No one around here has made the claim that Newt's personal life has been as pure as the driven snow. All of us who support him have had to confront the fact that he made mistakes in his personal life, and have had to methodically reason our way through those deal-breaking events.
We've also applied our collective super brain to the issue of Newt's wanderings off the conservative reservation, and have come to the rational conclusion that there is a world of difference between positions and ones actual ACCOMPLISHMENTS while in office.
In case you hadn't noticed, this community spent weeks doing all of this before coalescing around him. Revisiting these arguments now is tedious, and unproductive. We're now at the political strategery phase of this show.
Even lengthy discussions about Rick Santorum and whether or not he should remain in the race, are a waste of time, unless we're talking about what he should do to assist us in taking Romney out of the equation.
I DID miss that... I don't spend much time in "this community" anymore.. since, it seems to have mostly devolved into a society for PURGING anyone who's not idealogically "pure"... whatever the heck that means.
I'm sorry though... I was never "down with Newt". Don't get me wrong.. I like a LOT about Newt. He's the best speaker remaining.. by far. And, he has the comabtiveness to take on the media... but, that's not good enough. Newt was a poster child for the effectiveness of Alinsky style tactics. He WAS driven out of office, in disgrace... not because of the ethics charges (which, were 99% bogus).... but, as the result of hypocrisy and negative branding. Face it: Newt was the FACE of "evil Republicans". I don't want to go back and try to re-argue the same issues from the mid-80's and 90's. We lost the argument then... it won't be any better now.
With Newt, EVERY DAY someone will be bringing up "new" (old) charges.. and, we (he) will be constantly defending 'what Newt said'... His recorded statements are extensive.. and, often highly controversial. I'll support him if nominated... but, I don't think any of us will enjoy that ride.