Julian E. Zelizer on Newt Gingrich and the rise of the new Republican party

(7/21/20) Julian E. Zelizer’s latest book “Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party” is the story of how Congressman Newt Gingrich (Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999) and his allies tainted American politics, launching the enduring era of brutal partisan warfare that we are still currently experiencing. From the Contract with America to the rise of the Tea Party and the Trump presidential campaign, Gingrich’s fingerprints can be seen throughout the most divisive episodes in contemporary American politics. Join us for an examination of how we got here in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.