The Fall of Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is unquestionably one of the most fascinating political figures on the national stage today. His rise was meteoric -- in 1994, he went from fiery back-bencher to become the first Republican Speaker of the House in 40 years. Then, in an historic first 100 days, he pushed through the House most of the GOP's promised agenda. Since then, his troubles have been equally dramatic -- from being blamed for the government shutdown to an unprecedented attempted coup against him by fellow Republicans. All of this culminates with his stunning resignation on November 6, 1998 after a mediocre election for Republicans. The human drama of what has been unfolding in Washington over the past year is portrayed vividly in this historic documentary. As revealing as this documentary is by illuminating the office of speaker, it will also educate the viewer.

Although the Speakership is one of the nation's most powerful positions, the general public is confused about what a Speaker of the House does. Indeed, the inner workings of Congress in general remain largely mysterious outside the beltway.

Our documentary will do much to unravel both of these enigmas. By the end of the program, the viewer will have a practical understanding of the Speakership as well as an in-depth sense of who Gingrich is, what he wants, and how he worked as Speaker of the House. Most important it will follow Gingrich into his new career as a private citizen. Cameras are still filming him as he prepares for the next stage of his life. Few if any believe that he has left politics all together.

The Fall of Newt Gingrich, a one hour documentary, will be produced by Manifold Productions, Inc., in association with Georgia Public Broadcasting, and will air nationwide on PBS mid-2000.

The Fall of Newt Gingrich will follow up on the success of Manifold Productions' earlier behind-the-scenes documentary Inside the Republican Revolution: The First Hundred Days, which aired nationally on PBS in the fall of 1995 to great acclaim. In producing Inside the Republican Revolution, we developed techniques for documentary, live-action filming on the Hill; a core group of experienced television professionals who are trained in this style of filmmaking; and a network of contacts throughout Congress. The Fall of Newt Gingrich will build directly on this work.

To purchase the video, please contact Manifold Productions at (301)941-0445.