In 2006 there was an open seat for Governor in New York. Democrats were rallying early on to Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, so the Republicans needed a candidate who was exciting and able to compete. I went to a Gubernatorial candidate forum and one person stood out, Assemblyman Pat Manning. Manning was young, had a young family, was an across the board conservative, and was a great speaker. He ran in favor of old fashioned family values and classic American values. When he spoke, it sounded like he meant it. I got my picture taken with him and promptly donated to his campaign. I was hooked, I was excited. I was wrong.
A few weeks later it came out that the man was cheating on his wife, who had begun the process of divorcing him. It was messy, as it appeared him and, (according to insiders I knew at the time) other Assemblymen were passing around interns in a sketchy story that appeared less than true, until he dropped out of the race for Governor. He then tried to run for his old assembly seat, losing to Marc Molinaro in the primary – after getting caught trying to contact Molinaro’s pollster pretending to be Molinaro over the phone. I was disappointed to say the least. I couldn’t get over that this man who I had supported, man who I had believed in, would fall this far and could have deceived me so much. Fast forward to this year.
Early on, I had jumped on the Cain Train. When he first began talking about a Presidential campaign, I was excited. Listening to him speak about the fundamentals of conservatism was mesmerizing. His outsider credentials and his vast business experience was impressive to me. Add to that, he had a great personal story and had a great family life. His wife didn’t want to be in the spotlight, she liked her privacy, so he didn’t drag her on the campaign trail. I liked that. I then went out on a limb for him here endorsing him. Then the allegations started rolling in.
First, there were allegations of sexual harassment. There were few details, they appeared…frankly, unfounded. Then came more allegations, including one from a person who actually came public with their specific allegations. Now, there’s this – claims of a 13 year affair. Cain’s response? All but admitting it with a non-denial denial. It makes all the previous allegations appear plausible. Also, she has specifics – texts, call logs, etc. I’m sure it will only be a matter of time before he drops out of the race; which is probably for the best for his family.
In both cases, I went all in for a candidate only to end up feeling betrayed and disappointed in a candidate who was not who they said they were. It’s an awful feeling and one I don’t want to feel again. We all need to be careful before endorsing, but that said – much like in romance, we can not allow the failures of the past to sully our future. We can not be unwilling to endorse for fear of being called a fool. We can not predict who will turn out to be a charlatan, who has skeletons in their closet. You can’t be unwilling to endorse because a skeleton that you never could know about may come out. I can’t just assume that everyone running for public office is untrustworthy, or else I’d never vote.
Trust is important to me and those of us on the right. Limited government, in many ways, requires an informed and responsible public; it requires us to trust each person to do what is right for themselves and their family. In order to have a limited government, you have to hold a great deal of trust in the average person. I trust that I know better for myself than my Senator or my President. I feel the same way about my neighbors and my friends. This is part of why I am a conservative. This inherent public trust carries over into our politicians. Ronald Reagan was a big time truster – according to Reagan speechwriter Peter Robinson, Reagan would trust those he appointed to do their job according to their ability and where they were the experts, he would trust their knowledge and their judgment. We on the right want to trust our political leaders. We are appalled when politicians prove untrustworthy and in most cases the grassroots will go after our own.
Trust is important to me and when it’s gone, it takes time to rebuild and forgive the person who appeared untrustworthy. That’s why Newt has taken until now to become politically viable. It took time to heal those past wounds. Right now I’m frustrated and betrayed. That said, I won’t let disappointment prevent me from endorsing and supporting a candidate in the future.
_______________________________________________________
-Matt Newman is a conservative blogger from Maryland who blogs at Old Line Elephant / Pundit League and Tweets far too often.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Good post. Sucks, man.
And this is why we need to reject Gingrich.
