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.
"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.?
"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.
"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
"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
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.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Obviously, I just don't "get" it. :-)
Newt is just cleaning out the skeletons closet in preparation of his run.
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.
" 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.
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.
Very true. LOL
Oh, certainly. I understood that.
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.
Absolutely stupid and unwarranted---God alone knows Romneys heart about being a Mormon and men have no right to judge that
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