Leading Irish American Congressman Peter King, head of the influential Friends of Ireland group in Congress, has slammed fellow Republican Newt Gingrich in a hard hitting interview in the on-line publication CapitalNewYork.com.
While admitting that without Gingrich Republicans in 1994 would never have won the House, he stated that Gingrich was completely unable to stay focused.
King stated "The problem was, over a period of time, he couldn't stay focused. He was undisciplined. Too often, he made it about himself."
"It was like Newt would read a book and we'd go off into a different topic," King said. "He'd go on 'Meet the Press' and he'd go off message. If you're the speaker and you lay out an agenda, or a particular bill, you stay on that until the bill is passed. With Newt, it was hard to get that type of discipline. He'd say something else or come up with a different argument.
"He also has this incredible sense of exaggeration. Like, I don't know how many times he'll say, 'This is the most corrupt act in the history of Western Civilization,' or 'the most despicable.' You can only say that so many times. So to me, I just didn't see him having the sense of discipline or the sense of direction that's really needed."
----------------------------
Read more:
More US Politics news on IrishCentral
Young Irish priest fearful of being branded a pedophile
Richard Dormer and Long Island cops resumed their search for New Jersey prostitute - VIDEO
----------------------------
"I thought he was condescending," King said. "I used to see him on the floor, even with his staff, it was like a presidential entourage having to follow him. And 'I want this done, and I want this done.' That type of thing.
"I thought he was somewhat dismissive. I was never on his staff, never part of his circle, but in my dealing with him it was very professorial—not even professorial—very pedantic. He would come in with like four books under his arm and telling us to read these during the break, and all that. I just found him to be too much putting himself at the center of whatever he was trying to do."
"Part of it was, and this is parochial on my part I guess, but the fact that he would never miss a chance to take a shot at New York. And this was even after we had elected Giuliani as mayor, Pataki as governor. That was like part of his routine, to attack New York. Big-city bosses. New York corruption, that type of thing. I just got tired of that.
"And then, just his style. I thought it was very, not just abrupt, that's the wrong word, because I don't mind guys being tough. It was just a very superior complex—a superiority complex—and I don't think he had that much to be superior about."
In 1996, King, a grandson of Irish immigrants who grew up in Sunnyside Queens, slammed Gingrich stating he has "a Southern, anti-union attitude that appeals to the mentality of hillbillies at revival meetings."
King also commented on the famous row between President Clinton and Gingrich when the then speaker felt he was being snubbed by sitting in the back of Air Force One on the way back from the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin, the assassinated Prime Minister of Israel in 1995.
"[Gingrich] said it to a group of reporters, then later on they were saying he was tired or whatever," "But no, the next morning at the Republican conference, he got up and went into this whole detail about how Clinton had snubbed him, had him sit in the back of the plane, get off the back of the plane, didn't talk to him during the trip.
"And he compared it—'Somebody did this to Woodrow Wilson in 1919,' or whatever the hell it was, 1918 [and] 'caused a national uprising.' And once the American people find out that he was treated like this, the country was going to turn on Clinton. I mean, this was all Newt.
"So when he said that to reporters later, this was all that was on his mind. That's what he got out of Rabin's funeral, that's what he got out of the government shutdown, all of this, in Newt's mind, he had focused it all on himself getting off the back of the plane. Of course, as it turned out, they had pictures of him talking to Clinton during the trip. But that's neither here nor there."
King stated bluntly that Gingrich won't be able to capture independent voters.
"President Obama does not have them," he said. "If we have a plausible candidate, we should get them, or we have a very good opportunity to win the independent voters. Newt Gingrich will drive them away. And I think it opens up an opportunity for someone like a Mike Bloomberg, an independent candidate, to come in. Independents who are fed up with Barack Obama but are not going to vote for Newt Gingrich.
"To me, if someone like Mike Bloomberg is looking to make a third party race, that could open it up for him. Which could end up, give the election to Obama. Or maybe elect Mike, I don't know. But as a practical matter, if there is going to be a third-party candidate, there's much more of a chance for that if it's Gingrich, rather than Romney."
