Newt Gingrich

[lattedatte]

this is almost comical, this and Foley make Gore look like a saint.....

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Acknowledges Having Affair During Clinton Impeachment

WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.

"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."

Gingrich argued in the interview, however, that he should not be viewed as a hypocrite for pursuing Clinton's infidelity.

"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials."

Widely considered a mastermind of the Republican revolution that swept Congress in the 1994 elections, Gingrich remains wildly popular among many conservatives. He has repeatedly placed near the top of Republican presidential polls recently, even though he has not formed a campaign.

Gingrich has said he is waiting to see how the Republican field shapes up before deciding in the fall whether to run.

Reports of extramarital affairs have dogged him for years as a result of two messy divorces, but he has refused to discuss them publicly.

Gingrich, who frequently campaigned on family values issues, divorced his second wife, Marianne, in 2000 after his attorneys acknowledged Gingrich's relationship with his current wife, Callista Bisek, a former congressional aide more than 20 years younger than he is.

His first marriage, to his former high school geometry teacher, Jackie Battley, ended in divorce in 1981. Although Gingrich has said he doesn't remember it, Battley has said Gingrich discussed divorce terms with her while she was recuperating in the hospital from cancer surgery.

Gingrich married Marianne months after the divorce.

"There were times when I was praying and when I felt I was doing things that were wrong. But I was still doing them," he said in the interview. "I look back on those as periods of weakness and periods that I'm ... not proud of."

Gingrich's congressional career ended in 1998 when he abruptly resigned from Congress after poor showings from Republicans in elections and after being reprimanded by the House ethics panel over charges that he used tax-exempt funding to advance his political goals.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I thought that was old news. Well, the truth of his sincerity is known only by God & himself. Ironically, he's splitting hairs like Clinton used to do (depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is) to justify his role on the impeachment of Clinton.

He may, technically, have a point; but he should have stayed away from that issue if he was going through his own personal strife. Why play w/ fire when you know you're living in a glass house? My guess is he couldn't resist the intoxication that comes w/ power & publicity which he gained while leading the Republican Revolution. He's not the first & he won't be the last politician to think he/she can do no wrong while conquering his/her enemies only to be brought back to reality w/ their own shortcomings.

 

[lattedatte]

It may have been but I went on FOXNEWS.com today and saw it as one of its headlines.

I just cannot stand politicians and anyone that defends either party on this board should checked for insanity.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

I can't stand it when people equate a sexual indescretion with breaking the law, then lying to the American public about it. Big difference, at least to little old me. All politicians lie, just like many athletes take steriods. But Clinton stands out just like the baseball player did, both got on tv and waved the finger at those who wanted to believe him. Not good for the legacy, is it?

 

[lattedatte]

I can't stand it when people equate a sexual indescretion with breaking the law, then lying to the American public about it. Big difference, at least to little old me. All politicians lie, just like many athletes take steriods. But Clinton stands out just like the baseball player did, both got on tv and waved the finger at those who wanted to believe him. Not good for the legacy, is it?

what did he lie about? a sexual indescretion. Who spearheaded the efforts to make him take the stand over a sexual indescretion? Newt Gingrich. That's ironic.

Also what does sex have to do with how you run a country? just curious.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

He lied under oath, which is perjury..the same crime that libby was convicted of.

HE COMMITTED A CRIME WHILE LEADING OUR NATION and being the top police officer in the land, to boot. Put down the kool-aid, and nobody gets hurt.

If that doesn't bother you, then I'm not sure what to say. Duke Cunningham (rep) committed a crime, and a number of republicans said he deserved to go to jail. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

Newt and many others had a problem with that issue, not him having an affair. Although, he certainly demeaned the oval office with that one. Just wasn't thinking at the moment, I guess.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

He lied under oath, which is perjury..the same crime that libby was convicted of.

That was definitely the crux of the argument.

Although, he certainly demeaned the oval office with that one. Just wasn't thinking at the moment, I guess.

The last Presidents I can think of that did NOT demean the oval office:
Carter, Ford, Ike, Truman...

whereas

Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr are all a bunch of whores...each one has done something to chip away at the office itself.

It's a mistake for anyone to just point the finger solely at Clinton when it comes to demeaning the oval office.

