Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich slammed current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, calling her actions “despicable.”
“I think [Mitch] McConnell, both in getting all the judges through and in getting the enormous aid package through, has been magnificent,” Gingrich told radio host Hugh Hewitt Thursday. “He’s extraordinary, one of the most important Senate leaders in American history.”
“I think Pelosi has become despicable. I think that her comment the other day comparing President Trump to Nero fiddling while Rome burned was just utterly, totally irresponsible, dishonest, and counter to what Americans need. Americans need to come together to defeat the virus,” he said.
Gingrich went on to add that “petty politicians” who “tear the country apart” isn’t what the public need right now.
“They don’t need to have petty politicians trying to tear the country apart, or for that matter, petty newsmen at these press conferences trying to tear the country apart,” the former Georgia congressman added. “We need to figure out how are we going to save American lives, beat the virus, and help the rest of the planet beat the virus, and Nancy Pelosi is an absolute negative figure dragging down the country.”
Gingrich referenced a comment from Pelosi earlier this week when she compared Trump to Roman Emperor Nero, who famously fiddled while his city burned.
“I don’t know what the scientists are saying to him. I don’t know what the scientists said to him, when did this president know about this, and what did he know? What did he know, and when did he know it?” Pelosi said to CNN’s Jake Tapper. “That’s for an after-action review. But as the president fiddles, people are dying.”
Pelosi took another shot at the administration on MSNBC Wednesday, when she claimed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell “can’t handle” his job after he suggested impeachment played a role in distracting the government from reacting quicker to coronavirus fears.
Speaker Pelosi brings the fire to Trump and Moscow Mitch for blaming their failed coronavirus response on impeachment: “That’s so sad. They can’t handle their jobs.” They should “blame it on the fact they didn’t want to face reality and that denial, and that delay, cost lives.” pic.twitter.com/L0l1EA4Bxb
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) April 2, 2020
Trump dismissed that conclusion during a recent press conference.
“I certainly devoted a little time to thinking about it,” Trump said.
“But certainly, I guess I thought of it. And I think I probably acted — I don’t think I would have done better had I not been impeached, OK? And I think that’s a great tribute to something. Maybe it’s a tribute to me. But I don’t think I would’ve acted any differently, or I don’t think I would’ve acted any faster.”
