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When you run for President, you put your life under a microscope, and anything even remotely inappropriate will be dug up by the media or the opposing candidates. If you don't want to endure that, don't run. Newt's tongue lashing of John King last night might have played well with the highly partisan GOP crowd, but it won't wash in mainstream America. Newt will never win this one by claiming to be a victim of the "big bad media." Newt's personal life has an odor to it, and that odor is not going away. The sooner he comes out and addresses it in a calm, rational way, the better off he and his campaign will be.
This may be a little off topic Wilfred, but our present President, Mr. Obama's life has put under a microscope a thousand times. From accusationsl he was born in Kenya or malaysia or wherever, to accusations that he wasn't even BORN! and don't forget the "gay" accusations, the "name" accusations, the "religion" accusations, it goes on and on, and Donald Trump won't forget the "birther" accusations....god forgive me, but talk about somebody being put under the microscope -- pass the Johnnny Walker!
Wilfred of Ivanhoe, Newt will NEVER be calm and rational - and that's what scares me to death about this man. He reeks of being egotistical, and his wife has that plastered on smile and appears to have absolutely NOTHING upstairs. Could be wrong, she just looks like a true ditz to me.
To ask if the moral character of a candidate "should" be brought into forum discussion is as childish as asking who is your favorite teacher.
Every thread of a candidates moral fiber should be subject to intense examination, no less than ones person boarding an airplane. The values we live by absolutely determine the decisions we make in every step we take in life and if a man or woman wants to be the leader of this nation, he/she must be ready for a moral strip-search.
Ha! Ya! The media is only concerned that Repubs be perfect. You all are a bunch of hypocrites. How many of you out there who voted yes have cheated on your spouse, have not been deceptive on your tax return, have not failed in some manner. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Newt has the propensity to turn the liberal tide of this nation. What Tebow has done lately for evangelical Christianity, Newt could do for conservatism. Go Newt! Go!!
I didn't vote because I was unsatisfied with the options but I've never cheated on my spouse or taxes and I certainly haven't tried to control other people's family decisions/ personal lives. If you seek to make the bedroom and marriage open to public control you open yourself to critique.
If you think that Newt is a model for what conservatism should be, the party truly is in serious decay.
Rob...
Couldn't agree with you more! Personally, I believe the Obama administration is more nervous with Newt becoming the nominee.
We know everything about Newts past, there is no new story here! ABC and CNN know this, but they didnt care.
Libs, if Newt is such an easy win, then you should want Newt to get the nomination. I still for the life of me cant figure out what Obama is going to run on?
I guess he can run on his record spending, or the health care bill that majorty of Americans are against. Maybe he can run on being the Food Stamp president (FACT) but that isnt enough, he could discuss the record spending across the board with social funding programs. He can run on how gas prices have jumped significantly since he has taken office. Or he could run on talking about unemployment numbers.
Dems playbook on politics....If you cant defend your own record, ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK....... Obama is going to be nasty this election and has the money to do it. But it will be fun to watch him lose, even with the money at his disposle. Sorta like watching the Yankees lose in the World Series to a team who only has a fraction of the money to spend.
Obama has nothing to run on, so character asassination is the only hope for the dems.
I consider character of a candidate as one aspect when I vote, and that is why neither Mr Gingrich and Mr Obama have not or will not ever get my vote.
Where is the #4 option?
4. Only so much as they run on a family values platform, seek to control others private lives, or use their family life as part of their campaign.
As this poll clearly shows, there are still 20% who just don't get it; whether through intentional stupidity or just plain ignorance. These are the mindless lemmings who are willing to let amoral hypocrites pander to them on the basis of their meaningless religious fantasies and superstitions on the hope that public policy will be based on their tribal lore and patriarchal dogma so they can keep all their daughters and young boys for themselves.
The funniest part is when these idiots "accept" a politicians' word that they have found redemption in whatever fictions god the particular target mass of bubbas worship and claim salvation in their name, which excites the mindless because it validates their silly religion.
Morality is not the sole provence of any religion because every religion is just a man-made construct and can be shown to be either biased, bigoted, territorial or racist or all of the above. Some, like the Christian religion, even condone mass murders, so no religion and its made-up beliefs should be allowed to be part of any public policy discussion, let alone a litmus test or excuse for the veracity of a politician or their ability to serve.
Both parties have and will continue to make Christianity look bad at times, because there are moral and immoral people in all walks of life. However, if anyone claims to be a Christian, they should remember that the Bible says whoever can be trusted with little can be trusted with much. And conversely...
