Gingrich confronted on race, agrees to meet with Sharpton

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Newt Gingrich was confronted by a black man outside Tommy's Country Ham House, who questioned him on his comments on having poor children work as janitors.

The man said what Gingrich was asking for amounted to a "new form of slavery" and would force young African Americans to drop out of school.

Gingrich engaged the man, speaking levelly and holding eye contact with him. He said that he suggested the jobs so that "They can get paid — they'd go to school, stay in school instead of dropping out."

The man persisted. "You say you want Afro-Americans to come into your political party but you've ratcheted [your rhetoric] up since you got down here," he said.

"What I've said is I'd like every young American of every ethnic background to have a job," Gingrich responded. "How does that ratchet it up?"

The man then said he'd spoken with Rev. Al Sharpton and asked Gingrich to meet with him, Roland Martin of CNN, Ben Jealous of the NAACP and Juan Williams.

"Sure — glad to do it," Gingrich said. "I'd be willing to do it. I know Al."

The protester kept pushing for the meeting as Gingrich talked, demanding that he meet with the black community. 

Gingrich nodded his head after the man interrupted him, and agreed. "Sure — and find a way to have everybody have a chance for a better future," he said.

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