- 2 days ago
Peter J. Boyer offers an investigative biography of House Speaker Newt Gingrich, from his childhood roots through his years of ambition and his becoming the face of the Republican Revolution.
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00:00you either love him or you hate him brash he certainly thinks of himself as the general
00:09a self-proclaimed revolutionary very capable the best thing that happened in this country
00:14in a long time you wouldn't trust him any further than you can throw him this don
00:17quixote the impossible dream the leading practitioner of the washington influence
00:23money game i am a genuine revolutionary tonight correspondent peter boyer examines
00:29the long march of newt gingrich
00:31funding for frontline is provided by the corporation for public broadcasting
00:39and by annual financial support from viewers like you
00:45this is frontline
00:59inside the second american revolution a year in power has revealed the glory and the burden of
01:13triumph oh lord deliver us from all evil look upon us with thy favor bless our gopack family
01:23and all its work bless speaker gingrich rush limbaugh and their families and now almighty god
01:33we thank you for the food that is before us may it strengthen us to do thy will amen
01:41the first november after the republicans took over the congress the underwriters of the revolution
01:48paid homage to its creator ladies and gentlemen the man who is the guiding light for conservatives
01:56the speaker of the house of representatives the honorable newt gingrich
02:01newt gingrich has what he always wanted political power and the chance to change america
02:13but he is uneasy with his triumph
02:16a victor who still sees enemies everywhere
02:20a man so convinced of the rightness of his cause he always seems surprised at the ferocity of those
02:27who would undo his revolution
02:28you know it's a very hard thing
02:31when you're simply trying to be a good citizen
02:34and you're simply trying to be active in pursuing your right of free speech
02:38and you're simply trying to do something to help your country
02:41and that becomes an excuse for newspapers to attack you
02:44for the federal election commission to sue you
02:46and for your enemies to say the vilest things about you with no legal recourse
02:50america has come to believe newt gingrich is the revolution
02:54and the speaker has come to understand that his victory is fragile
02:58because it rests on america's ultimate judgment about him
03:02and and i i hope i can convey this
03:05in in in a way that you can really feel
03:09that this is truly a historic moment for our whole country
03:16we may lose next year
03:18but if we lose we will be able to look our children and our grandchildren in the face and say
03:24we did everything we could to save this country
03:29what is most remarkable about the man who so dominates this political moment
03:37is the soaring audacity of his quest
03:40he is at heart a romantic
03:42a ruthless romantic
03:44a political pit bull who has cast himself as the savior of american civilization
03:50it's so unnecessary
03:52brawling is in his blood
03:56his father big newt mcpherson was a hard drinking bar pug
04:01a 19 year old mechanic
04:03when he met kathleen doherty
04:05at a roller rink in a little railroad town in eastern pennsylvania
04:08she was just 16
04:10i wanted to break our engagement
04:12and my mother said
04:13you can't because it's going to be in the paper tomorrow
04:17really really
04:19i should never have gotten married
04:21but i didn't have anyone
04:23i know now i did
04:24but at the time i didn't know because my aunt
04:26my mother's sister
04:27i should have gone to her
04:29she would have backed me up
04:31and we wouldn't have
04:32but then we wouldn't have nudie
04:33you know
04:35so
04:35i'd rather have him
04:39she says the marriage lasted three days
04:45after big newt hit her
04:46and she walked out
04:48nine months later
04:51june 17th 1943
04:53in harrisburg pennsylvania
04:55newton leroy mcpherson was born
04:58he was his mother's prize
05:00and was doted on by a circle of adoring female relatives
05:04his father had joined the navy
05:06and rarely saw his boy
05:08his mother went to work as a junior mechanic
05:12at a local war factory
05:13one night at the roller rink
05:15she met a young soldier
05:17bob gingrich was strong and silent
05:20and willing to be a father to young newt
05:22they married after the war
05:24i was working in daltrix
05:27it's a men's clothing store
05:29assistant credit manager
05:30and big newt was about four months behind
05:35with his payments for nudie
05:36and he called
05:38and said if we would drop those four months
05:40he'd let us adopt nudie
05:42and that's how we got to adopt nudie
05:45his wife was pregnant
05:47they needed the money
05:48surrendered by his natural father
05:52the boy was now newt gingrich
05:54and had to adjust to life
05:56with a stern stepfather
05:57newt later described the relationship
06:00as a classic psychodrama
06:02it was a sunday
06:04and we were sitting in the living room
06:06and nudie had got new white
06:08yeah white
06:08dried right shoes
06:11high tops
06:12and he wanted my attention
06:15and i wasn't giving it to him
06:16and he came over
06:16and he kicked me in the shin
06:18whoop
06:20he got cracked across the rear end
06:22and bob said
06:24we won't have that again
06:25and that's right
06:26never did
06:27he was a little bratty too
06:30at the time
06:30because he had been living
06:32with his mother and the grandmother
06:33who was a doting grandmother
06:34but he was
06:36he was not a brat
06:38he was precocious
06:39that precocious only child
06:42soon had two new sisters
06:44but no real friends
06:45he would say of his childhood
06:47i was never alone
06:49but i was lonely
06:50he was drawn to animals
06:52everything from dinosaurs
06:54to snakes
06:55tell me about the zoo
06:57he apparently quite loved the zoo
06:59still does
07:00oh yeah
07:00yeah
07:01he really does
07:03that's what he really wanted to be in life
07:04curator
07:06that was his aim
07:07i tell him
07:09he has his own zoo now
07:11with bob gingrich away in korea
07:14young newt's audacious impulses
07:17were often indulged
07:18when he was ten
07:19he decided the city of harrisburg
07:21needed a zoo
07:22on his own
07:24he boldly presented his plan
07:25to the mayor
07:26a local newspaper
07:27picked up the story
07:28do you remember breaking the news
07:31to uh
07:31to the colonel
07:32that uh
07:33to bob
07:33that uh
07:34newt's been
07:34yes and he wrote back
07:36keep that kid out of the paper
07:38keep the kid out of the paper
07:41and i thought
07:42yeah it's easy to say
07:43there was one place
07:45this lonely boy
07:46could find stories
07:47as big as his own
07:48ambitious imagination
07:49at the movies
07:51one day he sat through
07:53the sands of iwo jima
07:54four times
07:55i'm gonna tell you
07:56how to button your buttons
07:57i'll even tell you
07:58when to blow your noses
07:59and if you do something
08:01i don't like
08:01i'm gonna jump
08:02and when i land
08:04it'll hurt
08:04i'm gonna write you
08:07that you can't stand up
08:08but when you do stand up
08:10you're gonna be marines
08:12newt identified
08:14john wayne's aloof
08:15intimidating sergeant striker
08:17with his own stepfather
08:19did you ever have hope
08:22or expectation
08:22that he might pursue
08:23a military career
08:24no
08:25no
08:26no
08:27then
08:27he is
08:31very nearsighted
08:34you probably know this
08:36he can barely see
08:37across the street
08:37without his contacts
08:38he has two of the
08:40flattest feet
08:41that there ever was
08:42he was never
08:44physically capable
08:45or qualified
08:47to be military
08:48i guess your father
08:49would be pretty proud
08:50in how you're carrying
08:51on the tradition
08:51not my father
08:53he'd have expected me
08:55to find some soft
08:56duty somewhere
08:57in fact he told me so
08:58i don't get it
09:00well i
09:02i embarrassed my father