"It's only a matter of time before Newt—not implodes, because Newt is quick enough to always recover—but there's always damage done," he said. "He will say something or do something which will hurt himself and the party. Then, he's smart enough to bounce back but you never bounce back all the way. And by the time the campaign is over, you've damaged yourself too much, which is what happened when he was speaker. He won back the House for Republicans and within four years he had to step down."
King said recent comments where Gingrich attacked Congressman Paul Ryan over his budget strategy was a typical example of Gingrich overreach.
----------------------------
Read more:
More US Politics news on IrishCentral
Young Irish priest fearful of being branded a pedophile
Richard Dormer and Long Island cops resumed their search for New Jersey prostitute - VIDEO
----------------------------
On "Meet the Press" Gingrich described Paul Ryan's budget proposal,as "right-wing social engineering."
"If we do have an intellectual in the party right now, it's Paul Ryan, and whether you agree with what he's saying on Medicare—all or part of it, and any Republicans should at least agree with most of it—and if you're going to disagree, you do it in a respectful way," King said. "The guy has put his political career on the line for this and he's put a lot of effort into it and to just dismiss it in the cavalier way that Newt did—if anyone had done that to Newt, he would have been offended forever.
"And I would say Ryan has real intellectual substance, unlike Newt who is sort of superficial on a lot of stuff. You can mention so many books you've read and all that. But any guy who talks about it that much isn't usually as smart as he says he is."
26 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.pilib04 | Mar 15, 2012, 12:52 PM EDT
King's analysis of Gingrich has been mentioned by those of the left, right and center.
zagloba | Dec 13, 2011, 03:27 PM EST
I agree with King about Gingrich. His "intellectualism" is puddle deep. However, before we praise Paul Ryan, I implore anyone and everyone to take the time and look up the actual details of what his plan entails, and decide for yourself if he is actually for the middle class, or if he for the rich and for corporate America.
TheOldPerfessor | Dec 08, 2011, 08:58 PM EST
King is, alas, my representation in Washington. About once every 10 years I'm proud of him. Today is that day for 2011.
seanomelbourne | Dec 07, 2011, 06:06 PM EST
Hey Murph "green eggs and ham" makes more sense than the drivvel coming from yourself and Gringich.
pilib04 | Dec 07, 2011, 12:30 PM EST
Pete King certainly has received plenty of cross-over votes (Democrats voting for a supporter of Irish Freedom). I remember when Hillary Clinton announced for U.S. Senator from New York. Her first stop with Bill in tow was a visit to Pete King. Regardless of some of King's misguided statements, no one can question his support for Irish Freedom and the Peace Process.
averagejoewa | Dec 07, 2011, 10:29 AM EST
Quote:"From being pro-IRA terrorists to being anti-Muslim terrorists post-Twin Towers is understandable is inconsistent" King is not inconsistent. The IRA has never attacked the United States - unlike the Muslim terrorists. If the IRA ever did to this country what al Qaeda did then King would be just as opposed to them as he is to the Muslim terrorists.
MegK311 | Dec 06, 2011, 10:26 PM EST
I don't like Peter King he supported the IRA so I will never support him, I am a registered Republican and I wouldn't want Peter King in my inner circle either.
brianmack | Dec 06, 2011, 08:40 PM EST
Never really like Mr. King but you're totally correct about Ginrich. Sad part is that when you watch O'Reilly and the Fox pundits talk about Gingrich, they haven't a clue. Let me be as clear as I can possible be, Newt Gingrich will never win over Obama. I'm not an Obama fan but GOP, you have no one who will beat the current President. I think Mr. King knows that as well.
merefalow | Dec 06, 2011, 07:47 PM EST
i never understand why great country,s.who have men of genuinely great talent and ability sometimes come up with the creepy snakes that emerge as leaders..i guess its a Machiavellian talent,total ruthlessness,slyness,lying cunning,money,murder,grovelling,or all of the above,or maybe men of genuine talent and integrity wouldn't waste their time on the endless round of crawling and committees,that it takes to get selected as a politico.. ,
Paradigm | Dec 06, 2011, 06:04 PM EST
So some folk think that Peter King has said something sane and sensible for a change. Maybe - but when one looks at all the various horses Congressman King has ridden its not surprising that one take his utterances with a pinch of salt. From being pro-IRA terrorists to being anti-Muslim terrorists post-Twin Towers is understandable is inconsistent - now that's the Congressman King I know!
