The CNN-sponsored Republican presidential debate in South Carolina started off with some fireworks when moderator John King asked Newt Gingrich about the charges his ex-wife made in an interview with ABC that he wanted an “open marriage.”

That sparked an angry rebuke from Gingrich who probably knew that this would come up at some point in the debate, just maybe not at the beginning.

I think the destructive vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that

The audience erupted in applause and gave Gingrich a standing ovation while King stood silently, realizing that he may have stepped into a trap of his own making.

Gingrich continued,

Every person in here knows personal pain. Every person in here has had someone close to them go through painful things. To take an ex-wife and make it two days before the primary, a significant question in a presidential campaign, is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine.

My two daughters wrote to the head of ABC and made the point that it was wrong, that they should pull it, and I am, frankly, astounded that CNN would take trash like that and use it to open a presidential debate.

King tried to defend himself by pointing out that it wasn’t reported by CNN originally and was part of the conversation on the campaign.

Gingrich then issued his final salvo at the media .

John, it was repeated by your network. You chose to start the debate with it. Don’t try to blame it on somebody else. You and your staff chose to start the debate with it. Now, let me be quite clear. The story is false. Every personal friend I have who knew us in that period says the story was false. We offered several of them to ABC to prove it was false. They weren’t interested because they would like to attack any Republican. They’re attacking the governor, they’re attacking me and I’m sure they’ll getting around to attacking Senator Santorum  and Congressman Paul. I’m tired of the elite media protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans.

King defended his actions during CNN’s post-debate analysis and told Anderson Cooper that it was one of those “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situations since the issue was being discussed on the campaign trail and was on voters’ minds.

But unlike during the debate, when he tried to avoid taking responsibility for the question, he reversed course afterwards:

It was my judgment, my decision, and mine alone. If we’re going to deal with it, let’s deal with it up front, let’s not try to sneak it into the middle of the debate somewhere. And people at home either agree with that or disagree with that. You make the decision, you ask the question, and this is politics.

King said that he knew Gingrich would be ready with a response and would try to turn the question around, but based on the response Gingrich received, King greatly underestimated Gingrich’s ability to turn the question from a potential disaster to one which gave him momentum right from the start.

This was the second time in a week that Gingrich has sparred with the media during a debate. On Monday he refused to go along with Fox News’ Juan Williams’ provocative questions and turned that situation to his advantage as well.

CNN is scheduled to host three more debates between now and March. They would be wise to not use King again if Gingrich is still in the race if they want to avoid any further embarrassment.

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About the author

Don Irvine
Don Irvine is Chairman of Accuracy in Media. He is active on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow him @donirvine to read his latest thoughts.

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6 Comments for Gingrich Slams CNN, ABC Over “Open Marriage” Issue

BARBBF

Why should anyone believe a denial by a serial adulterer?

John Collignon

My problem is not delving in to Newt’s moral life,which is quite a switch from the Clinton days and Stephanooopsalis.Hypocrisy is what angers me,as Newt realizes that all was to be bared,just in the sleezy way it was done.Most insiders or Republicrats want Romney.that is the simple answer.It is all a setup and Newt must have forgot $$$ talk and his ex got plenty,but I haven’t heard that question raised by Fox or the rest of the media conglomerate. The media plays as if it is pushing different agendas or worse yet,no agendas.Get wise,from Fox to NPR it is all becoming the same thing and if not yet,will be soon.This is definite if Obama or Romney win,same difference.

Underzog

The Obama people — including the media — always pull this crap to win their elections.

When Obama was running in the Illinois Senate race, he got Jack Ryan to drop out by unsealing his divorce records. An action that caused Ryan’s children anguish. Now Obama’s minions are doing this again.

I refuse to be brainwashed by Obama/drive-by-media dirty tricks. They may have fooled Chicago with this sleazy trick, but this will not work nationally. I refuse to be brainwashed by Obama/drive-by-media smears!

ItsJo

Barf: Did you believe a serial adulterer/rapist, Bill Clinton? Bet you did, and all was ok-thing is he perjured himself, and at the time, people said: “Its His personal business”. Really-he DID his dirty activity IN THE WHITEHOUSE.

To Newt’s credit, he has NOT dissed his ex wife, although I’m certain he could. She is the one who is a “Paid Attacker, by the LapDog Media” and they are working In Concert with “The Obama Smear Machine”….funded by Soros/Obama’s Dems/crooked regime, who use the “Chicago Attacks aka: Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals”. It’s funny how EACH Republican has been smeared-starting with Herman Cain, to erase him from this campaign against Obama. Next comes Romney and Newt-it’s the personal smears/LapDog Media Attacks(Just as Dan Rather tried doing to Bush with phoney papers, but STILL did it to demean him during a National Campaign) that these Liberal Outlets are doing for ‘their candidate, Obama”. Funny thing though, THIS seems to have backfired on them, as they Set Their Traps for Gingrich-as Americans are getting quite sick and tired of the “Bias, Attacking all candidates EXCEPT DEMS. This has ALWAYS been the case with the Liberal Media-OUT to GET Republicans, and Protecting Democrats. Perhaps IF these outlets are becoming ‘so MORAL,
they can “START LOOKING AT THE HIDDEN PAST OF OBAMA, WHO THEY NEVER EVEN INVESTIGATED. THEY MAY WANT TO SEEK OUT “LARRY SINCLAIR” TO BEGIN WITH, WHO SAID HE HAD TWO TRYSTS WITH OBAMA, IN A LIMO, AND THE SECOND WHEN OBAMA CAME TO “his”
HOTEL ROOM”. TRY LOOKING INTO THAT CBS, ABC, NBC, WASHINGTON POST, NYTIMES, CNN
ETAL. THEN, YOU CAN CALL YOURSELVES REPORTERS/INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS WHO SHOW “NO BIAS”, AND YOU “DON’T USE THE DEM’S DOUBLE STANDARDS”. THE PUBLIC IS SO ON TO YOU, NO WONDER YOUR AUDIENCE SHARES ARE SO LOW. YOU ARE HYPOCRITS.

mike

What is they republican party’s message for young voters. Join us we hate Obama? Yeah that’ll work. Lmfao.