09:03that wasn't tough
09:04enough for him
09:05too soft
09:06no guts
09:07was the phrase
09:07he used
09:08do you have any sense
09:11of what your influence
09:11was in his life
09:12he says it was a great
09:14deal
09:14he says
09:15i don't know
09:17by his teens
09:19it was clear
09:20that the awkward
09:21bookish
09:22loquacious
09:22newt
09:23would not be cast
09:24in the mold
09:25of bob gingrich
09:26between stepfather
09:28and son
09:28it was a stripped
09:29down relationship
09:30reduced to an
09:32occasional test
09:32of authority
09:33like the night
09:34newt broke
09:35curfew
09:35that night
09:37when bob came
09:37home
09:38he lived in
09:39the gorgeous
09:39house there
09:40he came in
09:42the front door
09:43and walked
09:44right over
09:44to newt
09:45and newt
09:45was leaning
09:46against the wall
09:47and he picked
09:48him up
09:48like this
09:50and he said
09:50i don't want
09:51that to ever
09:52happen again
09:52and newt
09:53was a big
09:54boy
09:54he was no
09:56i don't remember
09:56him ever being
09:57little
09:57and that was
09:59that i mean
10:00he didn't hit
10:01him or did
10:01anything else
10:01he just lifted
10:02him up
10:03you know
10:03got his
10:04attention
10:05but by newt's
10:07account he got
10:08from his
10:08military stepfather
10:09one great
10:10gift
10:11an experience
10:12that changed
10:13his life
10:14when he was
10:1515 and the
10:16family was
10:16stationed in
10:17europe
10:17newt's father
10:18took them
10:19on a visit
10:19to verdun
10:20the battle
10:21site where
10:21nearly a
10:22million men
10:22had died
10:23in world war
10:24one
10:24you can still
10:26see barbed
10:27wire
10:27trenches
10:29newt walked
10:31along a road
10:32and he picked
10:33up a
10:33an american
10:35helmet
10:35a german
10:35helmet
10:36and a french
10:36helmet
10:37all rusted
10:38but they
10:39were still
10:39laying there
10:40newt's father
10:41actually his
10:43stepfather
10:44made the
10:46point to him
10:47that this
10:47wouldn't have
10:48happened
10:48if it hadn't
10:48been for the
10:49politicians
10:49and that
10:52really
10:52kind of
10:54caught
10:54newt
10:55and you
10:56know
10:56the people
10:57responsible
10:57for wars
10:58are not
10:58the warriors
10:59they fight
11:01them
11:01but it's
11:01these other
11:01people that
11:02cause them
11:02at the time
11:04did you
11:04recognize that
11:05as some
11:05great watershed
11:06moment in
11:06newt's life
11:07no
11:07and he never
11:09never said
11:09anything about
11:10it he never
11:10discussed it
11:11but evidently
11:13it made a
11:13lasting impression
11:14upon him
11:15and there's
11:17something about
11:17verdun that will
11:18make a lasting
11:19impression
11:19one of the
11:20gloomiest places
11:21i've ever been
11:21in my life
11:22his stepfather's
11:24lesson was that
11:25politicians kill
11:26soldiers
11:26but newt says
11:28he saw
11:29something much
11:29larger at
11:30verdun
11:30that it was
11:32politics that
11:32truly shaped
11:33the world
11:34he had found
11:35his calling
11:36newt came back
11:39to america
11:40to columbus
11:41georgia
11:41where bob
11:42gingrich was
11:42stationed at
11:43fort benning
11:44in 1960
11:45for the
11:46untethered
11:47army brat
11:48this would be
11:49his first
11:49real hometown
11:51here he would
11:53begin to imagine
11:54his life in
11:54politics
11:55not just
11:56a career
11:57but a quest
11:58a romantic
11:59vision
12:00of the promise
12:01that had
12:01whispered to him
12:02at verdun
12:02and in columbus
12:04newt would find
12:05his first
12:06real friend
12:06jim tilton
12:07a high school
12:09hero
12:09actually i think
12:11jim kind of
12:12took newt
12:12under his wing
12:13newt was
12:14new
12:15and uh
12:16he
12:17he
12:17kind of
12:19didn't
12:19he looked like
12:20a kind of a
12:21nerd really
12:21i think that
12:23there was a
12:24period when he
12:24probably was a
12:25very lonely
12:26youngster
12:26i really do
12:28he didn't dwell
12:29on it a great
12:30deal
12:30it just seemed
12:31as if newton
12:32were always
12:33forward looking
12:34always
12:36what's happened
12:39is past
12:40what's ahead
12:42is exciting
12:42that's the way
12:44i'm gonna go
12:44jim shared
12:56newt's romance
12:57with the movies
12:58their all-time
12:59favorite
13:00was the classic
13:01fable
13:01the magnificent
13:02seven
13:03he um
13:05was tremendously
13:08impressed
13:08by that movie
13:09the idea
13:10that you
13:10had
13:11these seven
13:12guys who
13:13were coming
13:13in to face
13:14the bandits
13:14in a situation
13:15that was hopeless
13:16from people
13:16who couldn't
13:17pay you
13:17and you
13:18did it all
13:19because of
13:19a cause
13:20this is what
13:21we do
13:21we go
13:22and help
13:22these people
13:23you're the
13:24one that has
13:24to go
13:25and save
13:25the villagers
13:26there's a
13:41largeness
13:42to his
13:45self-projection
13:48almost all
13:49his life
13:50yeah
13:50and what i'm
13:52wondering is
13:52that just a
13:53psychological
13:53quirk that
13:54this kid was
13:55born with
13:56or
13:56i don't think
13:56it's a quirk
13:57i think it's
13:57an acceptance
13:58in his mind
13:59an acceptance
14:00of what
14:01a calling
14:01a calling
14:02yeah i think
14:03that may be
14:04making it sound
14:06more religious
14:06than he would
14:08and i think
14:21he believes
14:22there is a plan
14:22out there
14:23and you have a chance
14:24to make a difference
14:25and if you're
14:27the person
14:27that can make
14:28the difference
14:28then you take
14:30advantage of it
14:31both of them
14:34spent a lot of
14:35time with
14:35military history
14:36and reading
14:39books and
14:40and visualizing
14:42battles and
14:43and had their
14:44military heroes
14:45and and tactics
14:47and strategy
14:48is a big part
14:49of that
14:50and i think
14:51and i think
14:51that they
14:53began to see
14:54politics in
14:55the same way
14:56that they
14:57saw war
14:58newt learned
15:00to play
15:00politics as
15:01an outsider
15:02he and
15:03and tilton
15:03were republicans
15:04in a state
15:05owned by democrats
15:06for a century
15:07newt ran jim's
15:09successful campaign
15:10for student body
15:11president
15:12in the senior
15:14class play
15:14written and
15:15directed by newt
15:16he cast himself
15:18as richard nixon
15:19and told a teacher
15:20that one day
15:21he would be
15:21president himself
15:23with his
15:25customary audacity
15:26and a measure
15:27of mature
15:27political foresight
15:28he proposed
15:29an article
15:30for harper's
15:31magazine
15:31predicting a
15:32coming republican
15:33majority
15:34but in high
15:36school in 1960
15:37newt's brainy
15:38political precocity
15:39had limited
15:40value
15:41jim tilton
15:44convinced him
15:45to go out
15:45for football
15:46newt was a
15:48boy that came
15:49in that
15:49had never
15:51played football
15:51and really
15:53wasn't given
15:54a lot of
15:55athletic talent
15:56but he
15:57came on
15:58to the field
15:59wanted to
15:59play football
16:00and we had
16:01a little trouble
16:02getting a helmet
16:02that would fit him
16:03auburn didn't
16:04have one
16:05tech didn't
16:06have one
16:06alabama
16:07troy state
16:08so we had
16:09to call riddell
16:10and they had
16:10to make up
16:11a special helmet
16:12newt has a
16:13large head
16:14and there were
16:14no helmets
16:15in columbus
16:16that would fit
16:16newt
16:17except for
16:17these 1940
16:19football
16:20these leather
16:21things
16:21with the
16:23little ear flaps
16:24i gather
16:25this is what
16:26jim's story
16:27always was
16:27anyway
16:28football was
16:29a bust
16:30and so
16:31apparently
16:31was his
16:32social life
16:33he didn't
16:34date
16:34the closest
16:35he got
16:35to a
16:36campus
16:36princess
16:37was a
16:37job
16:38tutoring
16:38one
16:39what he
16:40did do
16:41was start
16:42a furtive
16:42romance
16:43with his
16:43geometry
16:44teacher
16:4524 year
16:46old
16:46Jackie
16:47Batley
16:47they were
16:49out in
16:50Fort Benning
16:51making out
16:51secretly
16:52they had
16:52to sneak
16:53around
