Blogs Mar 20, 2012 at 10:35 am

Newt Gingrich Demands President Obama Apologize for Robert De Niro's Bad Joke

Paul Constant
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Comments

1
Remember kids, it doesn't matter how insignificant you are. If you can tell the president what he should do then you're as important as he is.

The White House press secretary should have some fun with this to discourage future incidents. If it gets brought up.

Put up a picture of Obama and a picture of De Niro and a picture of Gingrich.
De Niro (point to picture) says X to a group.
Someone reports on what De Niro said.
Gingrich (point to picture) hears/reads report.
Gingrich (point to picture) mistakes Obama (point to picture) for De Niro (point to picture).
Does anyone else have trouble telling Obama (point to picture) from De Niro (point to picture)? Anyone? Bueller?
fairly.unbalanced on March 20, 2012 at 11:01 AM Report this
2
@1 lol, thank you for that.
OuterCow on March 20, 2012 at 11:07 AM Report this
3
Eventually, I think this election will force Obama to step up with another teachable moment around race, but this is not yet it. If anything they should reach out behind the scenes and have De Niro address Gingrich directly. I don't think it matters if De Niro genuinely apologizes, offers an explanation or excuse in standard apology form, or only acknowledges Gingrich's perfectly understandable butt-hurt given the long history of white oppression in this country that is the basis for the joke; as long as De Niro falls short of some variation of "Shut the hell up, Cracker!", the White House and Obama should then answer any queries with a statement that it was addressed by those involved. If it lingers, he can pick it up in the speech when the egregious shit happens.
on March 20, 2012 at 11:11 AM Report this
4
When I think about the concept of a person being "presidential", and then I think about the choices available . . . I think we are very lucky to have Barack Obama in office, and I hope like hell we see him there four years from now.
Looking For a Better Read on March 20, 2012 at 11:12 AM Report this
5
The GOP's current policy is "Be as racist as you like, just never mention race out loud. If race gets brought up, call the other person a racist for bringing up race."
dwightmoodyforgetsthings on March 20, 2012 at 11:23 AM Report this
6
@5: That's pretty much the republican approach to projectile politics. You could substitute so many other terms for race in your statement.

"Be as sexist as you like, just never mention sexism..."

"Be as classist as you like, just never mention class..."

LMcGuff on March 20, 2012 at 11:33 AM Report this
7
Newt seizes any opportunity for righteous anger he can get. He's the kind of tough guy who shows he's tough by constantly getting red-faced, stamping his feet, and shouting "It's not fair!"
Proteus on March 20, 2012 at 11:55 AM Report this
8
So he took that seriously. Huh.
keshmeshi on March 20, 2012 at 11:59 AM Report this
9
How is this a dumb joke? It's a good joke. I laughed - albeit on the inside.
ryanayr on March 20, 2012 at 12:10 PM Report this
10

All I want is for Newt to hit a home run.

http://www.oldmovies.net.au/userimages/u…

Supreme Ruler Of The Universe on March 20, 2012 at 12:26 PM Report this
11
My 11-year self is confused and saddened he'd somehow missed that Bananarama video.
Dougsf on March 20, 2012 at 12:36 PM Report this
12
I completely forgot about that Bananarama song! Good stuff.
mitten on March 20, 2012 at 12:55 PM Report this
13
How could this even remotely be classified as a "gaffe"?
DOUG. on March 20, 2012 at 1:25 PM Report this
14
Did you know Nicolas Cage is actually named Nicolas Coppola?

Bananarama ftw!
Will in Seattle on March 20, 2012 at 1:30 PM Report this
15
Ehhh...so we've got De Niro and Cher and Whoopi and Alec Baldwin who occasionally make their "gaffes". Let's see who the teabaggers have. Oh, Ted Nugent and Victoria Jackson.
Vadt on March 20, 2012 at 1:42 PM Report this
16
I'm sure Newt is ready for a new first lady--how long's he been with his current wife? Surely there's a younger model waiting in the wings.
tiktok on March 20, 2012 at 2:17 PM Report this
17
@16 for second wife followup win. Or is that fourth? Running out of fingers.
Will in Seattle on March 20, 2012 at 2:30 PM Report this
18
What are you talking about, Paul?

This isn't a "gaffe". This isn't even a "bad joke". It's just a joke.
seandr on March 20, 2012 at 2:34 PM Report this
19
I thought it was pretty funny... ?
JenV on March 20, 2012 at 2:47 PM Report this
20
Also, I thought It was pretty clearly a joke *about* racism, not about putting down the GOP candidate's wives. If Gingrich actually got the joke (though I suppose for that he'd need a sense of humor) he wouldn't be all butthurt about it.
JenV on March 20, 2012 at 2:51 PM Report this
21
I like that one episode of SNL where Deniro portrays a defense secretary giving a briefing on terrorists with unfortunately scatological names like Apu Pibat and Rani Diyah Riyah (and his brother, Wadri). Apparently dirty business runs in their genes.
ChadK on March 20, 2012 at 6:10 PM Report this
22
I think it's a great joke - blaming the women's race rather than their husbands' ineptitude for not making it to firstladydom. That, combined with the stark, near-albino whiteness of Callista. Nancy Reagan looked like a migrant worker by comparison.
Free Lunch on March 20, 2012 at 6:26 PM Report this
23
I fail to see what's offensive.

Why don't you guys pull your collective head from your collective ass and smell the fresh air?
Central Scrutinizer on March 21, 2012 at 12:04 AM Report this
24
wait newt.. i thought that everybody everywhere knew that de niro loves him some chooclate. you really should read your memos
reverend dr dj riz on March 21, 2012 at 10:42 AM Report this

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