A Question of Character: Newt's Tainted Past

Newt Gingrich is a recent convert to Catholicism. Rather ironically, it seems that he converted in order to facilitate his marriage to his newest wife,Callista,after abandoning two previous wives . After converting he was subsequently invited to give a speech at this year’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. 

Did Newt Gingrich cheat on his first two wives for the benefit of America? He seems to think so.  Newt pressed his first wife to sign divorce papers while she was still in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery.

He divorced his second wife, Marianne, for Callista, with whom he had an affair while she was his staffer on Capitol Hill. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network last month Newt explained his double spousal abandonment this way:

“There’s no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.” - Newt Gingrich

What other inappropriate things has he done?

This video below explores yet another aspect of his tainted past.

Newt The Nominee

Surprising to me, the polls now show that Professor Newt Gingrich is far out ahead of his rivals in popularity among Republicans.  I really thought his campaign was dead in the water with his staff abandoning him and his lack of adequate campaign finances.  But it seems the dead can rise again.  Although many have asked whether he can ever live down his reputation of being the ultimate Washington insider he seems confident in himself.  And why not, I suppose, when one considers the other possible candidates.

And Gingrich himself seems to believe that he will be the Republican nominee for president.  And just as I was beginning to think that Ron Paul might really stand a chance of getting it, as other candidates seem to be self-destructing before our eyes.  


In this clip from a video interview below I don't see Newt knock on wood.  So, I guess his self confidence or perhaps more correctly his arrogance is genuine.