5 Minutes with the Candidate Dubbed ‘Chief Media Basher’

[Guest]

Written on September 14, 2011 by Ann-Marie Murrell

I was recently invited to attend a special ‘invitations only’ event featuring former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. It was a pretty big deal because the following night Mr. Gingrich was scheduled to appear in Round 4 of the GOP Debates at the Reagan Library.

I was glad I got there early because the room was already filling up. After setting up my tripod and camera I looked around for liberal infiltrators. Only two stood out like sore thumbs—standing near the back, smirking, wearing liberal-type glasses. (I later found out my Liberal Radar was correct; someone confirmed that yes, they were smirk-y liberals.)

Just as I was settled in and ready to go, I saw the event’s coordinator, Tamara Colbert, frantically waving her arms at me. Tamara yelled, ‘Get over here NOW!’ and I realized I was going to be able to interview Speaker Gingrich!

I somehow managed to grab my tape recorder and tried not to kill myself (or anyone else) as I climbed over people and then sprinted—in 4” heels–towards the door.

I got outside to the VIP area and there he was—the former Speaker of the House, author, presidential candidate and friend of President Reagan: Newt Gingrich.

He was on his way to the podium and knew I only had a few minutes so I got as much as I possibly could. I even asked him interview questions for my upcoming book.

Near the end, I told him that the American public was literally desperate for honesty from politicians. I told him the reason I believed he had done so well in the previous debate was because it seemed as if he were sort of resigned and that he had left his ‘politician’s suit’ outside the door. I asked him to please do that again—to speak openly and honestly with us and treat us like adults. He said he’d ‘do his best’.

As I headed back to my seat I beat myself up profusely for not having gotten a picture with him. If by any chance he wins the presidency, that little tidbit will probably drive me insane.

Oh—and my video camera stopped working near the end, too…

The setting for the event was Town Hall-style, with local Tea Party activists and politicians reading statements and asking questions. Several local high school students asked him questions, too.

Much like the debates, Mr. Gingrich didn’t hold anything back when he spoke to us in Pasadena.