16:53because she
16:54was a
16:54teacher
16:55for heaven
16:55sakes
16:55and
16:56so
16:58got time
16:59to go
16:59home
16:59and they
17:00got caught
17:01in a
17:01tank
17:01trap
17:02out of
17:03Fort Benning
17:04couldn't
17:05couldn't get
17:05the car
17:06out
17:06and i think
17:09they walked
17:10finally until
17:11they got to
17:11a telephone
17:12called jim
17:13and a bunch
17:14of kids
17:14went out
17:14and rescued
17:15the car
17:16but that
17:17was that
17:18was big
17:18trouble
17:18i mean
17:19newt falls
17:20in love
17:21except he
17:24falls in
17:24love
17:25with his
17:25math
17:26teacher
17:26right
17:27do you
17:28do you
17:28recollect
17:29your
17:29when you
17:30when you
17:30found out
17:31about that
17:31yes i do
17:34because bob
17:35said
17:36i mean
17:38there was
17:39too much
17:39writing on
17:40newt even
17:41then
17:41as to
17:42what he
17:42was going
17:43to be
17:43what he
17:44was going
17:44to do
17:44and marion
17:45his math
17:46teacher was
17:46not one
17:47of them
17:47but newt
17:49followed jackie
17:50to atlanta
17:51and married
17:52her after
17:52his freshman
17:53year in
17:53college
17:53it was an
17:55act of
17:55sheer
17:55presumption
17:56and his
17:57ultimate
17:57rebellion
17:58against his
17:58stepfather
17:59we didn't
18:01go to the
18:02wedding
18:02because bob
18:05would not
18:05go to the
18:05wedding
18:06he said
18:07he would
18:07drive me
18:08there
18:08and wait
18:09for me
18:09but i
18:10couldn't
18:11go in
18:11that church
18:12without bob
18:13because it
18:13would point
18:14right at him
18:15it's the
18:16dad
18:17i couldn't
18:18do it
18:19and jimmy
18:19tilton
18:20that night
18:21brought me
18:22my corsage
18:22newt
18:24just said
18:25that jimmy
18:25knew i was
18:26coming
18:27he just
18:27knew i was
18:28coming to
18:28the wedding
18:28but i
18:31didn't make
18:31it
18:32by the
18:34mid-sixties
18:35with a
18:35wife and
18:36two little
18:36girls
18:36newt was
18:37at tulane
18:38university
18:39in new
18:39orleans
18:39working on
18:40a phd
18:41in history
18:42he tended
18:43to politicize
18:44everything
18:45there
18:45and he
18:45you know
18:46this
18:46brash
18:47very capable
18:49cocky
18:50very self
18:52confident
18:52but it
18:53was
18:54his
18:54the french
18:56everyone
18:57engagement
18:58he loved
18:58engagement
18:59to engage
19:00to
19:00he loved
19:01combat
19:02intellectual
19:03combat
19:03he still
19:04does
19:04he still
19:05does
19:05something
19:06of an
19:07intellectual
19:07fattest
19:08newt became
19:09a devotee
19:10of the
19:10futurist
19:11alvin
19:11toffler
19:12swimming
19:13cautiously
19:13through the
19:14cross currents
19:14of the
19:15sixties
19:15he taught
19:16a course
19:16at the
19:17free
19:17university
19:17and even
19:18experimented
19:19with marijuana
19:20one night
19:21we went
19:22to a
19:22jefferson
19:22airplane
19:23concert
19:24in new
19:26orleans
19:26and he
19:27found that
19:28very
19:30interesting
19:30in that
19:32there were
19:32a lot
19:33of people
19:33there
19:33that were
19:33very excited
19:34and of course
19:35his question
19:35was is there
19:36any political
19:37value in
19:37this
19:38when the
19:41campus paper
19:41tried to
19:42publish this
19:42photograph
19:43of a
19:43naked
19:44artist
19:44in his
19:44erotic
19:45sculpture
19:45tulane's
19:47president
19:47claimed it
19:48was obscene
19:48the students
19:50cried censorship
19:51and a
19:51protest
19:52erupted
19:52newt
19:54immediately
19:55began
19:56organizing
19:56the thing
19:57he loves
19:58political
19:58organization
19:59i don't
20:00think he
20:01was interested
20:01in the
20:02student
20:02movement
20:02per se
20:03i think
20:03he was
20:04interested
20:04in testing
20:05what part
20:07of this
20:08political
20:08energy
20:08makes sense
20:09the 60s
20:12pushed newt
20:12to the
20:13liberal wing
20:13of the
20:14republican
20:14party
20:15in 1968
20:16he helped
20:17organize
20:17nelson
20:18rockefeller's
20:19campaign
20:19against his
20:20old hero
20:20richard
20:21nixon
20:21i have some
20:23difficulty
20:24with people
20:25who talk
20:25about newt
20:26as the
20:26academic
20:27turned
20:28politician
20:28i think
20:30i saw
20:30the politician
20:31from the
20:32very beginning
20:32or for the
20:34lack of a
20:34better word
20:35who was
20:36engaging
20:37in the
20:37academy
20:38all
20:38route
20:38all
20:39route
20:39newt
20:41surprised
20:41his
20:42colleagues
20:42at tulane
20:43by taking
20:43a teaching
20:44job in
20:44the academic
20:45backwater
20:45at west
20:46georgia
20:47college
20:47but it
20:48was a
20:49calculated
20:49choice
20:50newt
20:51figured
20:51that georgia's
20:51sixth
20:52congressional
20:52district
20:53where the
20:53college
20:53sat
20:54was the
20:55perfect
20:55place
20:56to launch
20:56his
20:56political
20:57career
20:58ever
20:59since i've
20:59known newt
20:59he has
21:00felt
21:00that he
21:01would have
21:01an impact
21:02on history
21:02that he
21:03was a
21:03historical
21:04person
21:05when he
21:06was a
21:07teacher
21:07here at
21:07west
21:07georgia
21:08he viewed
21:08himself
21:09as a
21:09historical
21:10person
21:10in his
21:11young
21:11years
21:12talk about
21:14the young
21:14church hill
21:15you know
21:15you study
21:16that to try
21:16to get an
21:17idea
21:17who this
21:18guy is
21:18later on
21:19and so forth
21:19but he knew
21:21that he was
21:22going to have
21:23a major role
21:23in history
21:24some way
21:24we became
21:26friends and
21:28eventually I took
21:28a class from him
21:29he's a very good
21:30teacher
21:30very stimulating
21:32that's what you want
21:32a teacher to be
21:33is make you think
21:34and he did
21:37make you think
21:37if you take
21:40his lectures
21:41or nowadays
21:43if you take
21:43his political
21:44speeches
21:44and put them
21:46down in black
21:46and white
21:47you realize
21:47they're pretty
21:48shallow
21:48and you realize
21:50you can shoot
21:50holes through
21:51them
21:51and he's not
21:52the most
21:53logical person
21:53but
21:55when he's
21:56speaking
21:57he's impressive
21:58one of his
21:59colleagues
22:00who taught
22:01with him
22:01in a team
22:02taught course
22:02he taught
22:03this for
22:03three or four
22:04years
22:04said they
22:05referred to him
22:06behind his
22:07back as
22:07Mr. Truth
22:08because you know
22:09he always seemed
22:10to know it
22:11or at least
22:12to assert
22:12that he did
22:13whether he did
22:13or not
22:14Newt liked
22:15teaching
22:16but never
22:17undertook
22:17to build
22:18a serious
22:18academic career
22:19he always
22:20had his eye
22:21on bigger
22:21things
22:22I'll be running
22:23in the Republican
22:24primary
22:24I'm running
22:27against a man
22:30who's been there
22:3020 years
22:31and for a seat
22:33that I think
22:33needs aggressive
22:34vigorous leadership
22:36in 1974
22:37in the middle
22:38of Watergate
22:39Newt launched
22:40his first
22:40congressional
22:41campaign
22:42running
22:42quixotically
22:43as a liberal
22:44Republican
22:44in the Democratic
22:45South
22:46and of course
22:47I've heard it
22:48and really
22:49it's nothing new
22:50I've been hearing
22:51reports like that
22:52for years
22:53his opponent
22:54the very
22:55conservative
22:55Jack Flint
22:56was an entrenched
22:57old bull
22:58of the southern
22:59Democratic
23:00establishment
23:00and in the
23:03state of Georgia
23:03in the last
23:04session of Congress
23:05Jack Flint
23:07had the lowest
23:08rating of all
23:09of Georgia's
23:09congressmen
23:10the new
23:11environmentalists
23:12endorsed Newt
23:14who was running
23:15hard as a
23:15reformer
23:16the second thing
23:17I do as a
23:17congressman
23:18I think is
23:18demand a sense
23:20of real
23:20ethical fairness
23:22in the congressman
23:22the place is
23:23sufficiently corrupt
23:24right now
23:25that there's no
23:26reason for anyone
23:26back home
23:27to have any
23:27trust in their
23:28congressman
23:28Flint retaliated
23:30with negative
23:30ads
23:31pricking Newt's
23:32thin skin
23:33and this is a
23:34direct violation
23:35of the fair
