STOP THE PRESSES

House Speaker Newt Gingrich today defended statements that he made at a dinner with business executives Monday night, when he said many newspaper editorial boards contain "socialists" and suggested businesses reconsider advertising in papers that oppose their political views. Gingrich's targets have a thick skin. Tommy Denton, senior editorial writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and president of the National Conference of Editorial Writers, told TIME Daily: "Mr. Gingrich seems to be painting with a rather broad brush: there are countless editorial writers I know who have ideals and principles that are compatible with his, just as there are some socialists out there."