One of the best highlights of CNN’s Republican debate in Charleston, S.C., happened in the first five minutes, when former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich went at it with moderator John King.
King asked Gingrich about his ex-wife’s accusations that he wanted an open marriage – and Newt got into it.
STORY: Air ‘Em Out! Newt Gingrich’s Ex-Wife Puts Him On Blast: “He Shouldn’t Be President”
Gingrich’s second ex-wife Marianne Gingrich explained in an exclusive interview with ABC News that Newt wanted an “open marriage” arrangement so he could have a mistress and a wife.
Outraged at such a question to open up a debate, Gingrich put CNN and King on blast saying:
“I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.”
The audience gave Gingrich a standing ovation.
Despite the back and forth between King and Gingrich, after the debate he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he thought King did a “great job.”
“I thought it was a terrific debate for all of us. The audience was appreciative. I thought John did a great job. It was direct, it was tough. You could see the differences. I personally felt pretty good about it. I wanted to keep it at a pretty big level, stay on big themes and really talk about what America needs to do.”
As for King, he spoke on a CNN panel, saying he had a friendly conversation with Gingrich following the tift. He called it a “damned if do you, damned if you don’t” situation.
Do you think King should have asked about Gingrich’s personal life?
