Juan Williams booed at Fox News debate for challenging Newt Gingrich on minorities, the poor

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Fox News correspondent Juan Williams drew sustained boos during Monday night’s Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, following a question to Newt Gingrich about his characterization of the nation’s poor.

Williams was targeting comments the former House speaker has repeatedly made, saying poor children lack role models for work, and calling President Barack Obama a “food stamp president”:

Williams asked:

Speaker Gingrich, the suggestion that you made was about a lack of work ethic and I’ve gotta tell you my email account and my Twitter account has been inundated by people of all races who are asking if your comment was not intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities … you saw some of this reaction during your visit to a black church in South Carolina by a woman who asked why you refer to Barack Obama as a “food stamp president.” it sounds like you’re trying to belittle people.

Gingrich took issue with the question — not unusual for him during debates — and responded to Williams’ question with a particularly sarcastic and personal opening, beginning with “now first of all, Juan…” he then went on to stand behind his comments, saying “more Americans have been placed on food stamps under President Obama than any previous president, and insisting that he’s going to “continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn someday to own the job.”

WATCH THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN JUAN WILLIAMS & NEWT GINGRICH HERE:

[youtubevid http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z0dXIpxK8XI]