Gingrich ad spotlights debate standing ovation

Newt Gingrich has released a new ad that spotlights a moment from last night's GOP presidential debate that earned him a standing ovation.

The spot, which Gingrich's campaign says will start running in South Carolina this evening, shows comments made by Gingrich during a contentious exchange with moderator Juan Williams, who asked in part: "Speaker Gingrich, you recently said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. You also said poor kids lack a strong work ethic and proposed having them work as janitors in their schools. Can't you see that this is viewed, at a minimum, as insulting to all Americans, but particularly to black Americans?"

The ad opens with a narrator claiming that only Gingrich can beat President Obama in the general election, following up that claim with a clip of Gingrich saying, "More people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any President in history."

That claim is at least somewhat misleading: While the number of people on food stamps is indeed at a record level, that's in part because of eligibility rules being relaxed under the administration of George W. Bush. It's also due in part to the economic downturn that began under Mr. Bush. (Politfact has rated Gingrich's claim "half true.") The percent increase in food stamp beneficieries under Mr. Bush was higher than it has been under Mr. Obama, despite the fact that there was not a recession for most of Mr. Bush's presidency.

The new Gingrich spot then goes on to show Gingrich saying, to enthusiastic applause, "I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness and if that makes liberals unhappy I'm going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn some day to own the job."

Williams said in his exchange with Gingrich that some Americans believe that Gingrich's suggestion that black Americans should demand jobs over food stamps is an effort "to belittle the poor and racial minorities." He did not suggest to the former House speaker that the notion that Americans have the God-given right to pursue happiness is something that "makes liberals unhappy."