Thursday, January 26, 2012

Gingrich the Republi-CON

UPDATE V: BTW, not only does the media love The Great Lecherer, he loves them back. Read The New York Times, Gingrich, Offstage.


UPDATE VI: "He won with a glower. After Newt Gingrich in the Jan. 19 Republican debate fought off a totally reasonable question about an ex-wife’s account of his acknowledged adultery with an attack on “the elite media,” there was little doubt about what would happen. South Carolina is the rawest of GOP states, the political embodiment of the legacy of the man Gingrich was channeling with that stare and orchestrated outrage onstage: Richard Nixon." Read Time, Why Newt Is like Nixon.


UPDATE V: Did you hear the show on Friday with Pastor Flip-Flopper (aka Pastor Truthiness (formerly known as Pastor Poppins)), first defending The Great Lecherer, then having to agree with his regular 'correspondents'.

The Pastor began by blaming the media. The truth is the media loves Gingrich.

But Vuoto had it right as well as some other pompous regular, and the Pastor had to reluctantly agree, (so-called) conservative support for The Great Lecherer, an admitted serial fornicator and adulterer, showed the moral rot in the party, and a vote for him would be a contract with the devil.


UPDATE IV: Really, the hypocrisy of the Great Lecherer of Morals now blaming the media. From The New York Times, Gingrich Attacks the News Media and Creates a Stir:

In response to a question from the CNN debate moderator, John King, about whether Mr. Gingrich had asked his former wife Marianne for an open marriage, an allegation she made in a recent ABC News interview, Mr. Gingrich said: 'I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.'

When Mr. King tried to explain the question, arguing that it was a major news subject of the moment, Mr. Gingrich had none of it.

'John, John,' he interjected. 'It was repeated by your network, you chose to start the debate with it. Don’t try to blame somebody else.'

Mr. Gingrich added, his voice pitched in anger, 'I am tired of the elite media protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans.' He received a standing ovation from the audience."

It was a rabid Republi-CON audience.


UPDATE III: What is more 'tawdry and inappropriate:'

Asking your wife for an 'open marriage' so you can sleep with you new lover while lecturing the world on morals,

or

Complaining about the revelation and refusing to answer questions?


Read the Washington Post, Newt Gingrich: Ex-wife Marianne's interview 'tawdry and inappropriate'.

BTW, does all this remind you of another oversexed Republi-con candidate?


UPDATE II: "We shouldn’t be surprised that Marianne has stepped forward. Indeed, how many other friends, staffers and colleagues have their own tales to tell about the speakership years? With Gingrich you are perpetually waiting for the next shoe to drop. And unlike Bill Clinton, who could drag Hillary into the picture for validation and redemption, Gingrich can’t very well sit down with Callista to explain their joint tale of deceit and adultery. . .

The origin of every Gingrich controversy (ethical, personal or political) is the same: Huge ambition unmoored to a code of conduct or fixed principles.

The reemergence of Marianne will give voters pause. It should. And if it’s the difference between victory or defeat in South Carolina? Well, some would call that Gingrich’s just desserts."

Read the Washington Post, Gingrich’s past catches up.


UPDATE: Today's lesson in Republi-CON history:

"[I]n 1999 [Gingrich] asked his second wife for an 'open marriage' or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values, his former wife, Marianne . . .

Shocked, Marianne Gingrich replied: 'Is there anybody else?' she recalled. 'He was quiet. Within two seconds, when he didn’t immediately answer, I knew.'

The next day, Newt Gingrich gave a speech titled 'The Demise of American Culture' to the Republican Women Leaders Forum in Erie, Pa., extolling the virtues of the founding fathers and criticizing liberal politicians for supporting tax increases, saying they hurt families and children.

'When a liberal talks about values, will he or she actually like us to teach American history?' Newt Gingrich told the women’s group. 'Will they actually like young people to learn that George Washington was an ethical man? A man of standards, a man who earned the right to be father of this country?'"

Read the Washington Post, Marianne Gingrich, Newt's ex-wife, says he wanted 'open marriage'.


"What seemed like genuine, bipartisan PR in 2008 now looks like conservative heresy by the current frontrunner in the Republican presidential race. Gingrich now calls that TV ad the 'dumbest single thing' he's ever done and insists his policy stance on the environment passes all conservative muster.

'If you notice, I never favored cap and trade,' he said in a candidate forum in New York City on Dec. 3, 2011.

Really? Never?

[But PolitiFact.com] did a little digging and it didn't take long to find that Gingrich has been inconsistent and has at times advocated cap and trade legislation when combined with other approaches."

Read PolitiFact.com, Newt Gingrich claims he 'never favored cap and trade'.