Newt Gingrich Started Occupy Wall Street

As the Republican frontrunner, Newt Gingrich is contractually obligated to oppose Occupy Wall Street. But before he was scolding protesters for their poor hygiene and cashing in on the housing crisis, Newt was a member of the movement himself. In 2002…

"You had better be siding with the people enough that the people don't get so angry they take you apart, because in the end in this country, if you are deviant enough from the people, they will take you apart, and in the end, that's where the power ultimately lies."

That statement sounds like something that would come out of the mouth of an Occupy Wall Street protester. In fact, it was made by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Feb. 21, 2002… He also said he thinks corporations have too much power, which is another complaint frequently heard at the Occupy protests.

"I'm very happy to get corporations out of politics," he said… But Gingrich is now a strong supporter of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which opened the door to increased corporate power in elections.

Oops.

Here's another little-known fact: Not only was Newt one of the original Occupiers, he also started the first drum circle. Well, not drums, per se, or a circle. But most listeners would describe his speeches as an especially agonizing form of noise pollution.

It's an embarrassing revelation for the Newt, but one that's unlikely to derail his campaign. Voters don't mind a little flip-flop as long as they don't have to see him in one.

Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Imgaes News/Getty Images

Tags: Corporations, Economy, Newt Gingrich, Occupy Wall Street, Primaries, Protesters, Republicans, Wall Street

The Daily Show at Occupy Wall Street

Are some people actually surprised that the 99 Percent movement are kind of weird and annoying? Seems perfectly in line with 99 percent of my interactions.

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11/10c.

Tags: John Oliver, New York City, Occupy Wall Street, Protesters, The Daily Show, Video, Wall Street

From the Pork Barrel: Portrait of the Candidate as a Yuppie

* You'll have to excuse circa-'80s-era Mitt Romney. He has to return some videotapes.

* Rush Limbaugh says Romney is "not a conservative," which I suppose makes today Thursday. Man, the week is flying by.

* John McCain can save us "billions and billions of jobs," which would unfortunately put us in an even worse over-employment predicament. ("Anybody know anybody who's willing to pick up 3oo jobs?")

* Some Wall Street CEO met a homeless guy who was kind of a jerk. This is what's wrong with Obama's America!

Tags: John McCain, Mitt Romney, Pork Barrel, Primaries, Republicans, Senate, Unemployment, Wall Street

Herman Cain Won't Let Facts Keep Him From Being Hilarious

Herman Cain is practically our president already. Not only has he won the Florida straw poll and surged into the lead in several states, he's already written his memoir, titled This is Herman Cain!: My Journey to the White House.

The book concludes with President Cain's thoughts on his inauguration day (a sedate affair since "I [Herman Cain] have decided to sharply decrease the number of inaugural night balls. Instead, Mrs. Cain and I will host a series of celebratory occasions"), but with January 20, 2013 still many months away, will Cain focus on securing victory over his rivals in the Florida primary or promoting the product of his fevered imagination?

But the book tour, which started in Georgia and continues in Texas on Thursday and Virginia on Friday, comes at a strange time given Cain’s recent surge and serves as an awkward contrast to other presidential contenders.

Romney, for example, was in Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday holding a town hall with Republican voters at The Villages and spending time in Tallahassee meeting voters, legislators and Gov. Rick Scott.

"They don't know my schedule. They don't know my strategy," said Cain, 65. "The perception that we're not campaigning is ridiculous."

Supporters who crammed between Barnes & Noble's travel and Japanese comic sections hoping to meet Cain didn't seem to mind.

To be fair, Cain's strategy isn't limited to hawking his book and issuing snappy refrains ("Cain supporters don't defect…They’re not looking for the flavor of the week. They've found Haagen-Dazs"). He also has a message for the Occupy Wall Street protesters and the unemployed: let them eat cake crappy pizza…

"Don't blame Wall Street," Cain said. "Don't blame the big banks. If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."

The conservative radio talk show host described the protests as "planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration, though he admitted he didn't "have the facts to back this up."

I don't have the facts to back this up, but I think Cain is full of it. Research into inter-generational income mobility indicates parental income is highly correlated with economic outcomes for American children. And research into the Obama administration (read: looking at a newspaper) shows their relationship with Wall Street to be rather cozy. Okay, looks I do have some facts, but Herman Cain is still funnier.

Photo by Steve Pope/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Tags: Books, Florida, Herman Cain, Occupy Wall Street, Primaries, Republicans, Unemployment, Wall Street

The Daily Show on the Occupy Wall Street Demonstrations

So, Tony Bologna is the new face of the NYPD? It's always nice to see a child pop culture star blossom into a successful career in the real world. I wonder if he still keeps in touch with any of his old Garbage Pail Kid friends.

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11/10c.

Tags: Banks, Corporations, Jon Stewart, Michael Moore, New York City, Occupy Wall Street, Police, Protesters, The Daily Show, Video, Wall Street