Bob Schieffer: GOP Isn’t ‘Doing Very Much’ to ‘Appeal to Hispanics and African Americans’

On Sunday morning, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation to discuss a variety of topics including the ongoing controversy involving Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La.). 

During the conversation, moderator Bob Schieffer did his best to tie Scalise’s 2002 speech to the entire Republican brand. The CBS host suggested that "aren’t Republicans going to have to find some way to appeal to Hispanics and African Americans and what is that way because I think you would agree right now if you just look at it, it doesn't look like they're doing very much.”

The segment began with the CBS host detailing the timeline of events surrounding the Scalise saga to which Gingrich mockingly said “first of all I admire your professionalism. You got through that whole thing without breaking up.” After Schieffer insisted that “I don't think that this helps the Republican case in any way,” Gingrich exposed the hypocritical way in which liberals have pounced on Scalise: 

The president, who for years went to church whose pastor said stunningly hateful things about America. The president explained he didn't hear any of them. Okay? And we all gave him a pass. He gave a great speech in Philadelphia as a candidate, we said, okay, we got it. 

Now he went to that church a long time and listened to Reverend Wright a long time.You have other cases. You have Bob Byrd who was the Majority Leader who was a Klan leader.  You had Hugo Black, who was a justice, who was Klan leader, but they were Democrats so being in the Klan was okay.

After the former House Speaker argued that “for a 12-year-old speech to be blown up in to a national story I think is frankly one more example of a one-sided view of reality” Schieffer tried his best to inject 2016 politics into the discussion:

Let’s just talk about the politics side of it. Here you have -- you’re coming up on the 2016 race. Aren't Republicans going to have to find some way to appeal to Hispanics and African Americans and what is that way because I think you would agree right now if you just look at it, it doesn't look like they're doing very much. 

Gingrich concluded the segment by dismantling the CBS host’s argument that Scalise signals a larger problem for the GOP: 

I believe we can have very different election in '16. I don't think demography is destiny, I think leadership is. And the Republican Party, which is solving problems is going to do very well. 

See relevant transcript below. 

CBS’s Face the Nation 

January 4, 2014

BOB SCHIEFFER: Let me ask you about something going on here in Washington and this is this situation that's grown up around Congressman Steve Scalise, he’s part of Republican leadership in the House. It turns out that what is it 12 years ago he made a speech to a white supremacy group. Some Democrats are saying he ought to leave. Speaker Boehner says he's standing with him. I don't think that this helps the Republican case in any way. What about Congressman Scalise? Is this a serious thing? 

NEWT GINGRICH: First of all I admire your professionalism. You got through that whole thing without breaking up. The fact is, you know, the president, who for years went to church whose pastor said stunningly hateful things about America. The president explained he didn't hear any of them. Okay? And we all gave him a pass. He gave a great speech in Philadelphia as a candidate, we said, okay, we got it. Now he went to that church a long time and listened to Reverend Wright a long time. You have other cases. You have Bob Byrd who was the Majority Leader who was a Klan leader.  You had Hugo Black, who was a justice, who was Klan leader, but they were Democrats so being in the Klan was okay.

The fact is, the only African American member of the Louisiana delegation, a Democrat, says that Steve Scalise does not have a racist bone in his body. Mia Love, the brand new first Republican African American woman in Congress said he has been extraordinarily helpful to her. Scalise is a deeply committed Catholic who condemns hate organizations. And to the best of our knowledge gave a speech on taxes 12 years ago. Now for a 12-year-old speech to be blown up in to a national story I think is frankly one more example of a one-sided view of reality. 

SCHIEFFER: What does this do -- let's just talk about the politics side of it. Here you have -- you’re coming up on the 2016 race. Aren't Republicans going to have to find some way to appeal to Hispanics and African Americans and what is that way because I think you would agree right now if you just look at it, it doesn't look like they're doing very much. 

GINGRICH: Well, first of all if Steve Scalise is the whip, if he helps organize the kind of hearings that Congressman Cummings has called for. If we see action on real things that affect real lives. But nobody’s going to say, but didn't you 12 years ago stupidly schedule a group. Second, Kasich in Ohio got 26% of the African American vote and was endorsed by the biggest black newspaper. Deal in Georgia, Governor Deal, doubled his share of the African American vote. Driven in part by criminal justice reform.

Senator Cornyn carried the Latino vote in Texas, and the gubernatorial candidate got I think 44%. In Colorado, the Republican candidate tied Democratic incumbent 48-48 with Latinos. I believe we can have very different election in '16. I don't think demography is destiny, I think leadership is. And the Republican Party, which is solving problems is going to do very well. 

SCHIEFFER: Newt Gingrich always good to have you.