If everyone is treated equally by the press fine and yankee doodle dandy but we know that isn't going to be the case . Make it off limits unless all put on the same blue dress.

Of course...and so should showing your birth certificate, your College transcripts, etc

It isn't so much that I care what they do in private, but if politicians are going to continue to pass laws, write legislation and campaign on issues that impact my personal life and what I do in my home that does not impact others, it is only fair that we know what they do and they believe. If the government would stick to upholding the constitution and not legislating morality then my attitude is that I could care less what they do behind closed doors- that is between themselves, their family and (if they believe) God- I would only care if they were doing their job and FAIRLY representing ALL the people of their district or the US, depending on their role, and NOT just lobbyists or a particular group of people.

I think it should, but only to a point. The rule should be, reporting unethical, or dishonest activities. Reporting that a candidate likes to date strippers should be a no no. But if hes dating more than one woman at a time, and lying to them, then yeah, it should be news. Because he lying, not because hes dating more than one woman. Someones sex life should be off limits unless they're cheating or lying. The victorian era moral thing should be left out of it. I know the thumpers will likely disagree, but too bad.

So yeah, personal life should be reported if involves dishonesty, or cheating, or just being an unfeeling uncaring heel. The public has a right to know what kind of person they are electing.

If private issues mattered to the republicans then (Clinton), why don't they matter now? They just voted for the biggest cheater.

If a presidential candidate openly scrutinizes other peoples personal lives as Newt Gingrich has then I believe their personal lives should openly scrutinized as well. If a person runs around and depicts their personal life as perfect then their personal should openly scrutinized. If they don't depict their personal lives as perfect or if they don't scrutinize others personal lives I believe they should be left alone.

YES. Especially if that candidate has a history of casting the private life stone at others in his/her political life. The stone thrower needs to taste his/her own medicine. It would be media public hypocrisy, like giving them a chit, to NOT make it an issue. Come on, didn't you folks go to J School?

Oh, and while we are at it, has anyone looked at how in the hell the Catholic church accepted this man as a member? As well, as his wife. Some journalist with balls, oh Woodward & Bernstein where are ye now?, needs to ask this question. He opened this Pandora's box and he needs to pay the piper. His actions and his deeds DO NOT MATCH! That is called zero integrity.

In the case of those who have made an issue of "personal responsibility" and "family values" I see no problem with holding them to the standards to which they hold others, frequently to such profitable effect. It's most appropriate in Mr. Gingrich's case, since he made such a point of publicly excoriating (and trying to impeach!) President Clinton for his sexual escapades while engaging in his own sordid affairs. Mr. Gingrich practically defines the word "hypocrite".

What really gets on me is those morons that keep talking about their moral and family values ??? What does this has to do with politics ????? NOTHING !!! moral and familiy values are PERSONNAL !!!! Also these conservatives sound just like muslims and talibans trying to impose their personnal views on all of us.

Also it is time that americans learn the meaning of moral values which are honnesty, courage, generosity, integrity and compassion ! These are moral values ! Gay issues, abortion and others have nothing to do with moral values, they are SOCIAL ISSUES !

I am amazed at the ignorance, and the stupidity of a large majority of americans!

It is social topics and problems that these morons should talk about because social issues impact everybody's lives ! America has grave social issues ! poverty rates and crime rates are high, education is poor, infrastructures are crumbling, the environment is polluted, ground water is polluted, food supplies are unsafe because of all the pesticides, hormones and antibiotic that people swallow everyday, those poisons that corporations put into our food and ground water ! THESE, PEOPLE are the topics and the important things to talk about, not those stupid moral values !!!

Conservatives are obsessed and have talked about their family and moral values for 30 years !!! WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING IN POLITICS ??? Morons like them should never be in politics because this is not what politics are about !!!

Politics are about social changes, politics are about what can be done for the well being of the country and its people!

@!$%# your stupid family values ! it is a waste of our time !

Conservatives are the ultime hypocrits when they talk about their family values !!! They are the ones that cheat, they are the ones having babies out of weldock( remember Palin )

When you look closely, democrats are far superior at family values and you don't have to go far to see that, just look at the president and his family !

It is time that americans wake up to the fact that conservatives are the new talibans of the united states ! They lie, they brainwash, they twist the facts, they cheat and they have absolutly no respect for life !! When you know that 270 000 veterans are living on the streets, that close to 50 000 americans die every year because they cannot afford health care which is an ultime and vital right, when countless americans are suffering because they cannot afford care, when they attack innocent countries, when they promote guns and violence, HOW DARE THEY SPEAK ABOUT MORAL VALUES ????

Throw them all out of office !!!

Does Newt's wife wear a bullet proof helmet?

What's good for the goose, is good for the gander. If the GOP doesn't like it, they should have kept their claws off President Clinton.

If President Clinton had Newt's record on mistresses and extra wives, Newt would have shaken Clinton's hand and been buddies with him. He wanted Clinton destroyed over one woman, why has he changed his tune? Simple, it is his "business" and now that makes it off limits. If Bill Clinton is fair game in his actions, so is Gingrich. Fair play for Newt. He thinks he is entitled to privacy, well Newty, you sure didn't think Bill was, what makes you any better? Not one thing. Two faced hypocrite.

I totally agree with Brian in SF.

Normally I think that a politicians private life shouldn't be an issue on the campaign. While I detest cheaters, the fact that someone cheats does not necessarily mean that they cannot be a good leader, so I voted no on this poll. However in the case of Newt Gingrich I absolutely believe it matters because of the fact that he was so hypocritical in his attempts to impeach Clinton over Clinton's affair while having an affair of his own. If you make someone else private life into an issue, than your private life is unquestionably fair game, and should be doubly harmful to your campaign if you are making transgressions.

What is this a new "reality" show? "President Chickenhawk and the First Whore"