Gingrich Turns Food Stamp Lecture Into Campaign Ad

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Newt Gingrich has turned his Monday night debate exchange with Juan Williams on food stamps and the black community into a campaign ad titled “The Moment”:

The ad begins with the question, “Who can beat Obama?” The ad is betting that Republicans are longing to see Gingrich lecture the first black president on how there’s nothing racist about suggesting black people would rather be on public assistance than work for a living. It indulges two longstanding Republican fantasies: That Obama is an intellectual lightweight dependent on his teleprompter who would be easily dispatched by a knowledgeable conservative opponent, and that racism on the right is entirely an invention of liberals, who are the real racists

It’s telling that, although Gingrich’s overall performance last night was reviewed positively by political observers, this is what his campaign chose to emphasize.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. The deadline’s almost here. Please help us reach our $150k membership goal by May 31.

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