Gingrich apparently admits there is no old friend willing to verify his take on the “open marriage” comment:
During last Thursday’s debate, when CNN moderator John King asked about Marianne Gingrich’s interview on ABC accusing Newt Gingrich of having requested an ‘open marriage,’ part of Gingrich’s crowd-pleasing answer was this charge: ‘Let me be quite clear. The story is false. Every personal friend I have who knew us in that period said the story was false. We offered several of them to ABC to prove it was false. They weren’t interested because they would like to attack any Republican.’
To me, the biggest problem is that Newt Gingrich has very few people around him who have been with him over the long haul. Not wives, not political friends, not personal friends.
'Lonely Newt' - the latest psychological portrait. And I suppose extending this idea, he will seek to look abroad to make the friends he couldn't make domestically.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"To me, the biggest problem is that Newt Gingrich has very few people around him who have been with him over the long haul. Not wives, not political friends, not personal friends."
That's okay, he has thousands of anonymous internet posters, all of whom love him now though they despised him a few months ago. It's the sweetest thing since they fell head over heels for Christine O'Donnell two years ago.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseKeep kicking your team-mates, Rookie. You are helping to rip what remains of this party into the Red and Blue.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"To me, the biggest problem is that Newt Gingrich has very few people around him who have been with him over the long haul."
Seriously? Any qualification needed? Bigger than Iranian nukes, 25% un/underemployment, Trillions of debt?
It might be Newt's biggest personal problem, but it's not the biggest problem, let alone the biggest policy or political problem.
Words have meaning, especially the ones not there.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's like that old warning of "be wary of a woman that doesn't have any female friends".
I find it VERY telling that Newt has inspired so much hate from just about every single person he's ever come in contact with over the years. Where are all these people coming out of the wood work for nominees like Santorum and Romney?
You can make a million excuses for it, but where there's smoke, there's fire. And when ideological allies, colleagues, friends, and "family" go so far out of their way to warn people about what a dangerous personality Newt is, only a fool would ignore this and chalk it all up to "Newt is just such an awesome conservative it scares the Establishment."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseExcellent point! I am amazed at the whiplash movement from one "anti-Establishment GOP" candidate to the next. Mr. Gingrich not establishment? That claim has to rate as one of the most ridiculous claims ever. The "Establishment" has quite a range - - from Pres. Bush (41 and 43) to Ms. Coulter to Mr. Gingrich.
And I think anyone who trusts Mr. Gingrich is very mistaken. The absence of support (at best) or attacks (more common) from former colleagues, many of them card-carrying "non-Establishment" types, is damning, in my opinion.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseExcellent point! The "anti-GOP Establishment" obsession is ridiculous! First of all, if Mr. Gingrich isn't establishment, then NO ONE is. Further, just go with the winner! I've just not convinced that Mr. Gingrich fits that description.
If the vast majority of his former colleagues, many of whom cannot be considered "GOP Establishment," are either do not support (at best) or openly oppose (more common) Mr. Gingrich's candidacy, then that speaks volumes to me.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNewt Gingrich seems to have little success at relationships and leaves bitter, angry people in his wake. It's a fact of life that marriages and other relationships fail, but Newt's seem to fail in a very bad way. I don't think good debate performances and communication skills can overcome his inability to work well with others, as we hear from more and more people that he is a self-centered, impulsive ego-maniac who believes he is the smartest guy in the room. Now who does that remind me of?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGee, Jenna, does he remind you of Mr. Obama? Wow, I guessed it!!
Never give up a chance at a cheap shot, right? I didn't know hate is a christian value.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSome 35%-40% of those who will vote next Tuesday in FL. are Seniors. We remember Newt. We have seen his type of politician before. Sweet talk is a Clinton, Obama staple and older folks know clever talk is cheap.
Newt is Mr. Washington DC. The outsider in this race is Romney. The man with executive experience is Romney. The fully vetted candidate is Romney. The one who has promised to repeal ObamaCare, reverse the draconian Obama military cuts, to take the leg irons off our energy sector, to stop the reign of the Czars is Romney. The man with personal integrity, a strong family and a string of endorsements from Ann Coulter to Chris Christy to 88 members of the House of Representatives is Romney.
My wife and I will vote in Daytona Beach on 1/31. Our votes will go to the best qualified man to be our POTUS in this time of extreme danger. It's Romney. As a voter, if you've taken laps around the presidential election track since 1968, this call is easy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf that were truly Newt's biggest problem, he'd take 100% in every caucus and primary.
Me, I'm more concerned with the Teddy Roosevelt worship.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"To me, the biggest problem is that Newt Gingrich has very few people around him who have been with him over the long haul."
I envy you that your biggest problem is Newt's Facebook tally. My biggest problem, on the other hand, is PRESIDENT OBAMA DESTROYING THIS COUNTRY STEP BY STEP. My biggest worry, unfortunately, isn't how many high school friends pal around with Newt these days, or whether he's been married more than once (I've got a couple of high school friends who have been married 3 times each, and they're both wonderful people); rather, my biggest worry is who is best able to rally enough voters to defeat Obama in the election. So, who is it? Romney? He's the Dole/McCain du jour who's gonna light Obama up in the debates and on the campaign trail? He's the candidate who's going to refuse to cower on the defensive as the media frames their "have you stopped cheating on your taxes" gotcha questions?
I'd be happy with Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, my local dog catcher or postman 'being' President. But the only question that deserves attention in 2012 is who is best ABLE TO WIN the election.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs much as I hate to stick up for Gingrich, who I find distasteful, it's not accurate to say he doesn't have old friends. Maybe not in politics per se, but Jerry Pournelle, who is a SF writer and columnist (and often touches on politics) considers him a friend and has for years.
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