Why Newt Gingrich's 'Open Marriage' Request Matters

Reader Comments
Back to blog

This is sad on so many levels. Gingrich's former comes off as sour grapes and an attempt to undermine Gingrich's success.
The media machinery are idiots and show their collective, true self through its sordid attempt to undermine GOP candidates in the manner and timing for release of the "one" sided story.
Gingrich is a narcisistic, treacherous leach willing to do and say anything that will expedite putting himself in the white house and on the coveted world stage. Gingrich conveniently converts to Catholicism a year ago. How convenient. He thinks it will help him win the catholic vote. He's probably right because...
The American people are idiots because the swallow what the media shovels into their mouth. They believe the words of the candidates but not their actions. How can Gingrich become the Tea Party favorite considering that he spent his career as a Washington? The reason we have our current problems are the chickens he hatched and raised years ago have come home to roost. Gingrich IS the problem . . . not the solution. Talk about crony capitalism, Gingrich is it. How can Gingrich appeal to conservatives considering the results of his life run contrary to Christian ideals and conservative morals and values? The only difference between Newt Gingrich and John Edwards is one is followed with an "R" and one with a "D". After being a cad for most of his adult life, I seriously doubt Newt suddenly changed his stripes.

david of ID 3:28PM January 23, 2012

I am a republican and respect Newt's intellect, but if Newt will cheat on his wives, he will cheat the american people.
When character ceases to be a critical issue to the voters - our country is doomed.

mccarty of TN 12:29PM January 23, 2012

"I notice that Democrats only care about marriage, ethics, and who cheated on whom when they're talking about a Republican. When a Democrat does it, which happens frequently, the silence is deafening."
You obviously forget the Clinton/Lewinsky debacle...
Which means you are either too young, too ignorant, or have your head planted firmly up your rear.
Either way, shut up. I didn't care about Clinton having an affair, and I don't care about this guy having an affair.
Why do we care about what these people do in their own home, in their own beds, with people of consenting ages? If there's a problem with their marriage, let them and the courts work it out.
We, as a nation, have so many more things to worry about that *actually matter* to us.

Michael F of MO 8:43AM January 23, 2012

I notice that Democrats only care about marriage, ethics, and who cheated on whom when they're talking about a Republican. When a Democrat does it, which happens frequently, the silence is deafening.

JG of TX 5:23AM January 23, 2012

A Newt is a Salamander of SC _Newt came from behind & won BIG...
“...some hero, huh?!?!? ”
Y E S...
Four years of balanced budget & surplus WITH NEWT. NOT WITHOUT NEWT.
“Republican Congress was a failure. . . .” hardly.
“Gingrich is just another Sarah Palin”. I’d say visa versa. Newt had a big turn around in SC. Money flowing into his campaign. Newt & Sarah what a great ticket that would be...
We celebrate cheaters in America. Look at Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King, FDR, Ike, name most any Kennedy, etc... Oh yes, Thomas Jefferson...

Bill Hedges of MO 3:01AM January 23, 2012

Gingrich is just another Sarah Palin:
"Gingrich Steps Down in Face of Rebellion"
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, November 7, 1998
Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), the charismatic soul of the Republican Revolution whose members turned on him after unexpected losses in Tuesday's election, announced yesterday he will quit as Speaker of the House.
Democrats were stunned by the abrupt exit of their favorite enemy, but Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) viewed it as a vindication of sorts. "Newt Gingrich's resignation as speaker was the aftershock from last Tuesday's political earthquake," he said in a statement.
Although the GOP kept its majority, Gephardt said, "The American people sent a strong message that the Republican Congress was a failure. . . . The speaker's resignation is the reaction to that message."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/gingrich110798.htm
...some hero, huh?!?!?

A Newt is a Salamander of SC 2:22AM January 23, 2012

You are assuming that wat his ex wife said is true. Word has it that she has been deprecating him since the divorce. Do we care. NO. This president is what is the concern for most Americans and his failed policies. Newt has a 180 IQ and can take this president to the cleaners in his debates with him. I, along with the majority of Americans across the country are really looking forward to it. The dems seem to forget that Clinton did it while he was in office and what about Kennedy, Roosevelt and some of the others. Big deal.

