Gingrich interrupted by gay rights protestors

By: Rebecca Kaplan
Topics: Campaign 2012

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Newt Gingrich's final event of the day on Monday was interrupted by two protestors who stood up and accused the former House speaker of discriminating against gays and lesbians.

"Hey Newt, why do you support discrimination against gays and lesbians all the time? Serial hypocrisy!" a young man yelled at Gingrich, interrupting his 40-minute speech. After he was pushed out of the room by what appeared to be a supporter, a second young man took up the charge in the back of the room, chanting, "No hate in our state, why do you discriminate?"

As the crowd began chanting Gingrich's name, a woman approached the second protestor and grabbed his wrists. Before a fight could break out, police escorted him from the room.

Gingrich was unruffled by the disruptions, saying he presumed most of the crowd supported him. "My guess is it's 407 to three," he said.

Special Section: Campaign 2012

The rest of his speech battered around President Obama's policies though Gingrich also spent a few minutes defending his proposals to put a colony on the moon, an idea that prompted a mocking skit from Saturday Night Live over the weekend.

He also expanded on comments from earlier in the day that compared Egypt's planned trial of 19 Americans to the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis and likened Obama to Jimmy Carter, whose candidacy for reelection was derailed by the crisis.

Gingrich likened himself to Ronald Reagan and suggested that the Egyptians would fear him as the Iranians feared Reagan, prompting them to release the Americans.

"If I were president, the message to the Egyptian government this evening would be quiet, firm, unequivocal and I suspect by sometime tomorrow morning all the hostages would be on an airplane coming back home," he said, referring to the Americans who are being banned from leaving the country but not yet arrested by the government, according to recent reports.

Rebecca Kaplan
Rebecca Kaplan covers the 2012 presidential campaign for CBS News and National Journal.
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by ddal10 February 7, 2012 6:26 PM EST: Newt wants Brad Pitt to play him in some future imaginary movie...; Reply to this comment


by ddal10 February 7, 2012 6:25 PM EST: I wonder when Newt and Calista are coming out.; Reply to this comment


by PourpaixPourpaix February 7, 2012 6:18 PM EST: Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee! Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee!
Newt thinks he's Ronald Reagan, and I think I'm Napolean! Who's more wrong?
Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee! Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee!
"I think Newt's more wrong, Pa!"
Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee! Heeeeee-heeee-heeeeeee!; Reply to this comment


by hillbillyvol February 7, 2012 5:23 PM EST: Any interruption of Gingrich by any group is welcome in my honest opinion. Mothers for a return to Romper Room would be OK.; Reply to this comment

by Molly-Pchr February 7, 2012 3:28 PM EST

Oh, "homophobic" is such a manipulative word. I'm not afraid of a single gay or lesbian person I know. Look, many people believe homosexuality to be a sin, same as divorce, remarriage, pre-marital sex, etc., ad nauseam. It is THEIR religious RIGHT. So to the gay and lesbian community, look, some people aren't going to think it's right, so be it. Get over it. To the "religious" objectors, you also need to get over it...not everyone shares your religious beliefs. Share your faith, move on, get over it. Not everyone is going to share your beliefs. Jesus told you that 2,000 years ago...not even in a lot of Protestant churches, my Christian friends. So, believers, "render to Caesar", and get on with what you should "render to God". Let us look after the specks in our eyes...

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by PourpaixPourpaix February 7, 2012 6:23 PM EST: Nice to see someone who also feels everyone might be right. For all we know, and assuming God exists, maybe He needs some to strictly adhere to His laws, and He needs some who don't, for whatever reason. If people don't hurt anyone but themselves in doing so, it ain't up to us to judge.


by shockerpsl February 7, 2012 3:07 PM EST: I think you generally have a very poor judge of character if you like this low-life windbag....duh!!!!; Reply to this comment


by jade84116 February 7, 2012 2:08 PM EST: Speaker Gingrich's "407 to three" comment was right on. Labeling opponents of LGBT intolerant bigots is character assassination and an assault on the whole concept of civil discourse!; Reply to this comment


by akwriter February 7, 2012 1:20 PM EST: The protest proves that a lot of der Newter's supporters are homophobic.; Reply to this comment


by IATSH February 7, 2012 10:56 AM EST: It was that the Iranians wanted to embarrass Carter not that they were scared of Regan. For a man so smart he sure makes a lot of dumb mistakes with history.; Reply to this comment