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Gingrich had affair during Clinton probe
AP on Yahoo ^ | 3/8/07 | Ben Evans - ap

Posted on 03/08/2007 7:02:04 PM PST by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged he was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.

"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."

Gingrich argued in the interview, however, that he should not be viewed as a hypocrite for pursuing Clinton's infidelity.

"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials."

Widely considered a mastermind of the Republican revolution that swept Congress in the 1994 elections, Gingrich remains wildly popular among many conservatives. He has repeatedly placed near the top of Republican presidential polls recently, even though he has not formed a campaign.

Gingrich has said he is waiting to see how the Republican field shapes up before deciding in the fall whether to run.

Reports of extramarital affairs have dogged him for years as a result of two messy divorces, but he has refused to discuss them publicly.

Gingrich, who frequently campaigned on family values issues, divorced his second wife, Marianne, in 2000 after his attorneys acknowledged Gingrich's relationship with his current wife, Callista Bisek, a former congressional aide more than 20 years younger than he is.

His first marriage, to his former high school geometry teacher, Jackie Battley, ended in divorce in 1981. Although Gingrich has said he doesn't remember it, Battley has said Gingrich discussed divorce terms with her while she was recuperating in the hospital from cancer surgery.

Gingrich married Marianne months after the divorce.

"There were times when I was praying and when I felt I was doing things that were wrong. But I was still doing them," he said in the interview. "I look back on those as periods of weakness and periods that I'm ... not proud of."

Gingrich's congressional career ended in 1998 when he abruptly resigned from Congress after poor showings from Republicans in elections and after being reprimanded by the House ethics panel over charges that he used tax-exempt funding to advance his political goals.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: affair; clinton; gingrich; newt; prez; probe; slimeball
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To: Darkwolf377

"I have never given a damn about such things. The "real conservatives" can't say that. They're converts, now that "their guy" may be in the race."

So character doesn't matter?

I've come to the conclusion that liberals judge a person based on personality, and conservatives judge a person based on character.

Which are you?

Certainly this explains why a liberal Clinton will be unaffected by personal character flaws while Gingrich is. ... it still leaves a mystery wrt Rudy. Why is he given slack despite his ugly 2nd marriage divorce, 3rd marriage, sleeping around, etc.?


221 posted on 03/09/2007 11:34:04 AM PST by WOSG (The 4-fold path to save America - Think right, act right, speak right, vote right!)
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To: Dead Dog

"Every Repub. has had the last 60 years to get it through their thick skulls that if they are not beyond reproach, they will be cashed in by the democrats at the democrats convenience. That is the power of dominating the meda."

Well said. And in the wake of the (democrat-operative-leaked-at-worst-time) exposure of Foley's disgraceful behavior, it is incumbent upon other Republican leaders and the 'base' to keep our own house in order, or our clocked will get cleaned in the general election.

In other words, let's understand and settle on the skeletons in the closet *now* and not wait for an october surprise to deliver the election to the lib-Dems.


222 posted on 03/09/2007 11:37:19 AM PST by WOSG (The 4-fold path to save America - Think right, act right, speak right, vote right!)
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To: NormsRevenge
I couldn't support someone for President who had so little regard for his own marriage.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

223 posted on 03/09/2007 11:39:20 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: KoRn
I'm not expecting any one to be a paragon of virtue, least of all a politician. But I expect a President to have good personal character. As we have seen with Clinton, perjury or not, character matters in a President.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

224 posted on 03/09/2007 11:42:18 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: teenyelliott
I have no tolerance for cheaters and liars. And that, sadly, is what Gingrich is.

I know, and I agree -- I just don't understand why so many men cheat. I mean of course I understand the temptation, just like it's tempting to steal sometimes when you won't get caught -- but I don't "understand", at the same time.

He's still probably got the best combination of skills and experience, I think. I'll vote for him anyway, if he runs.

225 posted on 03/09/2007 11:46:51 AM PST by Dominic Harr (Conservative: The "ant", to a liberal's "grasshopper".)
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To: dhs12345
I would love to stand up and point out the shortcomings of others, Newt included. But when I start to get up I hear a little voice in the back of my head saying "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And I meekly drop my stone and slink back into my seat.

