There aren’t many easy ways for politicians to discuss having affairs, but this particular word selection from Newt Gingrich, in an interview with CBN, is probably going to prove problematic:
Newt Gingrich: “There’s no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate. And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn’t trapped in situation ethics, I was doing things that were wrong, and yet, I was doing them. I found that I felt compelled to seek God’s forgiveness.”
Questions of whether God forgave Gingrich are best directed to Him. But those opening sentences seem to suggest that the “things that were not appropriate” were triggered by “how passionately [Gingrich] felt about this country.” His crime of passion was driven by passionate patriotism, it would seem.
How can he be so clueless?! Ugh. What a lame excuse! Why not just say what you did was wrong and that there’s no excuse for it. When I make mistakes, be they big or small, it’s because I’m sometimes a buffoon. It’s not because I have some misdirected virtue. On what planet does Newt think he can win a national election? I like most of Newt’s ideas and I know he’s a smart guy, but I wish whoever his supporters are would stop entertaining the idea that he is actually electable. We have a handful of candidates who may not be particularly exciting but who have a decent shot of winning. I wish those who have no chance would drop out so we can start sorting out candidates who are actually viable against Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJim, Gingrich is a great idea man, and when all is said and done, on balance an asset to the conservative movement. However, the idea that he can be President is laughable. Not only does he periodically show extrodinarily poor judgement, (not just in his marriages, but remember that global warming commercial with Pelosi?), he is a lightning rod for criticism but without Lincoln's, Reagan's or Coolidge's wit to disarm, charm, and/or counteract reports and criticism.
Furthermore, he in some respects Obama's doppleganger on the Right, the theoretician/academic/community organizer. He doesn't have any real administrative experience. We can see how that is working out now.
Newt can come up with ideas, just keep him away from trying to actually execute them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDemocrats generally get in trouble over money, Republicans generally over sex. It isn't fair, but that is the way it is.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm not a Newt supporter, and it seems like you're straining at gnats.
This wasn't meant to be a political statement. He wasn't blaming his passion for the country and saying therefore everything was really understandable or not really bad. He not only clearly rules out situational ethics, but says he was wrong--so wrong he sought God's forgiveness.
If you're looking for people who always say everything precisely right off the cuff (or even scripted), there's no one out there.
In this realm, we've had quite a few presidents, even some great ones, who have had "woman" problems. Jefferson, FDR, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Clinton to name some. It might have been nice if any of them had made as clear a statement as Gingrich. They didn't.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePlease. Yeah, we've had Presidents who were players. Don't recall any of em divorcing their wife while she lay ravaged by cancer.
That little factoid, and this picture of wife 3 looking like a doting daughter
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and its over.
The fact that Gingrich is even entertaining this as a viable exercise is proof of his appalling judgment and oversized ego. We got one of that model at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue right now - its no good swapping in the mirrorball view.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt is the Peter Frampton of American politics. He caught lightning in a bottle and enjoyed a short burst of stardom. Ever since he has been living off "potential" that never materializes.
When the books are closed on Newt, he will go down as a great live act, but not much else.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseActually, Gingrich is not a great idea man. He comes up with his 5-point plan to fix America, and after a few weeks you never hear about it again. A few months later, he has a new 9-point plan to fix America, and a few months after that you never hear about it again. All the plans avoid the most controversial and toughest steps that actually need to be taken, and he cannot keep his focus long enough to even promote one of his own plans.
What is really sad is that there are ANY voters in the GOP who would take this man seriously.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIsn't the problem how passionately he felt about his mistresses -- felt about their torsos, felt about their posteriors, and so on?
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