democrats are laughing at all of you. Boehner and his boys screwed all of you with a ______________________________!!!!
Ha ha ha
Be Careful of the Stones U Throw
March 2nd, 2011
6:29 pm
Once again,
To all of you who support the Republicans you have been SCREWED. They ran on creating jobs. WHERE ARE THE JOBS? All they want to talk about is abortion and Obama. YOU HAVE BEEN
SCREWED. We democrats are laughing at all of you. Boehner and his boys screwed all of you with a ______________________________!!!!
Ha ha ha
Katie
March 2nd, 2011
6:33 pm
Newt hasn’t a chance. Huckabee is the candidate we want if we want to beat Obama. Conservatives had better figure this out or we’re in trouble again. Normally, ANY candidate would have an easy time against Obama, but when you have an entire constituency voting color of skin instead of content of character – then you get the disaster that is Obama.
Fox News – say what you will about them. They present BOTH sides which is refreshing. It must be working because they continue to be the only news agency who grows their audience. All the others lost market share – hmmmm? wonder where those viewers are going?
Brainiac
March 2nd, 2011
6:46 pm
Newt, with all his bagage, will blow Bo off the stage in ANY debate even if they allow BO to use his teleprompter. Newt and Herman Cain would be a PERFECT ticket, Mark my words,
Boca Baby
March 2nd, 2011
6:47 pm
For all you naysayers who think only your eighty-five year old grandmother is watching Foxnews should take notice of ratings. There are not that many grandmothers alive so someone else (a majority thank you) is watching.
Z
March 2nd, 2011
6:48 pm
All these teleprompter “jokes” are just stupid. EVERY politician uses teleprompters… or hand scribbles in Palin’s case.
shellybean
March 2nd, 2011
6:50 pm
i like you newt … but please don’t even consider running for president! i don’t want another four years of obama. you’ve had your chance in washington and you squandered it.
artyc99
March 2nd, 2011
6:52 pm
Obama is bad but Newt is terrible, what a joke give me Herman Caine
Z
March 2nd, 2011
7:00 pm
Jon Huntsman, anyone? Probably the most moderate, therefore electable, person the Republicans might have. Him and Mitch Daniels.
educated-vet
March 2nd, 2011
7:07 pm
As a soldier under the original Bush, I knew then that they (right) were risking young lives for a stronghold in the East, but I did the job that I was payed to do. I also saw the transparent reason that the dimwitted but likeable son (W) attacked again. Both spending much money while cutting taxes for their rich friends (and themselves). Now, I placed my first vote ever for Bob Dole. Later, I met many rich people in law school, who were expecting that everyone at GSU College of Law was of like mind. They spoke very openly of how the poor were only poor because they were lazy or ignorant. I was working my way through school, and was well below the poverty line. I have learned that we all are doing the best that we can, and, while there is waste in the system, many programs that are payed for by taxpayer dollars do help people who would have a tough time otherwise. I now believe that the healthcare reform is the most significant legislation since social security, and that attempts to repeal the reform will bite everyone on the right on the buttocks. I did not know enough about President Obama to vote for him in his first election, but his efforts have impressed me and I will vote for him in ‘12. And yes, I’m a white cracker from the south who says that a poor man that votes Republican is like a chicken that votes for Colonel Sanders.
A Question To Ask
March 3rd, 2011
8:52 am
Are you better off today than you were 2+ years ago? Is the country better off today than it was 2+ years ago? I didn’t think so, and it is only getting worse. We shall see you in 2012! BTW, the D’s took over a majority in Congress in the 2006 elections, remember?!
Last Man Standing
March 3rd, 2011
9:48 am
Voice of Reason:
“Lie after lie after lie after lie comes from their programming. Their talking heads only talk to each other, and they consider no opinions that differ from their own.”
You just described ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and CNN.
Hannity Promotes Fundraising Website Of Suspended Fox News Candidate Newt Gingrich – Media Matters for America (blog) « Titans of Talk
March 5th, 2011
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