The man persisted. “You say you want Afro-Americans to come into your political party but you’ve ratcheted [your rhetoric] up since you got down here,” he said.

“What I’ve said is I’d like every young American of every ethnic background to have a job,” Gingrich responded. “How does that ratchet it up?”

The man then said he’d spoken with Rev. Al Sharpton and asked Gingrich to meet with him, Roland Martin of CNN, Ben Jealous of the NAACP and Juan Williams.

“Sure — glad to do it,” Gingrich said. “I’d be willing to do it. I know Al.”