It took me so damn long to get through this video. My tolerance for pseudo-academic bullpucky is fairly low, so it was easier to stop the video rather than risk throwing my laptop in frustration.

The Fox and Friends crotch couch needed to ask someone their opinion on Donald Trump's desperate attempt to distract from his juvenile and dangerous taunting of Kim Jong-Un, the news that Paul Manafort will be indicted imminently, and that Mueller is now seeking phone records from Air Force One. Of course, they didn't put it that way, but we've seen what happens when rats get cornered: they lash out wildly to try to escape.

And who better to understand the behavior of rats than the disgraced ex-Speaker Newt Gingrich, himself of questionable moral rectitude and obligatory Fox News contributor status?

Gingrich is currently trying to capitalize on the gullibility of MAGA hat wearers by offering the definitive book on "Understanding Trump" (Surprisingly, it doesn't include a single quote from this book) , so naturally, he has a beef with anyone else encroaching on his territory:

Playing the National Anthem goes back 155 years. In 1862, during the Civil War in inaugurating the first baseball park, the first one, in Brooklyn, they played the National Anthem. We’ve been playing it ever since at all sorts of sporting events. And it was a unifying theme. It brought us together as Americans. Whatever our disagreements, Republicans and Democrats, we all come together to love America. To respect America.

Um, Professor Newt? You have ZERO grasp of history. First, you told us that the first time the National Anthem was played during the Civil War. That was a unifying time? It reminded us to "respect America" as part of the country was seceding from the nation in bloody battles for the right to own African Americans as slaves? What are you smoking? Let me also remind everyone of that oh-so-unifying verse of the National Anthem (not used nowadays, but trust me, African Americans know it's part of it):

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

That's straight up the promise to round up escaping slaves and bring them to justice or death. And that's supposed to bring us together as Americans?

And beyond that, the national anthem really didn't become a regular feature until the '60's, so #fakenews, Newt. You lied. Again.

But wait, there's more. It's just such a nonsensical word salad of white privilege, I'm going to have to parse it bit by bit...

I think for most of us, watching people who…young guys who are multi-millionaires, explain that the country hasn’t been good to them.

This is a talking point I hear over and over: You have money, so how dare you feel upset? Because wealthy African Americans are never subjected to racism, right? Like that birtherism you loved to dabble in during Barack Obama's presidency? And it's hard for a conservative to wrap their brains around this, but maybe these athletes are speaking on behalf of their entire community, not just their own self-interest. We already know Newt does nothing without personal benefit.

Watching them refuse to honor the symbol of those who died so that they could be free is very, very frustrating.

Melodramatic much? They're not refusing to honor a symbol. They kneeled down during a song that glorifies a battle. And that freedom they died for? That included entrenched American values like the First Amendment. How bad do you have to hate America to deny anyone their right to Free Speech?

Watching the NFL leadership, which can worry about things like how many people are demonstrating after a touchdown but they cannot worry about whether you should respect the United States of America?

Wait, what? Respecting America doesn't mean being blinded to its faults. Truly respecting the country is to want it to be better. Of course, Newt's version of respect just means leaving you for a younger model when you need too much support.

I understand why the president did this.

Sure, see above: Kim Jong-Un, Manafort, Mueller. It's not hard to figure out.

You can argue about his particular tactics, but I suspect there are millions of Americans who look at these very arrogant young millionaires—let’s be clear, that’s what they are—they are arrogant young millionaires, who think that they should now basically inflict their politics in what has been historically a non-political moment.

Ah...the truth comes out. Newt has literally created a cottage industry of inflicting his politics on an unsuspecting nation. He doesn't want the competition.

And Newt? That historically non-political moment?

Tell that to Jackie Robinson

Or Muhammad Ali

Or Jesse Owens

Or better yet, shut up about things you can't possibly understand.

Isn't that your advice to these "arrogant young millionaires"? Heal thyself, you shameless grifter.

UPDATE (Frances Langum): Let's not forget this part of the interview -- what a gem: