Tag Archives: Newt Gingrich

With all the problems facing the United States today it was such a comfort to turn on the CNN debate last night and to see Wolf Blitzer was the moderator, and what’s more to see him ask such valid, timely and thought provoking questions. My particular favorite was the question which came right after Rick Santorum complained about the nonsense questions being asked. And what was this question? Wolf wanted to know why the candidate’s wives would make a good first lady.

Riveting Wolf, riveting … did you fall out of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way to the ground? A young woman who was unemployed with no health insurance had just minutes before asked the so-called candidates what they would do for her – of course none of them answered her question; I’ll bet she was waiting on pins and needles to find out the answer to that truly valid question.

I suddenly found myself wistfully wishing Michele Bachmann was still in the race.

Of course we got to hear all the wonderful qualifications of the candidate’s wives, how they’d raised hundreds of children while still finding time to establish world class music schools, baking cookies for orphans and working down at the USO Stage Door Canteen; and of all the husbands no one was more gushing over with praise than Newt for his current spouse (number 3), and former paramour, Callista.

All I could think was, “First Mistress anyone?”

I’m sorry, but Newt’s former concubine turned wife as First Lady?

I know, perhaps they could hire Heidi Fleiss to be her social secretary?

Enough of Newt pretending his concern about “family values” and how much he’s a devoted husband, and how his past indiscretions should be forgotten because he’s found religion and is now a good boy – at least as long as Callista stays healthy.

This isn’t only about Newt’s infidelity it’s also about a former staffer (Callista) being the Speaker’s mistress before he “made a proper woman out of her”. Both of their morals leave a great deal to be desired, and women who sleep their way to the top – sort of speak – are not called “First Lady,” a term which implies, well, first and foremost, that they’re a lady.

This isn’t “Pretty Woman” where the young call girl is turning tricks to survive and can be forgiven as she is introduced to the finer things in life and over time becomes a lady; this is about a Congressional staffer who graduated cum laude from college knowing exactly what she was doing when she became the modern day Madame de Pompadour to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the person second in line in succession to the President.

Yes sir, Newt and Callista, quite the poster couple for fidelity and family values.

One last thought on this happy couple; why is it Republicans have no issue with a former Speaker who was having not just one, but multiple affairs – in the capitol – with staffers, while serving in office as a “family values” conservative, but they pilloried – and continue to pillory – President Clinton for having an affair in the Oval Office, with a staffer? “It’s not about his affair, it’s that he lied about it” is what conservatives say when asked. Bunk; it’s about the double standard of the conservative Christian right, the “family values” party. I have a problem with someone who is, or who has been, an adulterer holding any public office because they’re untrustworthy; it’s as simple as that; wedding vows are an oath, a covenant every bit as binding as an oath of office. If a man can’t keep one oath why should he be trusted to keep the other?

Hypocrisy thy name is the Republican Tea Party; Newt was a dreadful Speaker he would make an equally horrendous President.