Susie of TX 12:31AM January 23, 2012

Rick
Newt admitted to cheating ONCE. A LOT of our leaders cheated. Thomas Jefferson has both black & white relatives. FDR, Ike, Kennedys, Bill C, Martin Luther King.
Bill C. increased taxes on rich and Newt reduced. Newt got better results. Have you missed Newt saying he balanced budget 4 times. Bill C. before Newt didn't. Liberal thinking is reduce tax on rich and revenue goes down. Newt sucess was reducing cost not allowing big Bill C. growth. Bill added debt and Newt surplus:
"Debunking Liberal Myths About Tax Cuts and the Economy"
"MYTH: Raising taxes in the 1990s caused the boom years of that decade. This proves that raising taxes leads to economic growth."
"FACT: Tax cuts, not tax hikes, caused the boom years of the 1990s. The economy grew modestly after Clinton raised taxes in 1993, but the economy grew even more after Clinton signed the tax cuts that were passed by the Republican-controlled Congress under Newt Gingrich’s leadership in 1997."
"Dr. J. D. Foster":
"Following the [Clinton] tax hike, the economy performed reasonably well, but not as well as one would expect given the conditions at the time. The real economic boom came later in the decade, just when the economy should have slowed as it made the transition from a period of recovery to normal expansion. Further, this acceleration coincided to a remarkable degree with the 1997 tax cut. . . ."
"In 1997, the Republican-led Congress passed a tax-relief and deficit-reduction bill that was resisted but ultimately signed by President Clinton. The 1997 bill":
* "Lowered the top capital gains tax rate from 28 percent to 20 percent;
* Created a new $500 child tax credit;
* Established the new Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits to reduce the after-tax costs of higher education;
* Extended the air transportation excise taxes;
* Phased in an increase in the estate tax exemption from $600,000 to $1 million;
* Established Roth IRAs and increased the income limits for deductible IRAs;
* Established education IRAs;
* Conformed AMT depreciation lives to regular tax lives; and
* Phased in a 15 cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax. . . ."
"In 1995, the first year for which these data are available, just over $8 billion in venture capital was invested. Venture capital is especially critical to a vibrant economy because high-risk/high-return investment permits promising new businesses to blossom, rapidly spreading new technologies and new ideas into the marketplace and across the economy. Such investments, when successful, generate returns to investors that are subject primarily to the tax on capital gains. By 1998, the first full year in which the lower capital gains rates were in effect, venture capital activity reached almost $28 billion, more than a three-fold increase over 1995 levels, and by 1999, it had doubled yet again."
http://www.mtgriffith.com/web_documents/taxcutmyths.htm

Bill Hedges of MO 11:39PM January 22, 2012

@Bill hedge Whats "liberal" about point out that conservative CHRISTIANS are WRONG if they support a man like newt. The man is a walking example of how NOT to live a good life. SC should be embarrassed that they supported him.
Newt does not warrent our forgiving him because time and time again he has displayed his gross disregard for moral and American values. When he is caught he inevitable blames it on the Dems. How exactly are liberals to blame when ever he sticks his penis in a woman he isen't married to? Did Liberals force him to serve his wife with divorce papers while she was in a hospital? Did a secret democrat cabal "trick" him into requesting an open marriage??? Sorry Im willing to forgive him in a Christian sense But, there is no way Im going to support a habitual liar and adulator become President of the most powerful nation on earth.
Further more you give newt way to much credit for what he did in the 90's. Basically it boiled down to newt was present and accounted for while things happened to go well.

Rick the Texan of TX 10:15PM January 22, 2012

Classic narcissistic behavior: deflect, use rage to bully, rules do not apply, no empathy at the time for his wife or her opinions. It is time the American public recognizes these characteristics and elect anyone but a narcissist to office, then we will finally see change.

Nancy of KY 9:25PM January 22, 2012