Newt Gingrich served as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the US Congress from 1995 until 1998. In turning the Republican Party into a more organised conservative formation, many blame Gingrich for having caused the dysfunction, polarisation and ill-feeling that defines American politics today. My guest for this episode is Matthew Green of the Catholic University of America (@mattngreen on Twitter). Matthew is writing a book on Gingrich, The Rise and Fall of a Party Entrepreneur, due to be published in July.