 

[lattedatte]

ok, but really, what is "is"?

you obviously care about this more than I do, I thought clinton was a fine president but certainly made one big mistake. But I'm sick of both sides, I just happen to think the right is more hypocritical right now.

party of ethics, gingrich, foley, libby, etc.
party of fiscal responsibilty/small govt, 10,000 earmarks for pork belly vs 1,000 7 years ago.
party of lower taxes, AMT is out of control which cuased me to write a check this year and they actually had the balls to float the idea of taking the mortgage interest deduction away.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

ok, but really, what is "is"?

you obviously care about this more than I do, I thought clinton was a fine president but certainly made one big mistake.

The best one since Ike.

But I'm sick of both sides, I just happen to think the right is more hypocritical right now.

party of ethics, gingrich, foley, libby, etc.
party of fiscal responsibilty/small govt, 10,000 earmarks for pork belly vs 1,000 7 years ago.
party of lower taxes, AMT is out of control which cuased me to write a check this year and they actually had the balls to float the idea of taking the mortgage interest deduction away.

The list is infinitely longer than that...hahahahahaha

They took the Dems problems of the late 80's and upped the ante about 10x. I honestly did not think one party could be so corrupt so quick. It took the Dems 40 years in power to send a few guys to the clink for all the crap they did... The Repubs beat them hands down in only 6 years.

I guess that proves conclusively the Repubs DO get more done. Unfortunately my ass hurts from all the pounding they have been giving it.

 

[lattedatte]

The best one since Ike.



The list is infinitely longer than that...hahahahahaha

They took the Dems problems of the late 80's and upped the ante about 10x. I honestly did not think one party could be so corrupt so quick. It took the Dems 40 years in power to send a few guys to the clink for all the crap they did... The Repubs beat them hands down in only 6 years.

I guess that proves conclusively the Repubs DO get more done. Unfortunately my ass hurts from all the pounding they have been giving it.

I'm freinds with a ton of hard right republicans. They just hate the word Clinton, I just don't understand it. I really don't. I don't think he was the best since Ike. I think the fact that Reagan or the people he appointed were so instrumental in ending the Cold War, he gets my nod of presidents in my lifetime. But Clinton would be second, I guess he was better than Nixon and Carter as well(but I'm basing that on what I read not what I lived).

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I'm freinds with a ton of hard right republicans. They just hate the word Clinton, I just don't understand it. I really don't. I don't think he was the best since Ike. I think the fact that Reagan or the people he appointed was so instrumental in ending the Cold War, he gets my nod of presidents in my lifetime. But Clinton would be second, I guess he was better than Nixon and Carter as well(but I'm basing that on what I read not what I lived).

Reagan created Osama Bin Laden... -1,000,000 points for style

(I am referring to the millions he gave to "General Bin Laden" of course)

 

[IRISHDODGER]

That was definitely the crux of the argument.



The last Presidents I can think of that did NOT demean the oval office:
Carter, Ford, Ike, Truman...

whereas

Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr are all a bunch of whores...each one has done something to chip away at the office itself.

It's a mistake for anyone to just point the finger solely at Clinton when it comes to demeaning the oval office.

You're right, you can't just point the finger at Slick but if I can use a sports analogy: Clinton is a Hall of Famer whereas the rest were All-Stars. Remember, Clinton was the one w/ the impeachment on his record. Both supporters & haters can argue the validity of that impeachment, but in the end you gotta call scoreboard & accept it for what it is. And what makes it ironic is that Clinton, seemed more obsessed than the other "whores", w/ his legacy.

BTW, some would argue that Carter has demeaned the office since he's been out of office. He violated the "gentleman's agreement" of not criticizing the sitting president. Bush, Sr. avoided criticizing Clinton, but like most good things, a politician has to ruin it. Not even our ex-Presidents can carry on w/ class anymore. It'll be interesting to see what Bush, Jr does when asked about our next President.

 

[lattedatte]

Reagan created Osama Bin Laden... -1,000,000 points for style

Come on, he "just" trained him. I think the US/UK led UN establishing Isreal created Osama but that is my opinion.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Come on, he "just" trained him. I think the US/UK led UN establishing Isreal created Osama but that is my opinion.

Reagan sold Stinger missiles to fanatical mujhadeen many of whom declared the US their #2 enemy behind the USSR.

Bad policy is bad policy.

Selling arms to Iran comes to mind as well.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

You're right, you can't just point the finger at Slick but if I can use a sports analogy: Clinton is a Hall of Famer whereas the rest were All-Stars. Remember, Clinton was the one w/ the impeachment on his record.

Reagan's convenient memory loss about the whole Iran Contra thing kept him from losing office.

 

[lattedatte]

Reagan sold Stinger missiles to fanatical mujhadeen many of whom declared the US their #2 enemy behind the USSR.

Bad policy is bad policy.

