During Wednesday’s GOP debate in Simi Valley, Calif., former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s approach went beyond sniping at his competition: He sniped at the media covering the candidates. That seems to have disappointed “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace.
On Thursday’s “America’s Newsroom,” Wallace, Gingrich’s target in a previous debate, said that although Gingrich was aggressive and was applauded for his media criticism, it wasn’t very effective. (RELATED: Perry throws punches, Bachmann holds them)
“I’m not sure it did much,” Wallace said. “You know, he’s decided, and he decided it before he went after me in the Iowa debate and now after these moderators in this debate, that one of his things is he’s going to try to attack the media. He ended up with 385 votes in the Ames straw poll, so it didn’t seem to work there. You know — I find it, frankly, kind of sad. He was one of the most compelling figures in American politics, and he is still filled with ideas.”
“I’m not sure what he gets out of – I mean, this was a debate and he’s complaining about the fact that the moderators are trying to get the candidates to debate each other,” Wallace continued.
In defending Gingrich for refusing to attack his competitors with abandon, “America’s Newsroom” co-host Bill Hemmer brought up former President Ronald Reagan’s “Eleventh Commandment”: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Wallace, though, said Reagan violated that rule himself when it suited him.
“Ronald Reagan criticized other Republicans during — you know, not in a personal cutting way, but he certainly expressed differences over issues with Gerald Ford when he was running against him in 1976, and in 1980 when he was running against other candidates,” Wallace said. “I mean, what is this supposed to be? A kind of linking of arms and ‘Ring around the Rosie?’”