We cannot reject Cain, and then not reject Gingrich.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
#1 – Mass Con – Thanks. I feel a little different about Newt. He’s a self-admitted sinner who has very publicly sought repentance for his sins. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he was honest in said repentance. Maybe I really am too trusting.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
I hear you. But I’ll also say this: What separates conservatives from liberals is that our belief system isn’t constructed around politics. We recognize that man is highly fallible, and so we don’t believe that it’s possible to create some kind of engineered society that can perfect us. Rather, we try to muddle through as best we can, and hope for a system that gives every individual the ability to make the most of their own lives, with minimal outside interference.
In other words – never, ever fall in love with a politician. Look for those who best reflects your interests and make a rational choice based on that. Otherwise, you surely will be disappointed again.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
I have been a Mitt man since 2007 but I liked Herman Cain… I thought he had potential and was keeping my options open for Cain. It is tough to be disappointed with these politicians.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Conservatives united against Romney!
IA + SC = FL and the NOMINATION, folks
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
Only ~20% of Florida primary voters saying they disagree with Newt on immigration
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply »
ppppolls PublicPolicyPolling
Newt with big lead on 1st night of our FL poll… he’s uniting anti-Mitt vote
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply
November 28th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
so were you a cain guy, ?
November 28th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
#5 – why are you spamming this thread with something that has nothing to do with the topic? It’s both rude and pathetic.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
CR what makes you so snarky? Didn’t your mother love you as a child? Were you raised by wolves?
November 28th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
#5 – CR – Please remain on topic here, spamming with anti-Romney rhetoric in a post that has nothing to do with him is unnecessary. Thanks.
#6 – yeah – Yes, I was. See the post for the link to my original Race42012 endorsement of Cain. I have since left the Cain train. This last revelation was just incredibly upsetting.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
It would be very ironic if conservatives run from Herman Cain to Newt Gingrich when they both have shown they are failures at family values. If evangelicals vote for Gingrich they have sacrificed their family values and should lose the right to ever speak about them in the future. This is one evangelical who will not vote for the man who was attempting to impeach President Clinton for oral sex with an intern while having an adulterous affair of his own. There are candidates who have lived their family values all of their lives such as Romney, Bachman and Santorum. As social conservatives like to say, your personal life reveals your true character.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Nice post Jay.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
#10 – Jay – As I said, Newt is an admitted sinner who has very publicly sought repentance from the Lord. Evangelicals like me can respect that, if genuine. That said, you’re right – Perry, Romney, Santorum, Bachmann, have all had non-sordid personal lives. You have to respect and admire that. I know that I do.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
#12 – I have to ask you; Ronald Reagan was an admitted adulterer (during his marriage to Jane Wyman.) By all accounts he was faithful to Nancy, but never “repented” for his actions while he was in Hollywood. How would you rate him, from an Evangelical perspective? I’m genuinely curious.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
10. Jay, you are totally off base.
Newt has admitted his sins and asked forgiveness. Clinton was impeached for lying under oath (a felony.) Period. He was lying about sex, but it was the lie, not the subject of the lie that was a criminal act he was impeached over (and got him disbarred)
No one in this race is perfect. Bush was a born again Christian and so was Jimmy Carter. They were both not all that great as presidents. There is more to the job. Reagan was divorced and remarried, and he was a great President.
Newt has BY FAR the best record of accomplishment and debating skill, not to mention he is a fountain of innovative ideas. He has balanced the budget. He has cut the size of government. Reformed welfare. Brought in a landslide electoral victory we hadn’t seen in over 40 years. He has some baggage…they ALL do.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Matthew…I have been forgiven by God and must forgive others as well. If Newt has sought repentance from God and been forgiven, I understand God forgives us all no matter our transgressions. However, that does not mean we elevate a forgiven adulterer to the highest office in the land just because we agree with his political stance when there are others who have lived much more exemplary lives.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
9 – Bob Hovic taught us all that you can delete posts like #5. It would make this board so much more enjoyable if moderators would start doing it. Having to wade through inane and hateful commentary that has nothing to do with anything is a huge turnoff.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Matthew, you can feel as disappointed and betrayed as you want to by these slimeballs candidates who’ve let you down. But maybe you need to do some self reflection and see that there is some flaw in you that leads you to falling for these kind of guys. Your track record is starting to seem similar to an abused woman who falls for one abuser after another. There is such a thing as discernment. A person with discernment can sense something creepy about a politician like Cain without ever having heard a whisper of scandal.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
#16 How??? I would love to delete CR
November 28th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
12 – Key words being “if genuine”. Newt has proven to be prone to saying whatever he needs to say to be acceptable at any given time, including his recent claim that he is dead set against a health care insurance mandate despite being in favor of a national one only 6 months ago.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
18 – The moderators have to do it.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Newt has more baggage then an airport terminal.