Selling arms to Iran comes to mind as well.

O yeah, that was bad, arms for hostages, I forgot about that. Ending the cold war though was not a minor deal, I will not overlook that. But I said it before, I think clinton was 2nd, please dont hate me.

 

[lattedatte]

Clinton was the one w/ the impeachment on his record.

Did he get impeached?

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

O yeah, that was bad, arms for hostages, I forgot about that. Ending the cold war though was not a minor deal, I will not overlook that. But I said it before, I think clinton was 2nd, please dont hate me.

Reagan did not end the Cold War...the Cold War came to an end. It would have ended no matter what. The Soviet Union collapsed under its own sick, twisted, and rotting weight. It could not have survived no matter what.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

ok, but really, what is "is"?

you obviously care about this more than I do, I thought clinton was a fine president but certainly made one big mistake. But I'm sick of both sides, I just happen to think the right is more hypocritical right now.

party of ethics, gingrich, foley, libby, etc.
party of fiscal responsibilty/small govt, 10,000 earmarks for pork belly vs 1,000 7 years ago.
party of lower taxes, AMT is out of control which cuased me to write a check this year and they actually had the balls to float the idea of taking the mortgage interest deduction away.

I agree. Both sides will continue their pissing contest about who's more corrupt/hypocritical w/ no winner b/c we can fill this thread up w/ indescretions & low points from both sides.

As far as Clinton, I'd chalk his success up to falling ass backwards into a gold mine. Firstly, the guy never got elected w/ a majority of the popular vote (thanks to Perot). Then he rode the coattails of the economy bouncing back from recession (which began at the end of Bush Sr term). He begins his term w/ the biggest tax hike in the history of man & attempts to force socialized medicine on us. Luckily, those decisions scared the shit out of the voting public as they responded by tossing the Dems out of Congress & installing Newt & his boys. Slick brings back Dick Morris who coached him back to the middle of the road & to react to the polls accordingly. Add some astronomical credit card debt to further prop up the economy & I can see where some would think of him as a good president. But he's got a lot of folks to thank for that, incle Bush Sr. who put up nary a fight in the 1st election. The best since Ike? Uh.....No. He coulda been 'cause the boy had the gift...but, as a kid, he lacked that daddy who could put a foot in his ass when he messed up. So he just did as he pleased & if something went wrong? Blame someone or something else...just like a good liberal.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Did he get impeached?

Yup.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Did he get impeached?

Yes.

Impeachment means it goes to the Senate for a trial.

Impeachment itself has only been used twice...and both times it was done more for political gain than anything else.

Richard Nixon was NOT the other President who was impeached it was Andrew Johnson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment

However, there is no clarity on what should cause IMPEACHMENT proceedings...
"An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history." - Gerald R Ford, 1970.

Bill Clinton was impeached on December 19, 1998 by the House of Representatives on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (by a 228–206 vote) and obstruction of justice (by a 221–212 vote). Two other articles of impeachment failed—a second count of perjury in the Jones case (by a 205–229 vote), and one accusing President Clinton of abuse of power (by a 148–285 vote). He was acquitted by the Senate.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Reagan's convenient memory loss about the whole Iran Contra thing kept him from losing office.

Like I said...scoreboard

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Firstly, the guy never got elected w/ a majority of the popular vote (thanks to Perot).

Exit polls showed the Perot vote in 1992 split evenly between Dems and Rep's though, so it never changed the outcome. Bush Jr lost the popular vote in 2000...which is worse than not getting a majority in many ways.

Then he rode the coattails of the economy bouncing back from recession (which began at the end of Bush Sr term).

And he kept it alive by keeping government spending increases to 3% or less.

He begins his term w/ the biggest tax hike in the history of man

Actually it was not that big as a percentage of GDP... Also, it hit only the very top brackets so MOST of the country got a TAX CUT. My taxes only went down during the Clinton years.

attempts to force socialized medicine on us.

Yup...the same evil plan that Republicans just pushed forward these past few years for the elderly. Ironic no?

Luckily, those decisions scared the shit out of the voting public as they responded by tossing the Dems out of Congress & installing Newt & his boys.

Actually, the Dems were kicked out for fighting with Clinton. They caused gridlock when they had a friendly President. What morons.

Slick brings back Dick Morris who coached him back to the middle of the road & to react to the polls accordingly.

Actually, Clinton never left the middle of the road...

Add some astronomical credit card debt to further prop up the economy & I can see where some would think of him as a good president.