Murph46 | Dec 06, 2011, 05:10 PM EST
Apparently you don't read much American History seanomelbourne,apparently Green Eggs and Ham is more your speed.
seanomelbourne | Dec 06, 2011, 04:37 PM EST
Hey Murph gingrich wrote a lot of books!! so did Dr Seuss.
eileenkny | Dec 06, 2011, 04:30 PM EST
I agree 100% with Mr. King on Gingrich. Paul Ryan is a very smart man; Newt Gingrich is a very slick man.
greensod | Dec 06, 2011, 03:35 PM EST
Peter King is exactly correct on his opinion about Gingrich, and I must admire his courage for his honosty.As for who will be elected in 2012.One thing I have learned over the past 50 years is,Americian people are not stupid,they will relect President Obama by a land slide.
manhattan | Dec 06, 2011, 02:25 PM EST
I was for Gingrich until I read this about him by Peter King. I admire Mr. King as an honest (so Rare) politician. He always tried to help the Irish here and in Ireland. He is a loyal New Yorker in spite of the dislike against New York in Washington. And he is not afraid to step on toes when it comes to terrorism.
allentown | Dec 06, 2011, 12:05 PM EST
Let's hope Iowa Republicans will turn away from Gingrich.
allentown | Dec 06, 2011, 11:13 AM EST
tommurphy, I agree with you on both counts, re. Peter King and Gingrich. Gingrich should scare the hell out of rational, thinking people. He is a loose canon, undisciplined, arrogant, temperamental, unpredictable, self-absorbed and mean-spirited. As King noted, his language is excessive and extreme. He enjoys demonizing people. He has few Republican friends in Congress - many remember well the disrespect and contempt they had to put up with until, finally, with very few friends left in either aisle he quit. But he left a horrible legacy - hyper-partisanship and poison politics, resulting in the gridlock we see today. As president, this guy would be a disaster - and very dangerous for our country.
Ratslayer | Dec 06, 2011, 11:13 AM EST
""...a Southern, anti-union attitude that appeals to the mentality of hillbillies at revival meetings." King may be an ass, but he spoke truth to power. Time for NY and New England to ditch the 3rd-World, Poor-ass, GOP-voting Red States. Why the hell are we in this union with these southern neanderthals who are subsidized by prosperous and progressive Blue States like NY? The evil heart of regressive and destructive right-wing politics lies in the south. It's a cancer that is destroying the nation. The cure is simple.
Murph46 | Dec 06, 2011, 10:45 AM EST
When Mr.King gets elevated to Speaker of the House and writes as many books as Newt has and has chaired a budget,then I'll ask his advice.
KatherineZ | Dec 06, 2011, 10:43 AM EST
and "WE"RE OFF!!" on the battle of who can slam who the hardest! (not that i am a Newt fan or anything close to it) we have a bunch of toddlers thowing hissy fits in Washington...where are the adults???
muirisobric | Dec 06, 2011, 10:26 AM EST
Until now I thought Obama mightn't make it. But is this keeps up he's a shoe-in.........
Porickseantuny | Dec 06, 2011, 10:07 AM EST
As a fellow ND law grad I take umbrage at being referred to as a red-neck because I'm from Georgia and Gingrich's former congressional district. Talk about parochial! Maybe Gringrich's remarks about New York were directed at Pete. But then Pete says he wasn't in the Speaker's inner circle but yet he knows all about what Gingrich was saying. A bit inconsistent no?
Springfield9 | Dec 06, 2011, 09:56 AM EST
King is no dummy
torbreezy | Dec 06, 2011, 09:41 AM EST
Mr. King should "get over it" and remember the 11th commandment as rendered by President Ronald Reagan "Don't speak ill of other Republicans." Perhaps Mr. King is exhibiting some of the pique he contemns . . . .
carollover | Dec 06, 2011, 09:40 AM EST
Like watching rattlesnakes turn on one another...Obama will win by default if it's Newt.
tommurphy | Dec 06, 2011, 09:34 AM EST
Finally Peter says something that makes sense. And has the guts to say it, whilst so many of his like-minded Congressional colleagues say nothing, waiting to see which way the wind will blow. Good on 'ya, Congressman King.