We are going slice him up in Iowa.
Perry is the true conservative not the serial adulterer lobbyist Gingrich.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Matthew,
I hope for Newt’s sake that he truly has repented. However, I don’t think any Evangelical should call admitting “things happened” because one was simply too darn patriotic, repentance. What Newt did was more of an excuse then a repentance. There’s also no reason to believe he’s not just “repenting” for political reasons.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
9.
Oops sorry, wrong thread.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Let’s see, Matthew:
Kraushaar – accuses Cain of a “non sexual” gesture that made her feel uncomfortable. Per the NRA, investigated, found without merit and released with separation package which Cain was no party to. We later find out that she has a history of making frivolous complaints. NRA confirms Cain’s side of the story from the get go.
Bialek – Allred puppet claims Cain performed a physically impossible attack on her in a car, but had no problem asking him to drive her to the hotel and can’t wait to see him at a tea party rally. CBS anchor and other coworkers come forward about Bialek’s checkered past. Did not tell her fiance, who is not really her fiance. We find out later that she was fired for false allegations, and has financial troubles and ties to David Axelrod. Cain passes lie detector software with flying colors on this false allegation, Bialek fails same test.
White – settled a sexual harassment claim against an employer in 2001. Had a temporary protective order filed against her for “repeated e-mails/texts threatening lawsuit and defamation of character” towards a business partner. As an unemployed single mom, has a number of eviction notices here in DeKalb County over the past six years, including this month. mom with two kids struggling to make ends meet. AND possibly has a Chicago connection (stay tuned)
VERSUS
Eva Vachel
Cain and Women
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/283838/cain-and-women-robert-costa?pg=1
November 28th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
AND Sibby Wolfson
Cain’s Former Secretary: This Is Not the Herman Cain I Know
http://www.cainblog.com/2011/cains-former-secretary-this-is-not-the-herman-cain-i-know/
November 28th, 2011 at 9:24 pm
AND Karol Markowicz (2004 Campaign Staffer)
Why this guy’s no sexual harasser
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/why_this_guy_no_sexual_harasser_0ByzbPJgotwpzSAPZVu2bO
November 28th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
AND
If you know Herman Cain – and I do – you believe him
http://www.northstarwriters.com/2011/11/10/if-you-know-herman-cain-%E2%80%93-and-i-do-%E2%80%93-you-believe-him/
November 28th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
AND Joseph Fassler
National Restaurant Association chairman during Cain’s tenure: ‘It’s a hatchet job’http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/03/national-restaurant-association-chairman-during-cain%e2%80%99s-tenure-its-a-hatchet-job/#ixzz1cgsqrOLy
November 28th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
#13 David: Are you sure about that? I don’t remember hearing that Reagan admitted to having committed adultery while married to Jane Wyman.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
I have a ton more character witnesses. There are actually thousands to choose from during Cain’s 40 year career.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
#28 link fixed (I hope) ….
http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/03/national-restaurant-association-chairman-during-cain%e2%80%99s-tenure-its-a-hatchet-job/#ixzz1cgsqrOLy
November 28th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
Cain is gone. He will drop out now.
This one hurt him…actually his family. It wouldn’t if it were a lie…but the evidence is just too great. Too credible.
I believe Ginger.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
The impeachment proceedings against President Clinton were due to the fact that the president committed perjury in front of a sitting federal judge, which is a felony.
