{"id":6841,"date":"2012-01-20T00:17:53","date_gmt":"2012-01-20T08:17:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=6841"},"modified":"2012-01-20T00:17:53","modified_gmt":"2012-01-20T08:17:53","slug":"will-marianne-newter-newt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2012\/01\/20\/will-marianne-newter-newt\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Marianne Newter Newt?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some say that what a person does at home is private and should not be made a part of political discussions.  To an extent I agree, but when that candidate is making his morality a campaign issue and has a history of condemning others over moral issues, it is an issue, not because of the moral lapse, but because of the hypocrisy.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\"20NewtNext\"Dredging up a past that Newt Gingrich has worked hard to bury, the GOP presidential candidate’s second ex-wife says Gingrich asked for an "open marriage" in which he could have both a wife and a mistress.<\/p>\n

In an interview with ABC News’ "Nightline" scheduled to air Thursday night, Marianne Gingrich said she refused to go along with the idea that she share her husband with Callista Bisek, who would later become his third wife.<\/p>\n

The explosive interview was airing just two days before the presidential primary in South Carolina, a state with a strong Christian conservative bent, and as Gingrich tries to present himself as the strongest alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.<\/p>\n

In excerpts of the interview released ahead the ABC broadcast, Marianne Gingrich said her husband conducted his affair with Callista "in my bedroom in our apartment in Washington" while she was elsewhere.<\/p>\n

"He always called me at night and always ended with `I love you,’" she said. "Well, she was listening."<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marianne Gingrich, who was Gingrich’s second wife, said Gingrich told her "Callista doesn’t care what I do."<\/p>\n

"He was asking to have an open marriage and I refused," she said. "That is not a marriage."<\/p>\n

She also said Gingrich moved to divorce her just months after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

"He also was advised by the doctor when I was sitting there that I was not to be under stress," she said. "He knew."<\/strong>\u2026 [emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <Boston Globe<\/a>><\/p>\n

We need to remember that the request came six years after the affair began, and while this was going on Gingrich was leading the charge to impeach Bill Clinton.  The de-facto head of the Republican Party jumped immediately to Newt\u2019s support.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\"20Limbarf\"Limabugh [sic], who could fairly be described as a proud<\/a><\/font> chauvinist<\/a><\/font>, said, \u201cI don\u2019t understand why the media\u2019s pretending to be so upset\u201d about Gingrich\u2019s behavior with his ex, Marianne. Limbaugh went on to read a \u201cgreat note\u201d from a \u201cgood friend of mine,\u201d which posits that Newt and not Marianne \u2014 whom Gingirch left shortly after she was diagnosed<\/a><\/font> with multiple sclerosis \u2014 is the real \u201cvictim\u201d here. Moreover, the fact that Gingrich asked for \u201cpermission\u201d to cheat on his wife is \u201ca mark of character, in my book,\u201d Limbaugh continued [Limbaugh delinked]:<\/font><\/p>\n

LIMBAUGH: I got a great note from a friend of mine. \u201cSo Newt wanted an open marriage. BFD. At least he asked his wife for permission instead of cheating on her. That\u2019s a mark of character, in my book. Newt\u2019s a victim<\/strong><\/span>. We all are. Ours is the horniest generation.\u201d […] That\u2019s from a good friend of mine, \u201cNewt\u2019s slogan ought to, \u2018Hell, yes, I wanted it<\/strong><\/span>.\u2019\u201d (laughing) I\u2019m sharing with you how some people are reacting to this. <\/font><\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that Gingrich had been having an affair for several years before<\/em><\/span> he asked \u201cpermission\u201d to cheat on his wife. <\/font><\/p>\n

Rush Limbaugh married his fourth wife<\/a><\/font> in 2010\u2026 [emphasis original<\/em><\/span>]<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <Think Progress<\/a>><\/p>\n

That do as I say, not as I do<\/em> attitude is so Republican.  Limbaugh’s attitude reflects Newt\u2019s well, because Newt had been appalled that Marianne would insist on having him all to herself.<\/font><\/p>\n

Then came the Republican debate.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\"Hypocrite\"Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich slammed CNN host John King for asking about an explosive ABC News report claiming the White House hopeful asked his former wife for an "open marriage" before they later divorced.<\/p>\n

"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 of for public office and I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that," Gingrich said.<\/p>\n

"Every person in here knows personal pain. Every person in here has had someone close to them go through painful things. To take an ex-wife, and make it two days before the primary a sign question in a presidential campaign, is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine<\/strong>," Gingrich said\u2026 [emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <CBS<\/a>><\/p>\n

Where was his indignation, when he was condemning Clinton?<\/font><\/p>\n

Keith Olbermann covers this and other Republican candidates with Ken Vogel on Countdown<\/a>.<\/font><\/p>\n