I am sorry but you are just wrong here. The deficit DECREASED EVERY YEAR OF THE CLINTON PRESIDENCY. Until it was ZERO. Not one year did it increase on his watch...not even when Dems were in charge in the House.

CLINTON'S BUDGETS
http://www.cbo.gov/budget/historical.xls
YEAR DEFICIT
1993 -255.1
1994 -203.2
1995 -164.0
1996 -107.4
1997 -21.9
1998 69.3
1999 125.6
2000 236.2

But he's got a lot of folks to thank for that, incle Bush Sr. who put up nary a fight in the 1st election.

Bush Sr never had a chance...he was stuck with a recession granted to him by the Spend and Spend policies of his predecessor.

The best since Ike? Uh.....No. He coulda been 'cause the boy had the gift...but, as a kid, he lacked that daddy who could put a foot in his ass when he messed up. So he just did as he pleased & if something went wrong? Blame someone or something else...just like a good liberal.

I am trying to find what he screwed up that would put him under the others...can't seem to think of anything.

He definitely screwed up a couple things...but they were minor in the grand scheme:
1) Don't Ask - Don't Tell (ambiguity is unbecoming...choose ONE way)
2) He did very little for the environment
3) Possibly too many tax cuts
4) He did not spend capital to fix Social Security
5) In his last two years he let the Repubs begin the spending craze that has yet to end

 

[IRISHDODGER]

No, actually Clinton has not always been moderate. In 1982, he got fat & happy, and veered to the left, thinking he was invincible. Then he suffered his only gubernatorial defeat at the hands of Frank White. He was then introduced to Dick Morris who gave him the advice to get back to the middle. Clinton seems to slip back to his hippie days when things are going well & it usually blows up in his face (no pun intended). That's why Dick Morris returned when Slick's Presidency hit a bump. I'd respect him more if he'd pick a side, right or left, instead of being ruled by polls. Are all Presidents influenced by polls? Sure, but not to the extent of Clinton.

As far as economies, Presidents are like Quarterbacks. When it's going good they get all the glory & when it goes bad they get all the blame. We have Alan Greenspan to thank for the 80s & 90s. If it weren't for the Iraq War muddying the waters, people would realize this current economy ain't too shabby either.

Bush Sr sure as hell had a chance to win. He was coming off a the Desert Storm victory before the economy took a downturn. He had all of Clinton's scandals & peccadillos laid in his lap by his reelection campaign, but refused to use it. This wasn't the case when he defeated Dukakis. I believe Bush was tired of running for office & the stresses of President...he was ready to retire to Kennebunkport & be a grandpa. The effort just wasn't there. Add that to Perot's candidancy & Clinton wins.

Were you really satisfied w/ our efforts in Bosnia, Serbia & Somalia? You don't think they could have been handled better or not at all? Clinton could have done something about Osama bin Laden but he was probably too busy doing something else like letting a fat girl blow him in the oval office or bombing aspirin factories to get the press's attn. off the fact that a fat girl was blowing him in the oval office. Morals aside, if you're the President of the United States, why the hell to you pick a chubby intern to blow you? And for crying out loud, be a man & divorce your wife if you want to bang other chicks. I'd respect that rather than the President of the U.S.A. acting like a teenager (yes, that goes for all Presidents from both parties).

BTW, before Medicare Part D, how did the elderly get Rx coverage? Oh yeah, there was none. Before you go to Wikipedia, I agree MPD should have been constructed better than it is. I blame Bush for rushing it based on the fact that he felt he had to get some kind of coverage out there since it was part of his platform. The real irony is that the Dems had been promising some Rx coverage for the Medicare folks for years & not a thing materialized. It's easy to Monday morning QB but at least the current administration did something. What's the Dem's solution? Criticize the Rep. solution w/o putting one forward. Unless you count, "Free meds for everyone" a solution.

 

[notredomer23]

That was definitely the crux of the argument.



The last Presidents I can think of that did NOT demean the oval office:
Carter, Ford, Ike, Truman...

whereas

Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr are all a bunch of whores...each one has done something to chip away at the office itself.

It's a mistake for anyone to just point the finger solely at Clinton when it comes to demeaning the oval office.

How can you think Regan was a bad president. I mean come on. Regan basically tore down the USSR by himself. I can understand you thinking the others even though i think they are pretty good except for nixon. And you think Carter was a good trustworthy president?

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

That was definitely the crux of the argument.



The last Presidents I can think of that did NOT demean the oval office:
Carter, Ford, Ike, Truman...

whereas

Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr are all a bunch of whores...each one has done something to chip away at the office itself.

It's a mistake for anyone to just point the finger solely at Clinton when it comes to demeaning the oval office.