Personal Life
Newt has been honest and forthright about the fact that he has had moments in his life that he regrets, that he has had to seek reconciliation, and go to God for forgiveness.
Today, Newt and Callista have a very strong marriage. They produce movies, write books, and enjoy their time on the campaign trail together. They are also blessed to be very close to their family.
Newt believes that by continuing to be honest and forthright about his past failings, voters will come to understand the man that he is now and conclude they can trust him to represent the American people in the White House.
Furthermore, Newt welcomes the opportunity to clear up the many lies and misconceptions that persist about his past.
Voters already know about Newt’s past.
Cain continues to DENY all past allegations of sexual harassment, and recent 13 year affair.
I feel sorry for his wife and family.
Even if we set aside his personal issues, he still hasn’t done well in debates and lacks experience & knowledge.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
OK…Matthew’s post explains a lot. People who fall in love too easily. People who are willingly deceived. Voters need to cool their jets and let the vetting process procede w/o going crazy over the FLOTM.
Now we are looking at Newt. It’s not simply a matter of a man who “made some mistakes” and then repented. Newt’s entire life has been dysfunctional: Brilliant, productive, sure…but in the end dysfunctional: sexual promiscuity (remember the story of oral sex basically in front of his children but they were too short to see), cheating on wives for years while they were suffering from serious illness (John Edwards anyone?), personal finances in disarray, unexplained money making on K Street, risk taking, 100′s of ideas, few if any are ever implemented, contadictions and “flip-flopping,” kind of megalomanicial behavior.
Settle down people and take a keen look at whom we are handing over the most powerful position on the planet. He is stable? Does he have manic-depression as did his mother? The patterns of his life certainly suggest that he does.
The illegal aliens stuff he spouted during the last debate was completely inchoherent: Give people “legal” status but you can’t call it “amnesty.” People who have been here 25 years. Hellz bellz, it was exactly 25 years ago that Reagan (making what he himself called the biggest mistake of his life) gave illegals amnesty. So it’s unlikely that there are ANY illegals who have been here 25 years.
In addition, he wants them to go before a neighborhood draft board, to see if they belong to a church, have children and grandchildren who are legal, if they have been paying taxes for several years. And oh yeah, they need to learn English. No you really believe the “neighborhood draft board” is going to vote to deport any of their neighbors.
Does this really sound like sound policies coming from a sane person?
I want to like Newt. Heck, I wanted to like Cain and Perry. But I didn’t fall in love with them before the first date. Voters need to calm down and wise up!
November 28th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Forgiveness is one thing. Trust is quite another. Newt Gingrich didn’t personally betray me, so it is not of me he needs to ask forgiveness. However he is asking me to trust him, and he has done nothing to earn that trust.
Cain is in the same boat. If he is in fact guilty of betraying his wife and family, and I suspect that he is, he too has lost the privilege of expecting the voters to trust him.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
#33 Newt claimed that he committed adulteries because “he was too patriotic.” Doesn’t sound like much of a mea culpa to me: it sounds to me like a personally-aggrandizing excuse. And what about the wonderful Catholic Calista who sings in the church choir, but had NO problem sleeping with another woman’s husband for six years?
And Newt has yet to explain how he made millions in his non-lobbying business on K St. What exactly was his involvement with Freddie, which helped cause the worst economic disaster ever? If Newt is soooo smart and soooo prescient, why didn’t he see the housing market crash and warn the country–instead of what appears to be aiding and abetting.
Maybe there are good answers to all these questions, but before I fall madly in love with the latest not-Mitt, I want to date awhile.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Bill Bennett on Hannity tonight saying we should vote for Newt because “he fires up the base.” Oh, great. Look who has fired up the base in the past? All the not-Mitts who have risen and fallen. The base is not dependable to make a rational choice, at least so far.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
33. I am all for forgiveness, repentance and moving on… but that doesn’t mean that you put an alcoholic so to speak back in the bar. While the GOP
may be able to forgive his transgression, will Independents, and a few Dems??? Do you want to bank the election on forgiveness on the democratic party?