23:35campaign
23:36practices
23:36committee
23:37code of
23:37ethics
23:38and I am
23:39filing a
23:39protest with
23:40them
23:40asking them
23:41to come
23:41in to
23:41investigate
23:42his commercial
23:43and to ask
23:44him to take
23:44the commercial
23:44off the air
23:45and to apologize
23:46for it
23:46Jack Flint
23:48was never
23:48really worried
23:49about this
23:50unlikely
23:50Republican
23:51upstart
23:51and Newt
23:52and Newt lost
23:52the race
23:53but he had
23:55done pretty
23:55well
23:56you got to
23:57remember
23:57we had a
23:58long haired
23:59college professor
24:00wore glasses
24:02his name was
24:03Newt
24:04he was a
24:04Yankee
24:05and he had
24:07no connections
24:07in the community
24:08at all
24:09and to take
24:09a guy like
24:10that
24:10and to
24:11win 47
24:1348%
24:13of the vote
24:14was pretty
24:15incredible
24:15in 1976
24:17when he ran
24:18a second time
24:19against Jack Flint
24:20the campaign
24:21sensed victory
24:22but he was
24:23swept away
24:23in Jimmy Carter's
24:24southern landslide
24:25and now
24:26Newt was broke
24:27he turned to
24:28his political
24:29benefactors
24:29for help
24:30he wanted
24:31to write a novel
24:32and his idea
24:33was to write
24:34a novel
24:35based upon
24:36a possible
24:37land war
24:37with the Russians
24:39coming after
24:39NATO
24:40and so
24:42it sounded
24:42good
24:43two or three
24:44of us
24:45offered to
24:45help him
24:47financially
24:47with some
24:48seed money
24:48and it ended
24:49up about
24:4914 or 15
24:50of us
24:51Newt accepted
24:52$13,000
24:53from local
24:54businessmen
24:55took his family
24:56to Europe
24:56to do research
24:57and wrote
24:58a partial
24:58manuscript
24:59that was
24:59never published
25:00I think
25:01the primary
25:01focus was
25:03to keep him
25:03alive
25:04until the next
25:05campaign
25:05he is
25:09I don't write
25:12well either
25:12but he's
25:13not a good
25:13writer
25:14anybody
25:15that's ever
25:15read
25:15anything
25:16he has
25:16written
25:17knows
25:17he's
25:17not
25:17a good
25:18writer
25:18I don't
25:19think
25:19there were
25:19any
25:19illusions
25:20that he
25:20was going
25:20to write
25:21the great
25:21American
25:21novel
25:22by the
25:23summer
25:23of 1978
25:24the college
25:25was fed
25:25up with
25:26Newt's
25:26political
25:27absences
25:27and he
25:28lost his
25:28teaching
25:29job
25:29just as
25:30he was
25:30launching
25:30what could
25:31be his
25:31final run
25:32for Congress
25:33we were
25:34desperate
25:34I mean
25:34this guy
25:35has no
25:35job
25:36he's got
25:36a wife
25:37and two
25:37small
25:38children
25:38we got
25:40all these
25:40debts
25:40that we're
25:41on the
25:41notes for
25:42we were
25:43scared
25:43to death
25:44plus it
25:44was our
25:45third
25:45campaign
25:46with
25:47everything
25:47on the
25:48line
25:48that
25:491978
25:49campaign
25:50would
25:50become
25:51the
25:51pivotal
25:51moment
25:52in
25:52Newt
25:52Gingrich's
25:52life
25:53when the
25:54boy
25:54with
25:54the
25:54romantic
25:55quest
25:55learned
25:56the
25:56ruthless
25:57road
25:57to
25:57power
25:58Jack
26:06Flint
26:07had
26:07retired
26:07now
26:08Newt's
26:08opponent
26:09was a
26:09moderate
26:09like
26:10himself
26:10he
26:11called
26:11in
26:12professionals
26:12from
26:12Washington
26:13and
26:13recast
26:14himself
26:14as
26:14a
26:15conservative
26:15this
26:16one
26:16my
26:17take
26:17on
26:17it
26:18is
26:18we
26:18run
26:18this
26:18straight
26:19as
26:19a
26:19left
26:19right
26:19race
26:20that
26:20we're
26:21the
26:21conservative
26:21she's
26:22the
26:22liberal
26:22and
26:23that's
26:2390%
26:24of
26:24the
26:24race
26:24in
26:25a
26:25speech
26:26Newt
26:26unveiled
26:27his
26:27new
26:27strategy
26:28Republican
26:29candidates
26:29should
26:30be
26:30nasty
26:30willing
26:31to
26:31stand
26:32up
26:32in
26:32a
26:32slug
26:33fest
26:33we're
26:34fighting
26:34a war
26:35he
26:35proclaimed
26:36a war
26:37for
26:37power
26:37his
26:38advice
26:39raise
26:39hell
26:40raise
26:40hell
26:41all
26:41the
26:41time
26:42Virginia
26:43Shepard
26:43is on
26:44record
26:44with
26:44her
26:45solutions
26:45government
26:47causes
26:47inflation
26:48Newt
26:48had once
26:49complained
26:49about
26:50Jack
26:50Flint's
26:50negative
26:51ads
26:51now
26:52his
26:52campaign
26:53hounded
26:53Virginia
26:54Shepard
26:54with the
26:55same
26:55stuff
26:56Virginia
26:56was a
26:57little
26:57heavier
26:58than
26:59average
26:59and
26:59we had
26:59this
27:00sort
27:00of
27:00fat
27:00arm
27:00come
27:01out
27:01wearing
27:02an
27:02iron
27:02bracelet
27:02that
27:03looked
27:03like
27:03it
27:03belonged
27:03to
27:04Ilsa
27:04she-wolf
27:05of the
27:05SS
27:05and it
27:07had a
27:07big
27:07rubber stamp
27:08in its
27:08hand
27:09and it
27:09stamped a
27:09big red
27:10no
27:10in the
27:11middle
27:11of the
27:11bill
27:11and we
27:12did that
27:12for like
27:13three or
27:13four
27:13bills
27:14it
27:14was
27:14just
27:14totally
27:15unfair
27:15the
27:16Gingrich
27:17campaign
27:17accused
27:18Shepard
27:18of coddling
27:19welfare
27:19cheaters
27:20in league
27:21with Julian
27:22Bond
27:22the civil
27:23rights
27:23activist
27:24and so
27:25between
27:26the print
27:26ads
27:27and the
27:28TV
27:28we did
27:28and the
27:29radio
27:30we did
27:30it was all
27:31in a sense
27:32experimental
27:33we were learning
27:34what to do
27:35and I think
27:35he learned
27:36very well
27:36that negative
27:38campaigning
27:38worked
27:39and it
27:40did work
27:40determined
27:42to press
27:42every
27:43advantage
27:43Newt
27:44even
27:44enlisted
27:44his wife
27:45in the
27:45attacks
27:46on
27:46Shepard
27:46I
27:47personally
27:48don't
27:48think
27:48that she
27:49wanted
27:49to
27:49wanted
27:50Newt
27:50to run
27:50a third
27:50time
27:51I know
27:52that she
27:53probably
27:53wouldn't
27:53want
27:54to be
27:55involved
27:55in it
27:55she just
27:56overcome
27:56her first
27:57cancer
27:57operation
27:58the summer
27:58before that
27:59campaign
27:59but
28:02when he
28:02made the
28:02decision
28:03he was
28:03going
28:03to run
28:04she threw
28:04herself
28:04into his
28:05campaign
28:05and worked
28:06as hard
28:06as she
28:06could
28:06and
28:09wrote
28:10the famous
28:11letters
28:11of
28:11let our
28:12family
28:12represent
28:13your
28:13family
28:13in
28:13Washington
28:13Jackie
28:15wrote a
28:15campaign
28:16letter
28:16that
28:16exploited
28:17Virginia
28:17Shepard's
28:18announcement
28:18that
28:19if elected
28:19she would
28:20commute
28:20to Washington
28:21and leave
28:22her family
28:22behind
28:23in Georgia
28:23Jackie
28:24said
28:25Newt
28:25was a
28:25good
28:26husband
28:26who
28:26would
28:27take
28:27his
28:27family
28:27with
28:28him
28:28but
28:29in
28:29truth
28:30the
28:30marriage
28:30was
28:30falling
28:31apart
28:31and
28:32several
28:32campaign
28:33workers
28:33say
28:33Newt
28:34was
28:34seeing
28:34other
28:34women
28:35we
28:36all
28:36knew
28:36but
28:37it
28:39was
28:39after
28:40hours
28:40and
28:40we
28:41were
28:41so
28:42focused
28:42on
28:42the
28:42campaign
28:43I
28:43mean
28:43I
28:43look
28:43back
28:44at
28:44that
28:44and
28:44I
28:44think
28:44to
28:44myself
28:45how
28:45could
28:45I
28:46have
28:46been
28:46so
28:46focused
28:47on
28:47that
28:48campaign
28:48that
28:49I
28:49wouldn't
28:49say
28:50to
28:50him
28:50this
28:53is
28:53not
28:53right
28:53you
28:54don't
28:54need
28:54to
28:54be
28:54doing
28:54this
28:55you
28:55got
28:55two
28:55small
28:55children
28:56I
28:58thought
28:58it
28:58was
28:59a
28:59kind
28:59of
29:00I
29:00guess
29:00I
29:00thought
29:00I
29:01mean
29:01I
29:01rationalized
29:01it
29:02by saying
29:02well
29:02it
29:02was
29:03a
29:03passing
29:03fantasy
29:03there
29:04were
29:04so
29:04many
29:04of
29:04them
29:04that
29:04couldn't
29:05possibly
29:05have
29:05meant
29:05anything
29:06you
29:07know
29:08it's
29:08just
29:08some
29:08sort
29:08of
29:08psychological
29:09problem
29:09he's
29:10got
29:10since
29:12his
29:12first
29:12defeat
29:13Newt
29:13had
29:13made
29:13lots
29:14of
29:14new
29:14alliances
