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Juan Williams on Gingrich debate confrontation

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    Commentator shares his side of the story on the infamous debate shakeup with Newt Gingrich over his 'janitor' comments

  • Duration 5:38
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-- excited that I Juan Williams a controversial guy again and you may remember a Monday night ES Newt Gingrich about Gingrich's comments regarding poor people.

Speaker -- -- recently fed black Americans should demand jobs.

Not food stamps.

You also say poor kids like 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.

I don't see.

Our latest mr.

controversy -- so he he didn't see it because he says.

That is true.

That in a lot of the inner city situations a lot of the poor rundown schools there's not a strong work ethic and his proposal is.

To allow children.

To earn money while they're in school by doing tasks around the school.

Do you think he's off on that he's wrong.

I mean if he wants to have an honest debate if he wants to discuss it.

Then let's look at the reality when you see that jobs are offered to young people in this country you have lines around the block well but when he wants more jobs to be offered time I want everybody and he didn't -- that bill what he said was -- -- -- we work ethic he was suggesting somehow that these kids don't want.

To work a way to I don't know I vote and I'm gonna speak -- Gingrich and my job is to stick up for him but from what I understood -- was that his proposal was.

To funded jobs -- in the school.

Right within the school public schools.

For kids to clean the schools up help the -- services are camping is pretty explicit about that I don't think so I think that's a great idea I think if -- -- -- nobody wants to find jobs he didn't say I propose funding job.

-- -- The -- -- that's exactly what he said.

In New York City janitors paid too much misery in the union's right we get twelve kids get the same amount of money that one guy gets correct doing stuff -- school come out how moron are now so what I.

Thanks so if you think then fire the -- have the kids do and that's how he plans that but he didn't say.

I want to find jobs great -- that what he said was poor kids lack.

A good work ethic okay.

But he didn't say it was the -- useful.

He said they don't see it and -- a lot of circumstances.

That hole is a welfare Iraq when asked what single mothers situation -- -- they don't roll up all under that umbrella.

And that the schools systems got to Begin teaching the value of war that's his point.

That's not a bad point if that's the point that's what he wants this they I think he will get agreement but you know what.

He'll get agreement from every corner he is essentially preaching to acquire I think that his intent -- and vice.

In asking the question are you trying to belittle somebody -- really think that he wanted to belittle African American well look he's listen I didn't even -- the topic I simply asked him about his statement you know what you're -- you're -- analysts do you think Newt Gingrich wanted to -- African American children I think that he wanted to play racial politics at that moment I think when he says that he he was president and he was.

Speaking to the NAACP he'd say to them.

Instead of demanding food stamps the main job okay what they think -- any other -- out -- bill for -- black people or -- -- I would bet that's an.

Taylor the -- images would you think so you think that he was pandering.

To a certain voter in South Carolina by this kind of -- without a doubt it I think that what he did and who noticed the response from the audience.

Even he Ethel and I can't welfare entitlement lateral -- guys wanna -- I got to respond dollar Darnell he got their response by saying no he does not care if it was viewed as insensitive and belittling.

That he is states dating has visited but he's saying it wasn't that.

He you know that he can say less than I did it and why not -- but he could -- -- I didn't intend that I'm speaking here about XYZ and I understand that we've been in a recession I understand.

That food stamps went up radically under President Bush has gone up under a -- -- -- talking about Obama -- let cooler they'll present you made your point he made his point.

Now you you know this guy Chris Matthews is you know I'm sure you -- -- he said that the way he called you want.

They Gingrich quoted in the long run yeah okay this was it was kind of race.

-- -- -- -- that -- and -- remember I'm facing -- embracing the candidate when I'm up here on the panel and so I heard behind me the minute he -- Juan and the that's why it was exasperated -- or what that the way it played in the in the -- you aren't getting you one don't think that others edit the minute I heard behind me that -- hooting and hollering that I understood the weighted plate to the audience that he had to play to them with what it is strange character that's -- -- pretty large trade and thank you my friend you.

What happened yet but you let the truth and you -- -- have a company tried to -- -- -- -- why not that different.

Totally different totally different now and totally different in that setting where you know he was do you think he wanted to -- you know I think you know I didn't I would think he went despair that audience in that moment and he succeeded.

The law and the exactly.

I don't think it was a racist comment at all like I just that he was giving you look at -- are you got rejected they got that long without you I'm not I don't know racist and I can't get inside that but I tell you that it had the intended impact that I could -- political -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- like that question right -- yeah.

Yeah I guess me asking about voter ID in South Carolina that's all I mean.

There are wildly different law and directly ahead blend that.