November 28th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
32.
Of course you do.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
K.G.. date a while??? are you sure you want to date Newt? He is married I hear. LOL
November 28th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
32.
And you would never be picked for a jury.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
37.
Bush Sr, Dole, McCain, Romney …..
Who needs the base? Oh, wait.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
33 – And why was he before a special prosecutor (not a sitting judge) talking about his sexual relationships in the first place?
November 28th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
33 – “honest and forthright” and Newt Gingrich never belong in the same sentence, unless proceeded by the word “not”.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Craig For Huck,
Florida will be Newt Country.
Mitt made a big mistake when he declared that FL would be the state that we would seal the GOP nomination with.
The FL GOP PPP poll should be awake up call to the ROMBOTS…..but it won’t be.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Noelle Says:
November 28th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
“Cain is in the same boat. If he is in fact guilty of betraying his wife and family, and I suspect that he is.”
Ok, what if it is proven that he’s NOT guilty? Will you then vote for him?
November 28th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
#12 Matthew Newman,
I too am an evangelical and have always been taught that God forgives the sinner but that doesn’t remove the consequences of the sin.
In Newt’s case, the consequences of his sin are shattered trust.
Newt Gingrich was married to Jackie. He cheated on her with Mary Ann. He asked Mary Ann to marry him before he’d asked Jackie for a divorce. He then marries Mary Ann, cheats on her for six years with Calista and asks Calista to marry him before asking Mary Ann for a divorce. Those are two women that Newt pledged before God to be true to and he proved himself untrustworthy.
No doubt God forgives Newt but if his wives couldn’t trust him, how could the rest of us ever trust him with the most powerful and important job on the planet.
Someone who commits a serious crime can be forgiven by God and by people but they will never have, and should never have, the same level of trust they once had. That’s the eternal consequence of the action and it is completely seperate from the issue of forgiveness.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Reagan said trust but verify. Cain has no public record. It was lunacy to support a man without a past, politcally speaking of course. I hope everyone has learned a valuable lesson. There is a reason why none other than governors, senators, or war heros ever become President.
Newt has a record. Romney has a record. Put them up side by side. Who would be the best executive and who is really the most conservative? Romney has a record in pubic and private industry of turning around failed organizations. Newt wrested control of the House from the Democrats, only to lose it in a series of corruption scandals, including his biggest scandal, having an affair with a staffer at the same time he was wagging his finger at Bill Clinton.
Romney turned a $3 billion deficit around. During this time, Gingrich was being paid to help Freddie avoid Congressional oversight. Also, during this time, Gingrich was being paid by the health care industry. Romney took no salary as governor. Newt collected at least $32 million from these two organizations.
During this same time, Mitt Romney passed a health reform bill that cost less than 1% of the state’s budget. Newt Gingrich used his influence to support George W. Bush’s Medicare expansion, a huge unfunded annual addition to the country’s budget deficit.
Trust but verify.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
45.
So right, Smacks. After Huck DOMINATED Willard in Iowa, his Bots still spun it as a win. A silver medal win.
Pathetic.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
PPP Just tweeted:
“Bachmann/Huntsman/Johnson/Paul/Perry/Santorum only getting around 15% COMBINED on night 1 in FL…inching closer to 2 man race?”
Worse case scenario for Mitt….an early two-man race with Newt.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Oh and I almost forgot Newt is a serial cheater. So when he says he wouldn’t change his position for convenience, he’s lying. He’d change anything, including his wife to improve his position.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
What a crazy primary. Reminds me a little of 1984 and 92 on the democratic side. Bimbo eruptions and nonsense.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Hilarious that craig for losers is still defending Cain after his tacit admission of the affair.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
53. McDork,
Link where Herman Cain did any such thing.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
50.