29:15aggressively
29:16soliciting
29:16campaign
29:17contributions
29:18from
29:18local
29:18corporations
29:19including
29:20Southwire
29:20the nation's
29:21largest
29:22producer
29:22of
29:22copper
29:23wire
29:23the
29:24same
29:24company
29:25he
29:25had
29:25once
29:25criticized
29:26for
29:26polluting
29:27after
29:28he'd
29:28been
29:28criticizing
29:29them
29:29for
29:29a
29:29while
29:29a
29:32vice
29:34president
29:35I forget
29:35who it
29:35was
29:36asked
29:39him
29:39if he'd
29:39like to
29:40come out
29:40to
29:40the
29:40plant
29:41cure
29:41the
29:41plant
29:41and
29:42see
29:42exactly
29:42what
29:42they
29:42were
29:43doing
29:43and
29:43Newt
29:44said
29:44sure
29:45and
29:46he
29:46did
29:46and
29:48after
29:48that
29:49time
29:49he
29:50became
29:50not
29:50quite
29:51as
29:51vocal
29:51a
29:51critic
29:51and
29:52eventually
29:53stopped
29:53being
29:53a
29:53critic
29:53at
29:53all
29:54the
29:57Gingrich
29:57campaign
29:57was also
29:58taking
29:58contributions
29:59from
29:59oil
30:00and
30:00refining
30:00companies
30:01such
30:02as
30:02Young
30:02Refining
30:02a
30:03local
30:03company
30:03with
30:04a
30:04history
30:04of
30:04pollution
30:05problems
30:06every
30:07dollar
30:08counted
30:09at that
30:09time
30:10I could
30:10have told
30:10you
30:10how much
30:11a radio
30:11ad
30:11cost
30:12on
30:12every
30:13radio
30:13station
30:13in rural
30:14Georgia
30:14and we
30:15counted
30:16every
30:16dollar
30:17every
30:19dollar
30:19it
30:24took
30:25him
30:25three
30:25times
30:26but
30:26he
30:26finally
30:26did
30:27it
30:27Newt
30:27Gingrich
30:27a
30:28Republican
30:28has
30:29taken
30:29over
30:29a
30:29congressional
30:30seat
30:30that's
30:30been
30:31a
30:31Democratic
30:31stronghold
30:32for a
30:32quarter
30:33of a
30:33century
30:33a
30:34number
30:34of
30:34you
30:34frankly
30:35I was
30:35a little
30:35embarrassed
30:35to call
30:36and ask
30:37to help
30:37a third
30:38time
30:38and I'm
30:40grateful
30:40that you
30:41acted
30:42on faith
30:42because I
30:43certainly
30:43didn't have
30:43any results
30:44to prove
30:44anything
30:45Newt
30:51had
30:51won
30:52by
30:52shedding
30:52his
30:53old
30:53politics
30:53and
30:54his
30:54old
30:54profile
30:55and
30:56many
30:57of
30:57his
30:57old
30:57friends
30:58the
30:58reformers
30:59the
30:59environmentalists
31:00the
31:00liberals
31:01would
31:02feel
31:02betrayed
31:02and
31:04Jackie
31:04the
31:05loyal
31:05political
31:05wife
31:06would
31:06soon
31:07be
31:07discarded
31:07as
31:08well
31:08a
31:09little
31:09more
31:09than
31:09a
31:09year
31:09later
31:10Newt
31:10demanded
31:11a
31:11divorce
31:12Jackie
31:13did
31:14not
31:15want
31:15the
31:15divorce
31:16and
31:20was
31:20humiliated
31:23bitter
31:23angry
31:24she
31:25was
31:25in
31:26the
31:26hospital
31:27and
31:30then
31:30he
31:31came
31:32to
31:32visit
31:32her
31:33and
31:37while
31:37he
31:37was
31:38visiting
31:38her
31:38he
31:38pulled
31:39out
31:39his
31:39legal
31:39pad
31:39and
31:39wanted
31:39to
31:40talk
31:40about
31:40the
31:40divorce
31:40settlement
31:41as
31:41he
31:41was
31:42fixing
31:42to
31:42leave
31:43the
31:43girls
31:43were
31:43there
31:43he
31:44was
31:44fixing
31:44to
31:44leave
31:44and
31:45asked
31:45her
31:45if
31:46they
31:46might
31:46discuss
31:47some
31:48of
31:48the
31:49division
31:51of the
31:52property
31:53and
31:53alimony
31:54and that
31:55kind of
31:55thing
31:55and that's
31:56when she
31:56really got
31:57angry
31:57and I
31:58can see
31:59Jackie
31:59getting
31:59angry
32:00I can
32:00see
32:00any
32:00woman
32:01getting
32:01angry
32:01she's
32:02already
32:02anguished
32:03enough
32:03it
32:04wasn't
32:04long
32:04after
32:04that
32:05Jackie
32:07was
32:07supposed
32:07to
32:07be
32:07getting
32:07alimony
32:08and
32:08child
32:08support
32:09and
32:09he
32:09refused
32:09to
32:10pay
32:10and
32:11so
32:11Jackie
32:11and the
32:12kids
32:12were
32:12down
32:12there
32:12in
32:12that
32:12house
32:13with
32:13no
32:13food
32:14and
32:14electricity
32:15and water
32:16and all that
32:16sort of stuff
32:17so at the
32:18First Baptist Church
32:18and some other
32:19places in town
32:20we took up
32:21money
32:22and we took up
32:22canned food
32:23and took it
32:24down to the
32:24house
32:24so that
32:25she could keep
32:25the lights
32:26on and keep
32:27the kids
32:27fed
32:27six months
32:30six months
32:30after his
32:30divorce
32:30from Jackie
32:31was final
32:32Newt
32:32married
32:3333
32:33year old
32:34Mary Ann
32:35Ginther
32:35I think it was
32:37sort of
32:37Newt
32:37going back
32:38and being
32:39a teenager
32:39again
32:40Mary Ann
32:41was younger
32:42more impressionable
32:43more willing
32:45to sort of
32:46humor is not
32:47the right word
32:48but to take
32:49Newt seriously
32:50when he said
32:51my goal
32:52is to save
32:52western civilization
32:53Newt came
32:56to Washington
32:56defiant
32:57of the status
32:58quo
32:58of democratic
32:59power
33:00and of the
33:00ancient code
33:01for all new
33:02congressmen
33:03go along
33:04get along
33:05and wait
33:05your turn
33:06my first
33:07question to him
33:08was what is it
33:09exactly that you
33:10hope to accomplish
33:12as a member
33:12of congress
33:13his immediate
33:15answer was
33:16his objective
33:17was to become
33:18speaker of the
33:18house
33:18he came not
33:20necessarily as a
33:21bomb thrower
33:22but as a dreamer
33:23he was the only
33:24member other
33:25than myself
33:25that really
33:28believed
33:29that it was
33:29possible to
33:30build a
33:31republican
33:31majority
33:32he was sort
33:33of this
33:33Don Quixote
33:34the impossible
33:35dream
33:35in congress
33:37Newt recruited
33:37a small cadre
33:38of his
33:39ideological
33:39blood brothers
33:40called the
33:41conservative
33:41opportunity
33:42society
33:43Gingrich
33:44Gingrich
33:44learned
33:45that the
33:46easiest way
33:47for someone
33:48to get access
33:50to the news
33:51media was to
33:51be controversial
33:52and in particular
33:54to be quotable
33:55and so
33:57from the very
33:58beginning of his
33:59stay in Washington
34:00he was
34:01quotably
34:01controversial
34:02today's
34:03national democrats
34:04have a pessimistic
34:05defeatist
34:06and skeptical
34:07view toward
34:07America's role
34:08in the world
34:09to mount
34:10his insurgency
34:10Newt opened
34:11his own
34:12lines of
34:12communication
34:13he seized
34:14on new
34:15media
34:15like C-SPAN
34:16to attack
34:17the enemy
34:17and recruit
34:18his own
34:18political army
34:19Newt did
34:20build his
34:21empire
34:21his movement
34:22through C-SPAN
34:23it was a
34:24big part
34:24of the plan
34:27I guess
34:27at the end
34:28of one day's
34:29house session
34:30Newt delivered
34:31an ideological
34:32broadside
34:33a long list
34:34of accusations
34:35against house
34:36democrats
34:36for being soft
34:37on communism
34:38no democrat
34:39replied
34:40because the
34:41chamber
34:41was empty
34:42a shot
34:43the C-SPAN
34:43cameras never
34:44showed
34:45the democrats
34:46were outraged
34:47by Newt's
34:47sneak attack
34:48Tip O'Neill
34:49viewed it
34:50as an attack
34:51on his
34:51colleagues
34:51and as
34:52McCarthyism
34:53my personal
34:54opinion
34:54is this
34:55you deliberately
34:56stood in that
34:57well before
34:58an emptied
34:58house
34:59and challenged
35:00these people
35:01and you
35:02challenged
35:02their
35:02Americanism
35:03and it's
35:04the lowest
35:04thing
35:05that I've
35:05ever seen
35:06in my
35:0632 years
35:07in congress
35:08and then
35:09for three
35:10hours
35:10this was
35:10May 15
35:111984
35:12from about
35:12noon
35:13to about
35:14three
35:14there was
35:15an old
35:16fashioned
35:16partisan
35:17intellectual
35:18ideological
35:18shootout
35:19is it wrong
35:20for those
35:20of us
35:21who have
35:21grown up
35:21as historians
35:22who believe
35:22in looking
35:23at history
35:23to raise
35:24questions
35:24of history
35:25is it wrong
35:26for us
35:26to go back
35:27and do
35:27the research
35:28and lay
35:28it out
35:28I'm always
35:30delighted to
