Newt and marital mixups

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Thursday night’s debate among the Republican presidential candidates capped quite a day of drama in the campaign. The debate opened with CNN moderator John King asking former Speaker Newt Gingrich if he wanted to address the allegations of his second wife, Marianne Gingrich, who said in an ABC News interview that day that after Newt admitted to an affair he said he wanted an “open marriage” and that his then-mistress (and current wife) "Callista doesn’t care what I do.”

Gingrich, the best debater of the bunch, blasted King and ABC News. He said he was “appalled” that a presidential debate would start in such a way, calling it “despicable.” He denied the allegations and chided “the elite media" for allegedly "protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans.”

The crowd roared, interrupting his tirade with applause, and some members of the audience rose to their feet to cheer him on.

Why the cheers?

Given the importance many conservatives give to family values, isn't fidelity a legitimate issue in a campaign?

Four questions to consider about the issue:

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  Associated Press

  Does cheating on a spouse matter?

  
  
  

  The question really comes down to whether fidelity — or a lack of it — shows a person’s character. If so, how Gingrich behaved in his marriage would have some bearing on who he really is and how he would lead. His ex-wives have been interviewed, and they haven’t given incredibly glowing accounts of their marriages.

  Gingrich and his supporters were angered that the latest charge came so close to the primary in South Carolina, and some of his supporters bashed not only the media but the message. Conservative radio talker Rush Limbaugh said, "I don't understand why the media's pretending to be so upset about these charges coming from Marianne. I mean, it's all about sex. And how many times are we told that somebody's sex life, even if they're president, doesn't matter? It's nobody's business as long as it doesn't affect the job.

  "I got a great note from a friend of mine, 'So Newt wanted an open marriage. BFD. At least he asked his wife for permission instead of cheating on her. That's a mark of character, in my book.'"

  So, does it matter? Or is the ethic: If you’re going to cheat, at least be honest about it.

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  Scott Harrison/Retna/HarrisonPhotos.com

  What does Gingrich say?

  
  
  

  Gingrich is in his third marriage; his first two ended in ugly divorces. He has said his first wife asked for a divorce, but she filed court papers saying that although she had grounds for divorce, she didn't want one. She was battling cancer and said that he made a hospital visit to discuss divorce terms at her bedside. (He denies it.) Marianne Gingrich says she asked him to marry her before he was divorced from his first wife.

  He would later admit to cheating on Marianne with Callista Bisek, then a young congressional aide. He asked Marianne for a divorce after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

  In subsequent interviews, Gingrich has given a variety of answers for his actions. For example, he told the Christian Broadcast Network last year:

  "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. And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn't trapped in situation ethics, I was doing things that were wrong, and yet, I was doing them."

  Would he now continue to do wrong while knowing he was doing wrong?

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  Erik Kabik/Retna/ErikKabik.com

  What are his values?

  
  
  

  The irony of his affair with Callista Bisek: It was happening as Gingrich was leading the charge against President Bill Clinton over the president's indiscretions.

  Gingrich has tried to dismiss charges of hypocrisy. He says there was a difference — Clinton was accused of perjury, he wasn't. So, if it's illegal, it's wrong, but if it's hypocritical, it's OK?

  In a 2007 piece on Gingrich's affair, ABC's Jake Tapper considered Gingrich's rhetoric during the 1990s:

  "Constantly espousing family values even while he carried on an affair, Gingrich linked his party to wholesome family values and Democrats to, well, something else.

  "During the 1992 Democratic National Convention, Gingrich said, 'Woody Allen having nonincest with a nondaughter to whom he was a nonfather because they were a nonfamily fits the Democratic platform perfectly.'"

  So, Newt Gingrich having an affair while attacking a president is a non-issue and fits with the family values platform?

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  Leila Navidi

  What does Rick Perry say?

  
  
  

  Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the presidential race on Thursday, had previously made family values — and fidelity — an issue. During a debate last month in Iowa, he was asked, "Do you think a candidate who breaks his marital vows is more likely to break faith with voters?"

  He said he was of the opinion "that if you cheat on your wife, you'll cheat on your business partner." As he continued, he said:

  "Individuals who have been in fidelity with their spouse, I think that sends a very powerful message. If you will cheat on your wife, if you will cheat on your spouse, then why wouldn't you cheat on your business partner or why wouldn't you cheat on anybody for that matter?"

  When he dropped out of the race before the debate on Thursday, Perry endorsed Gingrich, calling him a “conservative visionary.” He also acknowledged Gingrich’s failings.

  “Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?” Perry said. “The fact is, there is forgiveness for those who seek God. And I believe in the power of redemption, for it is a central tenet of my Christian faith.”

  But redemption takes repentance, and that involves more than just saying sorry. Repentance requires a change in behavior.

  Whether Gingrich has changed — and then whether he’s right for office — is up to the voters, but the question about his fidelity is legitimate. If nothing else, his reaction has clearly shown a side of his character that shouldn’t be missed.