The news today about Newt Gingrich's second wife has definitely raised hairs and questions. Reading and watching the coverage I find myself much more appalled at his ex-wife then at the man himself. The timing of the interview more than anything else is damning and could have no other aim then to destroy Newt's campaign.
Gingrich, on the other hand, has some blame as well. Having a sexual relationship with another woman behind his wife's back speaks volumes for him being a liar and a cheat, but from all appearances he is the one who brought the affair into the open. He obviously had some feeling for his then wife and/or the sanctity of marriage because, by asking to have an open relationship, he was in his own way trying to preserve their marriage. His then mistress, now wife, appears to have been for all extensive purposes fine with the arrangement and I wouldn't be surprised if they continue to have a semi-monogamous relationship. That's their right.
This monogamish style relationship is not nearly as uncommon as people think. If you have read Dan Savage's Savage Love recently you will see how much more common these relationships are. People unfortunately hide because they are afraid of the stigma that is still attached to these ideas. I could care less what he does in his personal life, as long as he is honest in his dealings.
The problem with being a politician is that you open yourself to these situations of your private life being open to scrutiny. Is this fair? Perhaps it's not, but in today's political climate, that's how it is.
ReplyDeleteIs the timing of the whole thing weird, I can see how it might be. Who knows what the motivation of his ex wife is.
The thing with personal lives, it goes to show character. Speaker Gingrich left two of his wives when they had a disease, his first wife had cancer, the second (the one referenced in your posting) has I believe MS. He served them both divorce papers either during the course of the disease, or when he found out his wife had something (which is the case with his second now ex wife).
Does this all matter? One could argue no, but one could argue yes. If he is willing to be less then a good person in his private life, can one expect any more from him in his professional one? At the end of things, you gotta compare his public works vs private scandles, which in the grand scheme of things may not matter much.
So on one hand, I do believe in the right to a private life, even if your in the political arena, but on the other, to expect things to remain private isn't realistic.
I think as a voter, you kinda have to weigh each situation on it's own merits and as I said before look at the public record of what he/she did in office.
-Ler
I agree with you. What I meant to emphasize was the so called scandal of being in an open relationship. I think it would be nice to see a politician in an open relationship that is done properly. In my post I point out that going behind his wife's back speaks volumes for him being a liar and a cheat. I also end the post with the thought that I don't care what he does in his personal life as long he is honest. Gingrich has not been, but I look to a future where another person can be.
DeleteI have no need to see or not see a politician in an open relationship to be honest.
Delete-Ler
Exactly. If someone chooses to be in an open relationship (and preferably the right way and not the Newt way) that is no one's business but their own, politician or not.
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