35:31yield to our
35:31distinguished
35:31very interesting
35:35the way
35:35the gentleman
35:35talks
35:36as an
35:37apologist
35:38for the
35:38remarks
35:39that he
35:39made
35:39the other
35:39day
35:40let's look
35:41at the
35:41truth
35:41of the
35:42thing
35:42let's look
35:43at the
35:43truth
35:43I reclaim
35:44my time
35:44for one
35:45minute
35:45I want
35:45to know
35:46why you
35:46went back
35:47to one
35:471970
35:48and 1971
35:50I reclaim
35:52my time
35:53Mr. Speaker
35:54just to make
35:55the point
35:55I thought you
35:55said that you
35:56would give
35:56to the
35:56Speaker
35:57the courtesy
35:57go
35:58they all
36:00sort of
36:00came at
36:00Newt
36:01and Newt
36:01had some
36:01defenders
36:02but it was
36:02really a
36:03hell of a
36:04gunfight
36:04I mean he
36:05was holding
36:05off the
36:06big guns
36:06of the
36:06Democratic
36:07Party
36:07simultaneously
36:08it was one
36:10of his
36:10finest hours
36:11Gingrich
36:13the son
36:14of an
36:14army
36:14officer
36:15saw a
36:16military
36:16analogy
36:17in his
36:17own
36:17political
36:18quest
36:18he ordered
36:19his staff
36:20to study
36:20military
36:21history
36:22books
36:23by
36:23Heinz
36:23Guderian
36:24the German
36:25general
36:25who invented
36:26the blitzkrieg
36:27and Miyamoto
36:28Musashi
36:29a samurai
36:30warrior
36:31in the hope
36:32of deriving
36:32political
36:33lessons
36:33from the
36:34art of
36:34war
36:35Newt learned
36:40that the
36:41way to fight
36:41outnumbered
36:42and win
36:42was to
36:43seize the
36:43initiative
36:43in 1987
36:45that's just
36:46what he
36:46did
36:46mounting a
36:47daring
36:48one-man
36:48assault
36:49on the
36:49citadel
36:50of
36:50congressional
36:50power
36:51he accused
36:52the
36:52democratic
36:52speaker
36:53Jim
36:53Wright
36:54of
36:54ethical
36:54misconduct
36:55including
36:56the charge
36:56Wright had
36:57made over
36:57$60,000
36:58on a bogus
36:59book deal
37:00have I made
37:01mistakes
37:02oh boy
37:04how many
37:04I made
37:05a lot
37:05of mistakes
37:06mistakes
37:08in judgment
37:09oh yeah
37:09a lot
37:11of them
37:12the battle
37:13lasted two
37:14years
37:14but Newt
37:15brought down
37:16Jim Wright
37:16because
37:18he took
37:19on
37:19Wright
37:19and won
37:20he became
37:21a serious
37:21political
37:21figure
37:22at that
37:22point
37:23up to
37:24that
37:24point
37:24he was
37:26regarded
37:27as an
37:28interesting
37:28political
37:29figure
37:29somebody
37:30that was
37:30very good
37:30for a
37:31quote
37:31but not
37:32somebody
37:33who
37:33was
37:34perhaps
37:34going to
37:35be in
37:35the power
37:35structure
37:36when he
37:37took on
37:37Jim Wright
37:38and he
37:38won
37:38he was
37:40regarded
37:41very
37:41seriously
37:42from that
37:42moment
37:42on
37:43but to
37:44defeat
37:44the
37:45Democrats
37:45Newt
37:46believed
37:46he must
37:46also
37:47destroy
37:47the
37:47old
37:47Republican
37:48mindset
37:49the
37:49complacent
37:50minority
37:50always
37:51compromising
37:52with the
37:52Democrats
37:52liberal
37:53agenda
37:53in
37:541990
37:55when
37:55George
37:56Bush
37:56caved
37:56in
37:57to
37:57the
37:57Democrats
37:57on
37:57a
37:58tax
37:58increase
37:58Newt
37:59now
37:59the
38:00Republican
38:00whip
38:00defied
38:01his
38:01party
38:02and
38:02refused
38:02to
38:03support
38:03his
38:03president
38:04behind
38:11the
38:11scenes
38:12Newt
38:12had
38:12been
38:12building
38:13a
38:13new
38:13political
38:13army
38:14to
38:14take
38:14over
38:14the
38:15house
38:15he
38:16took
38:16control
38:16of
38:16a
38:17Republican
38:17political
38:17action
38:18committee
38:18GOPAC
38:19and
38:20made
38:20it
38:20a
38:20potent
38:21instrument
38:21for
38:22his
38:22conservative
38:22vision
38:23the
38:24basic
38:25thing
38:25about
38:25GOPAC
38:26is
38:26you
38:26really
38:27believed
38:27in
38:27the
38:28cause
38:28and
38:29the
38:29people
38:29we
38:29got
38:29were
38:30the
38:30true
38:30believers
38:31that
38:31really
38:31we
38:32got
38:32them
38:32believing
38:33we
38:33are
38:33going
38:33to
38:33control
38:34Congress
38:34we
38:35were
38:36a
38:36house
38:36committee
38:37really
38:37we
38:37were
38:38going
38:38to
38:38control
38:38the
38:38U.S.
38:39House
38:39since
38:40Newt
38:40took
38:40over
38:41in
38:411986
38:42GOPAC
38:42has
38:43raised
38:43more
38:43than
38:4315
38:44million
38:44dollars
38:45to
38:45recruit
38:45and
38:46train
38:46new
38:46conservative
38:47candidates
38:47for
38:48years
38:49GOPAC
38:49was
38:49able
38:50to
38:50keep
38:50the
38:50names
38:50of
38:51its
38:51donors
38:51private
38:52they
38:52were
38:53a
38:53new
38:53breed
38:53ideological
38:54entrepreneurs
38:55men
38:56like
38:56J.
38:57Patrick
38:57Rooney
38:57head
38:58of
38:58the
38:58Golden
38:58Rule
38:59insurance
38:59company
38:59he
39:00and
39:00his
39:01company
39:01have
39:01given
39:01more
39:02than
39:02$150,000
39:03Owen
39:05Roberts
39:06a
39:06financial
39:06planner
39:07from
39:07Florida
39:08gave
39:08more
39:08than
39:08$350,000
39:10textile
39:12tycoon
39:12Roger
39:13Millican
39:13gave
39:14more
39:14than
39:14a
39:14quarter
39:14million
39:15and
39:16$785,000
39:18more
39:18from the
39:19Kohlers
39:19of
39:19Wisconsin
39:20Mary
39:21and
39:22Terry
39:22who
39:23tapped
39:23their
39:23family
39:24fortune
39:24built
39:25from
39:25the
39:25bathroom
39:25fixture
39:26company
39:26when
39:28he
39:28began
39:29the
39:29campaign
39:30with
39:31GOPAC
39:32the
39:32serious
39:32part
39:33of
39:33building
39:33to
39:33a
39:33majority
39:34he
39:35said
39:35the
39:35first
39:35thing
39:36we've
39:36got
39:36to
39:36do
39:36is
39:36we've
39:36all
39:37got
39:37to
39:37use
39:37the
39:37same
39:38language
39:38we've
39:39got
39:39to
39:39start
39:39talking
39:39about
39:40and
39:40Newt
39:40said
39:41this
39:41hundreds
39:42of
39:42times
39:43start
39:43talking
39:43about
39:43a
39:44conservative
39:44opportunity
39:45to
39:45society
39:46replacing
39:47the
39:48liberal
39:48welfare
39:48state
39:49and
39:49he
39:49said
39:49bang
39:50that
39:50language
39:51into
39:51your
39:51head
39:51use
39:52it
39:52every
39:56people
39:56and
39:57that
39:57was
39:57the
39:57right
39:57strategy
39:58Newt's
39:59greatest
39:59weapon
40:00was
40:00a
40:00piercing
40:01political
40:01language
40:02and
40:03GOPAC
40:03promoted
40:04Newt speak
40:04relentlessly
40:05the
40:06razor wire
40:07rhetoric
40:07that had
40:08sliced up
40:08the big
40:09democrats
40:09on
40:10Capitol
40:10Hill
40:10was
40:11exported
40:11to
40:11the
40:11provinces
40:12for
40:13use
40:13against
40:13local
40:14democrats
40:14GOPAC
40:18distributed
40:19Newt's
40:19training
40:20tapes
40:20to
40:20emerging
40:21conservative
40:21candidates
40:22across
40:22the
40:23country
40:23there
40:24were
40:24two
40:24of
40:24us
40:24myself
40:25and
40:25Owen
40:25Roberts
40:26of
40:26Florida
40:26in
40:27a
40:27GOPAC
40:28meeting
40:28several
40:29years
40:29ago
40:29who
40:30promoted
40:31the
40:31idea
40:31of
40:32starting
40:32the
40:32tape
40:32program
40:33for
40:33GOPAC
40:34which
40:34I
40:35believe
40:35did
40:36more
40:36than
40:37any
40:37single
40:38thing
40:38that
40:38we
40:38ever
40:39have
40:39done
40:39since
40:39Newt
40:40came
40:40up
40:40here
40:40to
40:41parlay
40:42his
40:42language
40:44his
40:44vision
40:44his
40:45positioning
40:46his
40:47rhetoric
40:47his
40:48knowledge
40:48out
40:49across
40:49the
40:49country
40:49to
40:5010,000
40:50people
40:5110,000
40:52up
40:52and
40:52coming
40:52political
40:53leaders
40:53every
40:54month
40:54I
40:54started
40:54receiving
40:55GOPAC
40:55tapes
40:55probably
40:56five
40:56years
40:56ago
40:56when I
40:57was in
40:57the
40:57state
40:57legislature
40:58and
40:59when they
40:59would
41:00come
41:00and you
41:01spent some
41:02time in
41:02the car
41:02particularly
41:02going back
41:03and forth
41:03to the
41:04state
41:04legislature
41:04when they
41:05would come
41:05in the
41:06mail
41:06I would
41:06open them
41:07up right
41:07away
41:08and I
41:09would put
41:09them in
41:09a cassette
41:10player
41:10within 24
41:11hours
41:11we
41:12we
41:12we
