Newt's Southern Brand

Well, Gingrich might as well have had the South tattooed on his face. The emblem is the Tea Party of South Carolina logo. Newt addressed the group Monday night.  At last night’s debate, Gingrich reiterated his belief that poor kids should work as janitors in response to Juan Williams’ question asking him if he understood that African-American’s felt such employment would be aimed at them….

Of course, Newt’s not going much further, everyone knows that. What’s scarier, though, is the photo above. For his response, Newt received a standing ovation.

(I should add, the scale of the people in this shot by Luke Sharrett for the NYT doesn’t seem accidental.)

— Karen Hull

NYT debate slideshow

(photo 1: Steve Jessmore, The Sun News/AP Photo/The Sun News; caption: Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich walks past the projected Tea Party of South Carolina logo as he arrives to speak at the South Carolina Tea Party Convention on Monday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; photo 2: Luke Sharrett/The New York Times; caption: The audience gave Mr. Gingrich a standing ovation after he challenged a debate moderator, Juan Williams.)