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In an Exclusive Interview on WCNY’s ‘Balancing Act with John Katko,’ Former Speaker Newt Gingrich Says a Dictator Can’t Run America
by
November 1, 2024
In an appearance on “Balancing Act with John Katko,” former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich said that the United States is too complicated to be run by a dictator.
“The Founding Fathers designed a machine so inefficient that no dictator could make it work. It’s a brilliant design. The Senate is elected for six years, the House for two years, the President for four years. The Supreme Court is off to one side. It is very, very hard to make it work. And that is how it was designed.”
In a wide-ranging conversation, Gingrich reflected on the 30th anniversary of the Contract with America, an agenda advocated by the Republican Party during the 1994 congressional election campaign.
The contract is credited with helping to flip the House and Senate to Republican control in 1994, and for catalyzing a realignment in U.S. politics that remains relevant on the eve of the 2024 presidential election. Gingrich addressed both those views on “Balancing Act,” answering questions from the host, former Congressman John Katko, on a show aimed at finding common ground on challenging issues.
“The biggest accomplishment of the Contract with America was the fact that this was the only time in 100 years that we had four consecutive balanced budgets. It was a huge achievement, enormous change, and an example of a team working together to achieve a large goal,” Gingrich said.
“I constantly maneuvered Clinton on issues where if he wanted to get reelected, he had to go along with us. We spent 35 days together negotiating the balanced budget.
“I had a very simple model. One side of the box was what the President had to have, and the other side was what he couldn’t give up. One side of the box was what I had to have and the other was what I couldn’t give up. Now, in between those four sides, you could find a deal. And so, we had to talk for a while to figure what the sides of the box were, and we could come to an agreement.”
In terms of moving the country forward, Gingrich said, “My advice to the next President is you have to listen. You can’t have popular sentiment if you don’t pay attention to popular sentiment. That requires listening to the American people.”
The episode will air this Friday, Nov. 1 at 8:30 p.m. on WCNY-TV and will be livestreamed at pbs.org/livestream. After airing, it will also be available on-demand at video.wcny.org/show/balancing-act-with-john-katko.
An extended version of the interview with former Speaker Gingrich will also be available online at video.wcny.org/show/balancing-act-with-john-katko following the show.
For viewing information, visit wcny.org/wheretowatch.
For media inquiries or further information for a featured article, please reach out to Lauren Easton at lauren.easton@wcny.org or call 585-797-4314.
About WCNY
WCNY was founded in 1965 as The Educational Television Council of Central New York. Today, it is a public communications organization that produces content across multiple platforms, including television and radio, dynamic web and targeted email content, the WCNY CONNECT magazine, and social media. Through its media platforms, in-person and virtual events, WCNY brings local coverage and educational services to Central New Yorkers. WCNY operates four digital, pledge-free broadcast channels and three radio stations. Classic FM is one of the few radio stations in the world dedicated to locally programmed classical music, and Pulso Central is Central New York’s first Spanish-language radio station.
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