Newt Gingrich: I Cheated On My Wives Because I Love America Too Much

Newt Gingrich is out with a rather unique reinterpretation of his marital infidelities:

Newt Gingrich: “There’s no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate. And what I can tell you is that when I did things that were wrong, I wasn’t trapped in situation ethics, I was doing things that were wrong, and yet, I was doing them. I found that I felt compelled to seek God’s forgiveness. Not God’s understanding, but God’s forgiveness. I do believe in a forgiving God. And I think most people, deep down in their hearts hope there’s a forgiving God. Somebody once said that when we’re young, we seek justice, but as we get older, we seek mercy. There’s something to that, I think. I feel that I’m now 67 I’m a grandfather. I have two wonderful grandchildren. I have two wonderful daughters and two great sons in law. Callista and I have a great marriage. I think that I’ve learned an immense amount. And I do feel, in that sense, that God has given me, has blessed me with an opportunity as a person. Forget about all this political stuff. As a person, I’ve had the opportunity to have a wonderful life, to find myself now, truly enjoying the depths of my life in ways that I never dreamed it was possible to have a life that was that nice.”

H/T: Taegan Goddard

FILED UNDER: 2012 Election, US Politics, , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. mantis says:

    As a person, I’ve had the opportunity to have a wonderful life, to find myself now, truly enjoying the depths of my life in ways that I never dreamed it was possible to have a life that was that nice.”

    Tell it to the two wives you dumped when they got sick, Newt.

  2. anjin-san says:

    So it’s ok Newt was such an ass because God and apple pie are somehow involved…

  3. Chad S says:

    So, does this mean that Newt hates America now? Or is he too distracted by trying to save America to notice where his penis is going?

  4. matt b says:

    God almighty! Wow…

    I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.

    So hard work leads to serial cheating?

    But what kills me is this part:

    I found that I felt compelled to seek God’s forgiveness. Not God’s understanding, but God’s forgiveness. … Somebody once said that when we’re young, we seek justice, but as we get older, we seek mercy.

    I love how he reserves that mercy for himself but not for political enemies. This is just the worst sort of piousness: “My enemies are evil and want to destroy America. I’m flawed and need forgiveness for my little weaknesses.”

  5. matt b says:

    Just to be clear on that last part… what I meant to say is, that combined with Gingrich’s general rhetoric, he seems to be saying: “we seek mercy (from God) but we offer none to those who even remotely oppose us.”

  6. Muffler says:

    So what Newt said was that he was unable to maintain a marriage and felt obliged to commit adultery because he worked too hard. This is absurd and self absorbed bunk in every way. He was a philanderer and con artist. Most Americans have to handle business and personal demands at the same time. The same people expounding on personal responsibility are the biggest avoiders of said personal responsibility. They act like convicts who find GOD and use it to put the past away as if they won’t kill again.

  7. smintheus says:

    I just love the ‘mistakes were made in my private life’ quality of Gingrich’s mea alicuius culpa.

  8. Dustin says:

    It would be a bittersweet irony of Newt getting into the Oval Office and doing what he seems to do when working to hard.

  9. Steven Plunk says:

    So it’s okay to paraphrase now Doug? That’s not what Newt said and you know it.

    I see there are plenty of people here without the forgiveness gene. A man admits he did wrong, he seeks forgiveness rather than understanding, and no one gets it. The compassion in liberal hearts is obviously hollow. I wonder if Bill Clinton has been forgiven?

  10. smintheus says:

    Steven, what Newt seeks is the presidency. Evidently he believes he already has God’s forgiveness, and if that’s the case he doesn’t really need ours.

  11. Mongcon says:

    So when you are driven by your strong patriotism to overwork, your moral compass suffers?

    OK. So why does this guy want to be President, a job which certainly requires maximum patriotism and LOTS of hard work? Is he itching to cheat again and have that novel excuse handy?

    It’s fine to forgive him. Let God and the Flying Spaghetti Monster both forgive him. But that’s a long way from anyone, including God, reasonably suggesting that Newt should be President of the US.
    How many parents would leave their small children with an admitted pedophile on the strength of him saying that God has forgiven him?? Now raise your hand if you want him in the Oval Office.