Reagan will go down as the greatest president after FDR. If you are old enough to remember where our country was when he took office to how he left it.... The economy was just awful under Carter, as was our military. I guess you don't like success.

 

[lattedatte]

No, actually Clinton has not always been moderate. In 1982, he got fat & happy, and veered to the left, thinking he was invincible. Then he suffered his only gubernatorial defeat at the hands of Frank White. He was then introduced to Dick Morris who gave him the advice to get back to the middle. Clinton seems to slip back to his hippie days when things are going well & it usually blows up in his face (no pun intended). That's why Dick Morris returned when Slick's Presidency hit a bump. I'd respect him more if he'd pick a side, right or left, instead of being ruled by polls. Are all Presidents influenced by polls? Sure, but not to the extent of Clinton.

As far as economies, Presidents are like Quarterbacks. When it's going good they get all the glory & when it goes bad they get all the blame. We have Alan Greenspan to thank for the 80s & 90s. If it weren't for the Iraq War muddying the waters, people would realize this current economy ain't too shabby either.

Bush Sr sure as hell had a chance to win. He was coming off a the Desert Storm victory before the economy took a downturn. He had all of Clinton's scandals & peccadillos laid in his lap by his reelection campaign, but refused to use it. This wasn't the case when he defeated Dukakis. I believe Bush was tired of running for office & the stresses of President...he was ready to retire to Kennebunkport & be a grandpa. The effort just wasn't there. Add that to Perot's candidancy & Clinton wins.

Were you really satisfied w/ our efforts in Bosnia, Serbia & Somalia? You don't think they could have been handled better or not at all? Clinton could have done something about Osama bin Laden but he was probably too busy doing something else like letting a fat girl blow him in the oval office or bombing aspirin factories to get the press's attn. off the fact that a fat girl was blowing him in the oval office. Morals aside, if you're the President of the United States, why the hell to you pick a chubby intern to blow you? And for crying out loud, be a man & divorce your wife if you want to bang other chicks. I'd respect that rather than the President of the U.S.A. acting like a teenager (yes, that goes for all Presidents from both parties).

BTW, before Medicare Part D, how did the elderly get Rx coverage? Oh yeah, there was none. Before you go to Wikipedia, I agree MPD should have been constructed better than it is. I blame Bush for rushing it based on the fact that he felt he had to get some kind of coverage out there since it was part of his platform. The real irony is that the Dems had been promising some Rx coverage for the Medicare folks for years & not a thing materialized. It's easy to Monday morning QB but at least the current administration did something. What's the Dem's solution? Criticize the Rep. solution w/o putting one forward. Unless you count, "Free meds for everyone" a solution.

Clinton passed the biggest welfare reform bill, well, basically ever. No hard left person would ever have touched that, he only got this passed when Newt and his boys took over. And regardless if was his heart or his head(through looking at polls) that got it passed who cares? He got it passed. Stubborness should not be held as badge of honor in the oval office. You must change your position as circumstances change.

And this statement is exactly what is wrong with America:

"I'd respect him more if he'd pick a side, right or left, instead of being ruled by polls."

 

[TexasDomer]

Reagan will go down as the greatest president after FDR. If you are old enough to remember where our country was when he took office to how he left it.... The economy was just awful under Carter, as was our military. I guess you don't like success.

All due respect, I'd put Lincoln and Washington ahead of either Reagan or FDR.

 

[NDXUFan]

Reagan's convenient memory loss about the whole Iran Contra thing kept him from losing office.

Yes, nothing like stating, "I can't recall." You might want to ask yourself why Sandy Burger was not prosecuted for tampering with classified documents from the Clinton administration, which is filled with major felonies. It is only a crime to reveal the covert role of a C.I.A. agent, if you know that the agent is on a covert list and you reveal the individual's cover to the public. In a court of law, when a defendant is asked about the truth of a statement, they must either affirm or deny the statement. In court, Bill Clinton stated that he "stood on his statement." With any other individual, except for William Jefferson, they would be forced to admit or deny the truth of a statement or statements. If you read Former Federal Democratic Prosecutor David Schippers book, "Sellout," you will find it was just not about "sex."

Shark

 

[ShivaIrish]

How can you think Regan was a bad president. I mean come on. Regan basically tore down the USSR by himself. I can understand you thinking the others even though i think they are pretty good except for nixon. And you think Carter was a good trustworthy president?

And Trent Dilfer "led" the Baltimor Ravens to the Super Bowl, to follow Dodger in using a qb analogy.