I have enough on my record to keep me busy worrying about the day of judgment without having to take on the sins of others.
226 posted on 03/09/2007 11:56:47 AM PST by jwparkerjr
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To: HereInTheHeartland
All guys are attracted to beautiful women, it's hardcoded into us as guys. Guys with character stay true to the ones they marry.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Obviously, I just don't "get" it. :-)

227 posted on 03/09/2007 12:01:55 PM PST by Dominic Harr (Conservative: The "ant", to a liberal's "grasshopper".)
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To: NormsRevenge

Newt is just cleaning out the skeletons closet in preparation of his run.


228 posted on 03/09/2007 12:34:33 PM PST by READINABLUESTATE (Free speech for thee, but not for me?)
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To: NormsRevenge

I think he could win it! So, he loses a lot of Republican votes. He'd get the democrat vote. After all they thought Clinton was a hero for cheating on his wife. Ahd remember, what a person does in his personal life can't be held against him.


229 posted on 03/09/2007 12:40:02 PM PST by gesully (gesully)
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To: MHGinTN
I believe you missed the point, or I misstated mine, Billy Jeff's peccadillo's do not mollify or counters Newt's thing, what I meant is that Mrs. Clinton will be the last one to bring the issue (the timing) into public forum; that Gingrich was getting it on while her husband was under investigation.

But you're correct in stating that the media will do her bidding, which will probably put the issue of Gingrich's indiscretion under a spotlight , while highlighting his hypocrisy and suffering amnesia per her husband.

It'd be best for conservatism to have a candidate that can keep it in his pants, but mayb that's just too much of a tall order these days.
230 posted on 03/09/2007 2:03:26 PM PST by incredulous joe ("Silence is golden,...but duct tape is silver." -- anon)
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To: Dominic Harr

" Yeah, I guess you're right.

Obviously, I just don't "get" it. :-)"



A little clarification on what meant.
I was only speaking of guys that act on every hormonal urge they get (like a Bill Clinton). I was not being critical of people who have suffered through a divorce.


231 posted on 03/09/2007 4:23:07 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (Never bring a knife to a gun fight, or a Democrat to do serious work...)
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To: indylindy; Cobra64

Big difference:

Hitlary will get a pass on most of her baggage because she is a woman.

Edwards will get a pass on most of his baggage because he is a woman. ;)

Obama will get a pass on most of his baggage because he is black.

However, poor Newt will have to suffer though his baggage issues because he is male and white.


232 posted on 03/09/2007 4:58:36 PM PST by doc1019 (Fred Thompson 08)
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To: jwparkerjr
Agreed. God punishes sins. Judges and the courts are supposed to punish laws that are broken.

I didn't like what Clinton did. Completely unprofessional.

However, he broke the law. Not just once but many times: when he assaulted Paula Jones (that relationship wasn't consensual), when he tried to influence Monica Lewinski's testimony during the Paula Jones trial, and when he perjured himself (think twice, during his testimony during Paula Jones' trial and in front of federal prosecutors investigating his original perjury).
233 posted on 03/09/2007 5:29:29 PM PST by dhs12345
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To: doc1019

Very true. LOL


234 posted on 03/09/2007 5:38:30 PM PST by dforest (Liberals love crisis, create crisis and then dwell on them.)
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To: HereInTheHeartland
I was only speaking of guys that act on every hormonal urge they get (like a Bill Clinton). I was not being critical of people who have suffered through a divorce.

Oh, certainly. I understood that.

235 posted on 03/09/2007 7:49:30 PM PST by Dominic Harr (Conservative: The "ant", to a liberal's "grasshopper".)
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To: PAR35

HAH! I'll let you be the one to tell her she can't think for herself... better run fast though.. cause she may just start thinkin she wants to beat the crap out of you.

This story has never been fully put down as far as I can tell. In fact, it's repeated in the story that starts this thread. That's not the ONLY reason my wife dislikes him.. but, it's a biggie.


236 posted on 03/09/2007 9:20:17 PM PST by SomeCallMeTim
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To: JCEccles

Absolutely stupid and unwarranted---God alone knows Romneys heart about being a Mormon and men have no right to judge that


237 posted on 03/09/2007 10:41:42 PM PST by cmotormac44
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