  12. EddieInCA says:

    The fact that this serial adulterer, who still preaches “family values” is considered serious by anyone is a glaring symptom of what is wrong with our current political culture.

    This man, based on his actions, should be shunned by all members of civilized society.

    Alas, he’ll probably be on “Meet the Press” again this coming Sunday.

  13. Bachstar says:

    I dunno… if working too hard was what caused him to cheat on his wives, then I would worry about his succumbing to those urges again if he becomes president. I’ve little issue forgiving a man who’s cheated on his wife, but this particular man mired the country in 2 years of ridiculousness with Clinton’s impeachment for the SAME issue. If you’re going to impeach a man for cheating on his wife, then by gum you’d better not be living in a glass house.

  14. wr says:

    I can’t say I’ve ever been tempted to cheat on my wife, but it seems to me the last time I would fall prey such such a temptation is when I’m working too hard. I’ve been on TV shows where I started at seven in the morning and ended at nine pm — why would I want to start sneaking around then, when all I really wanted was a couple hours of sleep? And how would I have found the time?

    This may be the worst excuse in the history of adultery.

  15. Mongcon says:

    “This may be the worst excuse in the history of adultery.” so true.

    Can’t wait to catch the late night shows. Letterman, Leno, O’Brien, Kimmel are all just over the moon.

    “I just to patriotic and overworked” is the new “The dog ate my homework”.

  16. CB says:

    The compassion in liberal hearts is obviously hollow. I wonder if Bill Clinton has been forgiven?

    uhh, steven my friend, do you really not understand the staggering hypocrisy? and thats your line of defense? sheesh.

  17. jpe says:

    Seriously, outstanding title.

  18. TheNoodler says:

    Newt Gingrich seriously deserves to die. The greatest tragedy in modern history is the fact that this piece of shit was able to poison the gene pool with his objectively evil DNA.

  19. Bob says:

    Steven Plunk… you have proven once again that the long departed Mr Barnum was a keen judge of human nature.
    I know not what day and time you were born but your birth WAS predicted by him decades before you appeared on the planet. Unfortunately, his warning to the rest of us that WEREN’T born with terminal gullibility included Mr Gingrich…. He also knew that you and about 60 more just like you were born every hour…. As a matter of fact he COUNTS on it. If you don’t think so just read a few comments from those of us whose births Barnum DIDN’T predict…. LOL. You’re a real beauty…. Why would you even introduce Bill Clintons name in your twisted piece of rhetoric? NOBODY here is defending what Clinton did. The string is about Newt… He’s a liar and he’s a hippocrite… He is a serial cheat and you and the moronic 5% you represent are welcome to him…. He’ll never win a primary and will be old news before the real competition begins. You sir are a fool.

  20. michael reynolds says:

    Just attempted to explain to my wife that I loved my country so much I should be allowed to nail the hostess at the restaurant we visited last week. (You guys know the one I’m talking about.)

    My current condition is stable. Fortunately my blood type is fairly common.

  21. madmonq says:

    Ok. You are forgiven for being a complete f’ing hypocrite.

    What about the wife you divorced while she was on her cancer her deathbed? God had to open an entire new subdivision in Hell for you on that one, Newt. When is some intrepid young reporter going to make his/her career upon asking that question, then watching the resulting irrational eruption go viral.

    I cannot wait.

  22. TheCP29 says:

    To think this man was 3rd in line for POTUS. With this American Flag Defense for adultery this even beats the Bush defense for attacking a country based on fictitious WMD.

    What will be even more ridiculous is that there are Americans out there who will believe this fantasy and vote for this man. No wonder our country can’t compete.

  23. Frank Medrano says:

    Atta boy Newt! Fornicate them all!! You are the classic jerk described in the old saying “A hard pecker has no conscious”. Talk about well defined bigotry…you fit the definition like a glove.

  24. Mr. Roger Wabbit says:

    He was a fascist as a speaker & I think hes still one. As for the forgiving God thing, he will only forgive the forgiving… Now even knowing what he was (may still be) and all, I care as much about this AND his views (other then how fascist they are) as I cared about Bill getting a humjob from Monica. Not My Concern.

    Could he say the same where you or I the everyday Joe is concerned?
    I DON’T THINK SO…