41:12were
41:12always
41:13eager
41:13to
41:13get
41:13them
41:14and
41:15it
41:16was
41:16almost
41:16like
41:16a
41:16chalk
41:17talk
41:17with
41:17a
41:17great
41:18coach
41:18you
41:19favor
41:19a
41:20political
41:20revolution
41:20you
41:21want
41:21to
41:22replace
41:22the
41:22welfare
41:23state
41:23with
41:23an
41:23opportunity
41:24society
41:24you
41:25favor
41:25work
41:25fare
41:26over
41:26welfare
41:26you
41:27want
41:27to lock
41:28prisoners
41:28up
41:28and
41:28you
41:28are
41:29actually
41:29prepared
41:29to
41:30give
41:30up
41:30some
41:30political
41:31pork
41:31barrel
41:31to
41:32build
41:32as
41:32many
41:32prisons
41:33as
41:33you
41:33need
41:33and
41:34it
41:34was
41:34constantly
41:35that
41:35same
41:35theme
41:36that
41:36we
41:36are
41:36the
41:37majority
41:37we
41:38can
41:38win
41:38the
41:39american
41:39people
41:39are
41:39counting
41:40on
41:40us
41:40and
41:41so
41:42it
41:42became
41:43almost
41:43a
41:43mission
41:44that
41:45we
41:46were
41:46sent
41:46on
41:46and
41:47being
41:47called
41:47to
41:47from
41:48newt
41:48gingrich
41:49himself
41:49if
41:50you'll
41:50fly
41:51with
41:51us
41:51work
41:52with
41:52us
41:52fight
41:53with
41:53us
41:54we
41:54are
41:54going
41:55to
41:55create
41:55a
41:55real
41:55revolution
41:56we
41:56are
41:57going
41:57to
41:57replace
41:57the
41:57welfare
41:58state
41:58go
42:00pack
42:00hatched
42:00another
42:01idea
42:01professor
42:02newt
42:03he
42:03presided
42:04over
42:04an
42:04american
42:05history
42:05course
42:05transmitted
42:06nationwide
42:07by
42:07satellite
42:08the
42:08goal
42:09newt
42:09said
42:09is to
42:10create
42:10a
42:10shared
42:11doctrine
42:11for
42:12perhaps
42:12a
42:12quarter
42:13million
42:13citizen
42:14activists
42:14the
42:15foundation
42:16of that
42:16doctrine
42:16was
42:17gingrich's
42:17core
42:17belief
42:18that
42:19the
42:19very
42:19survival
42:20of
42:20american
42:20culture
42:21was
42:21in
42:21peril
42:22because
42:22the
42:22country
42:23had
42:23embraced
42:23the
42:23values
42:24of
42:24the
42:24great
42:24society
42:25the
42:25welfare
42:26state
42:26has
42:27failed
42:27we
42:29had
42:29recently
42:29in
42:29Atlanta
42:30a
42:3015
42:30year old
42:30girl
42:31kidnapped
42:31tortured
42:32for three
42:32days
42:32and then
42:33killed
42:33because
42:33she
42:33wanted
42:33to
42:34leave
42:34a
42:34gang
42:34that's
42:35a
42:36level
42:36of
42:36barbarism
42:36that
42:3750
42:37years
42:37ago
42:38would
42:38have
42:38been
42:38unacceptable
42:38they
42:39would have
42:39just
42:39lynched
42:39the
42:39entire
42:40gang
42:40they
42:41would have
42:41been
42:41enraged
42:42i'm not
42:43suggesting
42:43lynching
42:43understand
42:45my point
42:45here
42:45that the
42:46culture
42:47wouldn't
42:47have
42:48tolerated
42:48the
42:48barbarism
42:49and
42:50now
42:51we're
42:51numbed
42:51by
42:51it
42:52degenerate
42:53this
42:53is
42:53the
42:54school
42:54of
42:54newt
42:54his
42:55philosophy
42:56rests
42:56on a
42:57gauzy
43:02eclectic
43:02ideas
43:03that
43:03have
43:03stuck
43:04to
43:04his
43:04fly
43:04paper
43:05mind
43:05but
43:06i want
43:06to
43:06start
43:07you
43:07where
43:07i
43:07started
43:07which
43:08was
43:09with
43:09roger
43:09millican
43:10because
43:11millican
43:11i believe
43:12was a
43:12revolutionary
43:13experience
43:13the
43:14millican
43:14company
43:15has
43:15a
43:15shared
43:16vision
43:17shared
43:18strategies
43:18they
43:20have
43:20open
43:20discussion
43:21it
43:22makes
43:22working
43:24fun
43:25the
43:27course
43:27was
43:27chock full
43:28of plugs
43:29for the
43:29pet ideas
43:30of some
43:30big
43:30go
43:30pack
43:31donors
43:31ideas
43:32newt
43:33also
43:33pushed
43:33in
43:33congress
43:34raising
43:35the
43:35suspicion
43:35that
43:35his
43:36intellect
43:36and
43:36his
43:37agenda
43:37are
43:37guided
43:38by
43:38the
43:38highest
43:38bid
43:39one of
43:39the
43:39people
43:40who
43:40first
43:40developed
43:40the
43:41concept
43:41of
43:41medical
43:41savings
43:42accounts
43:42is
43:42pat
43:42rooney
43:43at
43:43golden
43:43rule
43:43insurance
43:44company
43:44what i
43:44want to
43:45do
43:45is
43:45take
43:45just
43:45a
43:45minute
43:46now
43:46and
43:46let
43:46you
43:46see
43:47this
43:47idea
43:47as
43:48pat
43:48rooney
43:48explains
43:49it
43:49because
43:49i
43:49think
43:49it's
43:49a
43:50very
43:50powerful
43:50revolutionary
43:51change
43:52have
43:53you
43:53ever
43:53heard
43:54of
43:54a
43:54sale
43:54on
43:54mammograms
43:55well i
43:56never
43:56have
43:56but if
43:57people
43:57were
43:58spending
43:58their
43:58own
43:58money
43:59pretty
43:59soon
44:00there
44:00would
44:00be
44:01clinics
44:01offering
44:01sales
44:02on
44:02mammograms
44:03to get
44:03the
44:04business
44:04because
44:05now
44:06the
44:06consumers
44:07are
44:07spending
44:07their
44:08own
44:08money
44:09now
44:10this
44:10company
44:10is
44:11headed
44:11by
44:11an
44:11individual
44:12mr
44:13rooney
44:13and
44:14between
44:15them
44:16they
44:16have
44:16given
44:16huge
44:17sums
44:17of
44:18money
44:18to
44:19to
44:20gingrich's
44:21campaigns
44:22to run
44:22for office
44:23to go
44:24pack
44:24to his
44:25foundation
44:25they've
44:26given
44:26soft
44:27money
44:27to the
44:27party
44:28they
44:29are
44:29a
44:29source
44:30of
44:30huge
44:31contributions
44:32new
44:33money
44:33from
44:34someone
44:35who
44:35wanted
44:36a
44:36fundamental
44:37change
44:37in
44:38government
44:38policy
44:38a
44:39controversial
44:40change
44:40a
44:41change
44:42that
44:42newt
44:42gingrich
44:43has
44:43pushed
44:43very
44:44hard
44:44that
44:45appearance
44:46of
44:46corruption
44:47is
44:48part
44:48of
44:48why
44:48we
44:49have
44:49limits
44:49on
44:49the
44:50system
44:50limits
44:51that
44:51newt
44:51gingrich
44:52walked
44:52around
44:53evaded
44:54when he
44:55started
44:55playing
44:56out
44:57his
44:57go
44:57pack
44:58campaign
44:59over
44:59the
45:00years
45:00in
45:03the
45:03fall
45:04of
45:041994
45:05the
45:05strands
45:06of
45:06newt's
45:06life
45:06came
45:07together
45:07he
45:08had
45:08marshaled
45:09his
45:09political
45:09army
45:10and
45:10in
45:10the
45:10distance
45:11he
45:11could
45:11see
45:11the
45:11victory
45:12he
45:12had
45:12dreamed
45:12with
45:13jimmy
45:13tilton
45:13more
45:14than
45:1430
45:14years
45:15before
45:15when
45:17all
45:17other
45:18political
45:19analysts
45:20and even
45:21party
45:21officials
45:22were
45:23writing
45:23off
45:24the
45:25chance
45:26to win
45:26a
45:26majority
45:27in
45:28the
45:28house
45:28of
45:28representatives
45:29newt
45:29gingrich
45:30was
45:30there
45:30telling
45:31them
45:31no
45:31it
45:31can
45:32be
45:32done
45:32and
45:33if
45:33you
45:33will
45:33just
45:34push
45:34a
45:34little
45:34harder
45:35and
45:35you
45:35win
45:36your
45:36seat
45:36and
45:36our
45:36other
45:37guys
45:37win
45:37theirs
45:38we're
45:38going
45:38to
45:39do
45:39it
45:39he
45:39was
45:40the
45:40only
45:40one
45:40every
45:41item
45:42in
45:42our
45:42contract
45:43is
45:43supported
45:44by
45:4460%
45:45or more
45:45of the
45:46American
45:46people
45:46some
45:47of the
45:47items
45:48are
45:48supported
45:48as much
45:49as
45:4980%
45:49of the
45:50American
45:50people
45:50and
45:51outside
45:51Washington
45:52this
45:53is
45:53a
45:53contract
45:53with
45:54Americans
45:54for
45:55America
45:56in a
45:57remarkable
45:58political
45:58moment
45:59Republican
45:59candidates
46:00literally
46:00bound
46:01themselves
46:02to
46:02Newt
46:02and
46:02his
46:02ideas
46:03signing
46:04a
46:04compact
46:05that
46:05promised
46:05congressional
46:06reform
46:06welfare
46:07reform
46:08and a
46:08balanced
46:09budget
46:09Newt
46:10has
46:10the
46:11tremendous
46:11overwhelming
46:12loyalty
46:13of his
46:14troops
46:14and
46:14especially
46:15of those
46:1673
46:17freshmen
46:18who came
46:18rolling in
46:19having all
46:20signed
46:20the contract
46:21with
46:21America
46:21and it
46:22was
46:22Newt
46:23who was
46:23traveling
46:24at 3
46:25o'clock
46:25in the
46:25morning
46:26to get
46:27to a
46:276 a.m.
