Newt Gingrich tells protesters to occupy their bathtubs. (Photo: CitizenLink.com)
Newt Gingrich wants the Occupy Wall Street protesters to clean up their act–literally. During last night’s Republican debate, Mr. Gingrich had harsh words for the movement. “Go get a job right after you take a bath,” Mr. Gingrich said.
Tonight’s Thanksgiving Family Forum debate was hosted by a pair of organizations affiliated with the right wing evangelical Christian group Focus on the Family. In front of this conservative crowd, Mr. Gingrich didn’t hold back his contempt for the Occupy Wall Street protests underway around the country:
“All of the Occupy movements start with the premise that we all owe them everything. They take over a public park they didn’t pay for, to go nearby to use bathrooms they didn’t pay for, to beg for food from places they don’t want to pay for, to obstruct those who are going to work to pay the taxes to sustain the bathrooms and to sustain the park, so that they can self righteously explain that they are the paragons of virtue to which we owe everything,” Mr. Gingrich said. “Now, that is a pretty good symptom of how much the left has collapsed as a moral system in this country and why you need to reassert something as simple as saying to them, ‘Go get a job right after you take a bath.’”
In addition to being dirty and lazy, Mr. Gingrich thinks the Occupy Wall Street protesters are angry and misguided. Though he claims to “share their frustration” at the government and financial industry, Mr. Gingrich has previously described the protesters as “a strain of hostile people” who advocate “mostly absurd” solutions.
Follow Hunter Walker on Twitter or via RSS. hwalker@observer.com
For every 5 job seekers, there is 1 job opening. So how does taking a bath help ?
The clean one gets hired?
First one to drink my diabetic blood get’s a job.
JUst incase anyone thought Newt was anything but a shill for corporate greed this should answer the question.
What an elitist thing to say. He is so out of touch with what the majority of Americans are going through that there is not any way to reach him.
If you belong to the public, you have paid for the public parks.
If you don’t pay taxes,, you haven’t paid for a dam thing
Another member of Generation Greed telling the younger generations whose backs he is riding on it’s all their fault. Hey Newt, how about eliminating Congressional pensions and retiree health care? It’s pretty clear those who have occupied those offices for the past 30 years have failed.
The demonization of OWS is telling. Free love and drugs? No Newt, that was your generation.
Another member of Generation Greed telling the younger generations whose backs he is riding on it’s all their fault. Hey Newt, how about eliminating Congressional pensions and retiree health care? It’s pretty clear those who have occupied those offices for the past 30 years have failed.
The demonization of OWS is telling. Free love and drugs? No Newt, that was your generation.
The best politician money can buy, these days.
Hey, Newt: I applied for a job at Freddie Mac for $1.8 million as a consultant, but it was already filled. By you.
Complaining about the supposed moral collapse of this country, while cheating on your wife and suckling at the public teat for years. What a hypocrite!
i too am conservative bob but i have to agree with you. unlike the left i dont blindly follow. i am not a hypocrite
i too am conservative bob but i have to agree with you. unlike the left i dont blindly follow. i am not a hypocrite
Hey, Newt: I applied for a job at Freddie Mac for $1.8 million as a consultant, but it was already filled. By you.
Complaining about the supposed moral collapse of this country, while cheating on your wife and suckling at the public teat for years. What a hypocrite!
You would think that an historian would recognize the beauty of people exercising their right to assemble in public places. But then historian/lobbyist Newt only has opinions which people pay him to hold. So… when do we see the financial disclosure on this one? I believe that when Thomas Paine wrote on December 23rd of 1776 about the sunshine patriot, had he seen Newt at work these past years he might have called him a commerce patriot, one who’s allegiance is for hire. Paine might lump a gas bag like Newt with those detested Hessians of our revolutionary war. Maybe Newt should try getting a real job and not living off the coffers of those who would purchase influence. As to the bath… I’m not sure there is sufficient hot water to cleanse the soul of that man.
This guy makes people sick…he makes money by cheating..write books about american history, while he leaves out all is back door dealing with Fed Mac.. well I take a bath everyday sometimes two times a day …and yet I still do not have the job he claims I should, not even that is true. Anyone who still thinks this is president materials …this is a mick check….
What class or cast of people does Mr GingRich think are protesting?
Did he just make a generalization of all protesters of all walks of life?
I work, I bathe, & now I am joining The O W S movement; directly as a result of Mr G’s out of touch with America statements!
its about time somebody calls it as it is. He now has my vote!
HOW VERY PRESIDENTIAL….NOT.