Newt backtracks on 'racist' remark

Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 10:16 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Courts, Republicans, Pete Williams

From NBC's Pete Williams

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now says he should not have used the word "racist" to describe Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Writing in the conservative "Human Events," he said, "The word 'racist' should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable (a fact which both President Obama and his Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, have since admitted)."

"My initial reaction was strong and direct -- perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then, some who want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor's fitness to serve on the nation's highest court have been critical of my word choice. With these critics who want to have an honest conversation, I agree," Gingrich added.

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Comments

Newt? Isn't that a reptile of some kind? WHY does the media continue to report the racist, hateful, misogynistic comments of dunderheads like Gingrich, O'Reilly, Malkin, Coulter, Hannity, Beck et al? Folks, we're already playing catch up with the rest of the world and we don't need antiquated right wing ideology dragging us any further down. Truly, the GOP is the GM of the American body politic.

Steve Bonser, Santa Barbara, CA (Sent Wednesday, June 03, 2009 12:36 PM)

Personally, I think the guy that nominated her based almost solely on her ethnicity and gender should apologize for being a rascist.

peterg (Sent Wednesday, June 03, 2009 12:46 PM)

If Judge Sotomayor is not racist, which she isn't, (even though she chose words poorly that put her in an awkward position), then why is it so important to specify as a qualification her status as a Latina?

I believe that Trent Lott also chose words poorly. Then there is Robert Byrd (and I'm not talking about back in his KKK days).

Jackson, Seattle:

Being the smartest Democrat is knowing what a Uwe Boll movie is.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Wednesday, June 03, 2009 1:33 PM)

I am a little "leery" about this backtracking. Also heard today that Limbaugh also softened his rhetoric about the Judge. I smell something in the air and it isn't "Roses".

Coolbreeze Hussein, Ardmore, Okla. (Sent Wednesday, June 03, 2009 1:53 PM)

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