You’re not helping…
Mar 11, 2007 O Mores!, Politics and Poker
Headlines that make you go “Hmmm…”:
Giuliani defends Gingrich during campaign stop in Nevada
Newt Gingrich’s admission of having an extramarital affair as he pursued President Clinton’s impeachment in the Monica Lewinsky affair has been defended by Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani.
Yes. The guy who let the media find out about the affair he was having by bringing another woman to public events, the guy who allowed his wife to find out he was leaving her by calling a press conference to tell the media about it, is defending Gingrich’s adultery. You know, I don’t really care about the issue, but for those voters who do, about the only such defense that would be less helpful would be one coming from Bill Clinton. (That having been said, the media’s attempt to link this to the Lewinsky case is disingenuous. So what if Gingrich was having the affair while “pursuing” Clinton’s impeachment? The impeachment wasn’t about extramarital affairs.)
I guess I should clarify my claim about not caring about the issue, because that’s not really true. I don’t intend to become the morality police, but I’m not a “Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged” sort of guy (wrong religion). I have no problem judging him as a person, and I conclude he’s somewhat distasteful. But as Ron said, he’s not running for the position of my son-in-law.
It does demonstrate poor judgment, though. I mean, there are bad ways to handle these sorts of situations, and really bad ways. Gingrich’s way — having an affair and keeping it secret — is bad. Giuliani’s way — having an affair in public and hoping people won’t notice — is really bad. Still, if it’s the only instance of poor judgment, I can live with it, and if it isn’t, well, let’s look at all those other instances.
As an aside, the article I linked to above had this bizarre comment:
About a dozen anti-war protesters waved placards near the house where the evening fund-raiser was held. They criticized Giuliani’s support of both the war in Iraq, and the expansion of police powers under the USA Patriot Act and other legislation. “As a presidential candidate and a firm supporter of (President) Bush’s policies, we want to let the public know that his views are not those of the majority of Americans,” said Lisa Stiller of the Reno Anti-War Coalition.
They want to let the public know what the public thinks?
March 11th, 2007 at 8:11 am
He’s not defending his adultery, David!
March 11th, 2007 at 8:17 am
No, Rudy’s not defending the adultery. He’s just saying that you shouldn’t hold it against Gingrich. There might just be a slight bit of self-interest on Rudy’s part in taking that position.
March 11th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Ya think? I’ll say this much: It isn’t going to be Hillary Clinton who raises this topic in the general election!
March 11th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Especially since her only role in the general election will be as a voter.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
LOL — who are you betting on, FIAR? Obama?!
Anyway, DMN — what possible alternative comment do you think Giuliani could have said?
a) “For me it was okay, but for Newt — doesn’t the thought just turn your stomach?”
b) “I never had relations … with that woman …”
c) “Newt who?”
March 12th, 2007 at 11:05 am
(I tried to post this earlier, but my internet tubes were clogged.)
Well, history shows that the next President will be a governor from a southern or western state. I don’t know which governor, but the election cycle is skewed way too early at this point anyway.
Most likely someone not yet in the race. Someone who’s busy being a governor right now.