“I’m not suggesting that they drop out of school and become janitors, I’m talking about working 20 hours a week and being empowered to succeed.”

Following his Friday description of child labor laws as "truly stupid," Newt Gingrich is doing what the media is referring to as "clarifying" his remarks. The clarification is that:

First, this doesn't clarify much, given that federal guidelines allow kids as young as 14 to work 18 hours per week during the school year. Does Newt expect us to believe that he thinks the difference between 18 and 20 hours is what makes child labor laws "truly stupid"? Was he referring only to those states in which child labor laws are more restrictive? Or was he just hoping we'd forget to ask for a real clarification on that point?

Second, note the dodge: It's true. He didn't suggest kids drop out of school. By bringing that idea into the discussion, he attempts to frame what he did suggest—that kids work as janitors in the schools they attend in order to break unions—as a reasonable and nuanced position. We're supposed to figure that it's just fine to humiliate poor kids by making them clean up after their wealthier classmates, as long as you don't suggest that they should drop out of school.

Here's hoping some reporter asks Gingrich exactly what changes to child labor law he'd like to see.