Gingrich Slams CBS for "Betrayal of Professional Ethics"

House Speaker Newt Gingrich called out CBS News on Wednesday for what he termed a "betrayal of professional ethics" after reporter Connie Chung allegedly coerced his mother into revealing a private comment about First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The comment, which was recorded during an eight-hour interview at the Gingrich family home in Pennsylvania, was made during a discussion about the Clinton administration. Gingrich's mother, Kathleen, is heard telling Chung that her son referred to Hillary Clinton as "a bitch" during a private conversation. The speaker's challenge to CBS comes as his mother is unaware of the controversy surrounding the interview, which will air on "Eye to Eye with Connie Chung" on Thursday.

Key Takeaways:

• Newt Gingrich calls CBS News' Connie Chung's behavior "a betrayal of professional ethics" after she allegedly coerced his mother into revealing a private comment about Hillary Rodham Clinton.
• The private comment, made during an eight-hour interview, was recorded by CBS News and is set to air on "Eye to Eye with Connie Chung" on Thursday.
• Gingrich's mother, Kathleen, is heard telling Chung that her son referred to Hillary Clinton as "a bitch" during a private conversation.
• CBS News does not plan to withhold the comments, despite Gingrich's request to not air the segment.
• House Speaker Gingrich has challenged CBS News to not air the segment and for Connie Chung to personally apologize to Mrs. Clinton.
• Gingrich believes that Chung's behavior was unprofessional, citing the fact that she spent eight hours at the Gingrich family home and became a family friend before asking his mother for the private comment.
• CBS News has released a statement defending their decision to air the comments, citing that withholding them would not have been appropriate.

Statistics:

• 8 hours: The length of time CBS News reporter Connie Chung spent at the Gingrich family home, during which she recorded an interview with the speaker's mother and father.
• 2 hours: The length of time the interview was uninterupted in front of three CBS News cameras.
• 1: The first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, laughed off the remarks made by Gingrich's mother, saying she was not a fan of gossip.
• 1: The House Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt, refused to comment on the Gingrich family interview.

Sources:

• "Eye to Eye with Connie Chung", CBS News
• "WGST Radio in Atlanta", WGST Radio
• Written by Bryan Sierra in Washington, with reporting by Steve Glasser in Atlanta and William Reilly in New York