Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (Ga.) slammed the news media, academia and the Occupy Wall Street movement during the CNBC Republican presidential debate Wednesday for not understanding the history of the United States economy.
"What is amazing to me is the inability of much of our academic world, much of our news media and most of the people on Occupy Wall Street to have a clue about history," said Gingrich.
Gingrich cited Henry Ford and Steve Jobs as examples of business success stories in the United States.
"Historically this is the richest country in the world because corporations succeed in creating both profits and jobs. It's sad that the news media doesn't report accurately how the economy works," he added.
CNBC moderator Maria Bartiromo responded by asking, "What is the media reporting inaccurately about the economy?"
"I love humor disguised as a question. That's terrific. I have yet to hear a single reporter ask a single Occupy Wall Street person a single rational question about the economy that would lead them to say, for example — 'Who's going to pay for the park you're occupying if there are no businesses making a profit?' " Gingrich said.
Zuccotti Park, where the Occupy Wall Street protesters are living in New York City, is owned by the real estate company Brookfield Properties.