46:28breakfast
46:29and was
46:29out there
46:30raising
46:30money
46:30for him
46:31and
46:31they
46:32were
46:33listening
46:33to his
46:33tapes
46:34and
46:36it
46:37worked
46:3740
46:38years
46:39of
46:39democratic
46:40power
46:40vanished
46:41in a
46:42moment
46:42those
46:43of you
46:43who know
46:44me well
46:44know how
46:44much
46:44from the
46:45heart
46:45this
46:45comes
46:45this
46:47is
46:47truly
46:47a
46:48wildly
46:48historic
46:49night
46:50I mean
46:50this
46:50is
46:50just
46:51our
46:54new
46:54speaker
46:55gentleman
46:55from
46:56Georgia
46:56Newt
46:57Gingrich
46:57the
47:02center
47:02of
47:03domestic
47:03political
47:04power
47:04had moved
47:05from the
47:05White House
47:06to Newt's
47:06house
47:07the
47:10ruthless
47:11romantic
47:11had reached
47:12his
47:12moment
47:12with the
47:13chance
47:13to change
47:14America
47:14in a
47:16remarkable
47:17display
47:17of
47:17discipline
47:18and
47:18purpose
47:19Gingrich's
47:19house
47:20passed
47:20all but
47:20one of
47:21the
47:21contract's
47:21ten
47:22commandments
47:22in its
47:23first
47:23100
47:23days
47:24more
47:25importantly
47:26the
47:26fundamental
47:27debate
47:27had
47:27shifted
47:27to
47:28Newt's
47:28agenda
47:29suddenly
47:30the
47:30question
47:30was not
47:31whether
47:31to balance
47:31the budget
47:32and shrink
47:32the government
47:33but when
47:34and how
47:35the fulcrum
47:36of power
47:36had shifted
47:37but so
47:38had the
47:38harsh glare
47:39of the
47:39spotlight
47:40exposing
47:41the speaker's
47:41flaws
47:42and his
47:43excesses
47:44Newt can we get a picture
47:45of you with your book
47:46well I know that my publisher
47:49will resent this kind of vicious exploitation
47:51the once penniless college professor
47:54stepped forward to grab his chance for a big payday
47:56he took a four and a half million dollar book advance from Rupert Murdoch
48:01blind to the craven image of making himself rich
48:04while cutting aid to the poor
48:06he was shamed into giving the millions back
48:09the disorder of his personal life
48:12which first became apparent in that 1978 campaign
48:16resurfaced in the press
48:17making things awkward for the secular leader of the family values crowd
48:22but I mean you profess family values
48:25this is hidden wisdom in the holy bible
48:27and I want to know here where it says oral sex doesn't count as adultery
48:31I'd like you to sign it because
48:33you know you've been cheating on your wife
48:34you've been declaring family values
48:36I don't know where here it says oral sex
48:39is moral while you're trying to take away
48:41and in the heat of the budget battle
48:46that impetuous child with the impossibly large sense of himself
48:50suddenly materialized
48:52Mr. Speaker when I heard last night
48:55that Newt Gingrich said he had
48:57shut down the government
48:58because he didn't get the right treatment on an airplane
49:00I was amazed
49:02I couldn't believe it
49:03but today it's true
49:05here it is in black and white
49:06in my hometown paper
49:07the New York Daily News
49:09cry baby
49:10Newt's tantrum
49:11he closed down the government
49:13because Clinton made him sit at the back
49:16he that troubleth his own house
49:18the book of Proverbs tells us
49:20shall inherit the wind
49:22Democrats gleefully exploited Newt's troubles
49:25taunting him on C-SPAN
49:27in the raucous house
49:28whose tone he had set
49:30and where the speaker was not a figure of respect
49:33but a target of derision
49:34there is absolutely no question
49:37that Newt Gingrich has now
49:38absolutely sewn up the category
49:41of best performance by a child actor
49:44this year
49:45now what you've got in this city
49:47is a simple principle
49:47I am a genuine revolutionary
49:49they are the genuine reactionaries
49:51we are going to change their world
49:53they will do anything to stop us
49:55they will use any tool
49:57there is no grotesquerie
49:59no distortion
50:00no dishonesty
50:01too great for them
50:03to come after us
50:04of course
50:06it all had a ruthless symmetry
50:08in December
50:09the House Ethics Committee
50:10the very body Gingrich used
50:12to take out Jim Wright
50:13reprimanded him
50:15for his book deal
50:16and appointed a special counsel
50:18to investigate the funding
50:19of the satellite history course
50:21and the Federal Election Commission
50:24sued Newt and GOPAC again
50:26charging illegal use of funds
50:28during Newt's 1990 campaign
50:30now we know why the speaker
50:32has been trying to keep
50:33all of this hidden
50:33according to evidence
50:36filed yesterday
50:37by the Federal Election Commission
50:39GOPAC is a personal
50:41multi-million dollar slush fund
50:42for Speaker Gingrich
50:43can you talk about
50:45the FEC filings
50:47sure
50:47they are false
50:49and they are malicious
50:49did GOPAC ever contribute
50:51to your 1990 campaign
50:52no it did not
50:53in any way
50:53and the FEC filings
50:54are false and malicious
50:56the unwelcome truth
50:57that Newt Gingrich
50:58is beginning to confront
50:59is the one that
51:00every revolutionary
51:01every warrior
51:02must ultimately face
51:0435 years ago
51:07sitting in the dark
51:09with Jimmy Tilton
51:10imagining his life to come
51:12did he notice
51:13how these stories
51:13always seem to end
51:15what happens to the warrior
51:17when the peace is won
51:18to the revolutionary
51:19who stormed the gate
51:21when he is finally inside
51:23you could stay
51:25you know
51:26they wouldn't be sorry
51:28to have you stay
51:29they won't be sorry
51:31to see us go either
51:32yes
51:32the fighting is over
51:34your work is done
51:36adios
51:39okay good to see you all
51:51Newt Gingrich
51:53and his allies
51:54certainly believe
51:55their war is just beginning
51:57and the revolution
51:58is far from over
51:59but the final word
52:03on that
52:03will come from
52:04America's voters
52:05this election year
52:07if we the republicans
52:11pick up 20 seats
52:12in the house
52:12next time
52:13then we've won
52:14the revolution
52:15and I would say
52:15we've got it for 20 years
52:16who can say longer
52:18than that
52:18if we lose 20 seats
52:20and lose control
52:21I think it's over
52:21you're not going to have
52:22another revolution
52:23like this
52:23they'll say
52:23we tried it
52:24it didn't work
52:25you know
52:25we're not going to have it again
52:26I can't tell you
52:27which way that's going to go
52:28what can be said
52:30for certain is
52:31that at this moment
52:32Newt Gingrich
52:33and the republican revolution
52:34are inseparably fused together
52:36he has been its strength
52:38and he is now
52:40its frailty
52:40inevitably
52:42America's judgment
52:44of the revolution
52:44will be decided
52:46by its judgment
52:47of him
52:48you either love him
52:50or you hate him
52:51and he's the kind of person
52:54that you can't ignore
52:55so you do
52:57you love
52:57or you hate him
52:58and he's going to be
52:59in your face
53:00at all times
53:01one way or the other
53:03to learn even more
53:18about Newt Gingrich
53:19visit Frontline
53:20on the World Wide Web
53:21at the PBS homepage
53:22at this address
53:23read what he's written
53:25read the transcripts
53:26of Frontline's interviews
53:27with Newt's friends
53:28family
53:29colleagues
53:30and critics
53:30study Newt's reading list
53:32and lots more
53:34and please give us
53:35your feedback
53:35find us on the internet
53:37at this address
53:38but you don't need
53:39a computer
53:40to interact with Frontline
53:41send us a fax
53:42at 617-254-0243
53:45or write a letter
53:47and mail it
53:48to this address
53:49our sincere apologies
53:51to the U.S. Postal Service
53:53and its employees
53:53for any offense
53:55taken last week
53:56by our use
53:56of the internet jargon
53:57snail mail
53:58and next time
54:03on Frontline
54:03Pablo Escobar
54:08the richest
54:10most violent
54:11criminal in history
54:12Escobar is
54:13probably the head
54:14of the largest
54:15criminal organization
54:16the world's ever known
54:17Escobar was
54:19to cocaine
54:20what Ford
54:21was to automobiles
54:22next time
54:24on Frontline
54:25the godfather
54:27of cocaine
54:27that's what he really
54:33wanted to be in life
54:34the curator
54:35that was his aim
54:37I tell him
54:39he has his own zoo now
54:40so
54:51I
54:58I
54:58I
55:00I
55:01I
55:02I
55:03I
55:04I
55:04I
55:05I
55:07I
55:09I
55:09I
55:09I
56:09For videocassette information about this program, please call this toll-free number, 1-800-328-PBS1.
56:19This is PBS.
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