I recall during GWBush's administration, many self-identified Christian churches supported the bogus war in Iraq and were strongly behind many of the policies (No Child Left Behind, Tax cuts, Medicare RX bill) that have turned out to be detrimental to the US. It seems to me that Christianity was a willing and eager participant in America's downfall during the Bush years, and have worked against Obama's attempts to help America's middle class. No help from any political party to make Christianity look bad; your actions did it all for you...
A candidates personal life should be left out of the campaign, unless the candidate himself/herself brings it up. Then it's fair game.
This becomes a very gray issue, though, when trying to appeal to a specific faction like the religious right on your "values" as part of what you are bringing to the table as your attributes. Once you declare yourself to be more electable based on your "values", then your opponents should be able to challenge that if they see chinks in your armor as they would for any other issue or stance.
The pot calling the kettle black? tooooo baaaaddd Newt baby!
"I did not have sex with that woman!" WJC
Bunch of jello heads!
I find it amusing and ironic that Newtie was having an extramarital affair while trying to impeach Bill Clinton for having fun in the Oval Orifice. Its no wonder that nothing important gets done in Washington except to find satisfaction for unsatisfied libidos.
I do not care about Newt's personal life. If anything, I find it kind of amusing. I do care about the fact that he is willing to take money from anybody for anything. He would really have a big platform in the White House.
I vote no with the caveat that no one is harmed and no children are involved. Sexual preference, marital infidelities, been drunk a few times, smoked some dope once.....who gives a @!$%#?
Right on Ron!
I agree, but I don't claim to be a member of the party of "family values".
Sam...
I like how you hold the GOP side to the family values party, but does that mean the Dems are the party of no values? Do people make mistakes from both sides of the aile? Funny how when someone within the GOP party do something wrong, they handle it, but if a dem does something wrong, it is okay?
You should stop trying to stick the family values to a specific party, that should be for anyone to have family values. I personally believe Bill Clinton has good values with his family, but clearly has made many mistakes.
James.......do you remember Monica?
Ultimately, this is up to the individual voter to decide. But for someone like Gingrich? The guy who
1) pushed for Clinton's impeachment while having an affair with Calista
2) claimed his "patriotism" led him to stray from his marital vows
3) constantly whines about the downfall of the American family while he has cheated on multiple wives and didn't pay child support for his own kids
4) wrote the book on the vicious terms Republicans should use on Democrats
We could go on. While the tone-deaf voters of South Carolina might love his Southern boy "I'm a white victim" rhetoric, the rest of the country remembers what a horrible person he is.
Sorry, Newt. You may win on Saturday, but you're going down.
In this particular case I am a firm believer that a candidates personal life is relevant....especially when you are able to somehow imply that your excuse was that you worked to hard for this country. I'm pretty sure being President is a much tougher job than Speaker of the house. Seriously, give me a break! If working too hard and your overwhelming love for this country leads you to break a sacred pact between one person what will you be willing to do to millions of us. Go home Newt - you are a complete joke!
I don't recall Bill Clinton getting asked questions when he was first running for president, in regards to the several allegations from women in Arkansas. Yes, I saw the women talk, but never saw a debate where they questioned him on it.
I don't recall Hillary Clinton getting asked about Bill Clinton cheating on her and the other allegations of his infidelity when she was running for president, why not?
ABC was wrong to air the interview with Newts ex wife, 2 days prior to an election. If ABC felt this was news worthy then why didnt they interview her, hmmmm lets say over the past decade? For CNN to question Newt on it was also classless.
I believe for any candidate in either party, running for president, it is okay to discuss peoples past (as they should) but to point blank ask them about it, when it has already been layed to rest. Again, I dont believe any media would ask Hilary about Bills cheating on him. Why bring it up, unless there is a new story with it.
Uh--Gennifer Flowers?
If a candidate is running and saying they are full of values and morales, then their life, past and present should definitely reflect it.
The media sure has given obama the clown a free ride. What is worse? An open marriage or associating with the likes of Reverend Wright and Bill Ayres? ANYONE BUT obama IN 2012!
I would rather government stay out of tax payer's private lives such as abortion and gay marriage.
Yes, and here's why. If the GOP candidates are going to try hard as hell to insert themselves into MY life, I have every right to know all about theirs!
A politician should be judged based upon the job he does representing the American people not his or her private sordid life. Just keep that sordid life out of the public's view, however, I'll pray for your continuing excellent work representing the majority of the American people. It should be remembered that numerous politicians in the past had their dark side but it was kept quiet. Now the media exposes all the mans mistakes a man makes in his life and all of us have made mistakes at one time or another.