Yeah, I saw that one and knew you’d notice it
November 28th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
Craig For Huck,
Mitt is in deep trouble.
The Fire Marshal was called to the SC Theatre that Newt had his Town Hall in SC tonight…too many people showed up.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
56 Love is a fickle thing. Newt knows this as much as anyone.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Smacks,
ANY one on one versus Romney
or
even two conservatives versus Romney
spells DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM for Romney.
The guy is too regional (Northeast and Utah) and stuck on about 20 for years.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
56.
Smacks,
iT SURE LOOKS LIKE SC would love nothing better than to kill Romney’s chances. And they’re chomping at the bit.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:31 pm
The only question is who will give the conservative a larger margin of victory over Obama-Lite-Mitt.
South Carolina or Florida??
November 28th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
For all those bashing Newt…
Setting the record straight:
http://www.newt.org/answers
November 28th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
61 – LOLOLOLOL!!!!!
November 28th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
#61 R4L,
I don’t see a tab for all the personal stories that Newt gets hammered about.
Does he address at all whether or not he was actually having a six-year affair with Catholic choir girl Calista while still married to second-wife Maryanne? I’d like to read his version of the story on all the personal baggage. Presumably he has more to say than that he did it because of his love of the country.
November 28th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
#61 Nor does the explanation of the Gingrich Company and Freddie explain anything. What EXACTLY did Newt do for his nearly $2 million?
November 28th, 2011 at 11:05 pm
#65
Watch the Fox video, under Freddie Mac.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Btw, holes in today’s Cain smear lie coming in:
Herman Cain must be a stud to have an allegedly sexual affair while battling Stage 4 colon cancer.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Sideline reporter: Newt, you squandered the first Republican majority in 70 years, you left two marriages in shambles, you’ve resigned in disgrace over ethics violations, you helped add trillions to the deficit by expanding Medicare, and you’ve helped bring down the entire economy by securing political favors to Freddie Mac. What are you going to do next?
Newt: I’m going to the White House!
November 28th, 2011 at 11:13 pm
67 He IS a stud! Cain/Woods 2012!
November 28th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
#67 Craig,
I just watched the interview. She said it was an on/off affair for 13 years and she knew he was married so she didn’t expect it to go anywhere.
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/ginger-white-claims-affair-herman-cain-20111127-es
November 28th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
I too was excited for Cain … to be a potential running mate to Mitt Romney. I didn’t feel he was qualified for POTUS, yet. Sure, he has executive experience, but he would be torn apart by the DC political machine.
I also came to Cain’s defense during the first several accusations. It looked too much like a smear campaign and companies pay off accusers of harassment all the time (it’s cheaper).
But then the wheels started coming off his train. First it was his inability to give a straight answer after 4 attempts in one day (after a 10 day lead up). Now this. I’m afraid Cain is going to have to drop out (and Intrade is going to have a payout for two of their markets.)
About Newt. Yes, he’s publicly apologized and asked forgiveness. For a Christian, we are commanded to forgive all (even those who do not ask for it). But we are not commanded to forget. Otherwise we’d be constantly fooled.
Still, Newt is not the candidate we want running for POTUS. And this is not because of his personal life. It is because, not more than 6 months ago the Republicans were railing against him because of his opposing stances on topics that Republicans hold dear. Like McCain, the Maverick, Gingrich tries to straddle the line on the left and right and doesn’t really know what his positions are. (I hear that charge made of Romney all the time… and it’s just not true of him.) Gingrich *is* the establishment candidate in that he is a DC insider. I thought the Conservatives and the TEA Party types were against that. I could go on, but you all can do your research.
Frankly, I’m surprised Santorum hasn’t gotten a rise after Cain’s fall. Still, none of the candidates are as fully vetted as Romney and Gingrich (and I’ve already laid out why Newt is not the one.)
November 28th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Gingrich may have repented, but he has no real public record after his repentance, there is really no sign that he could handle himself if he got to a position of power ever again.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
It was funny watching Bill Bennett absolve Newt of his political and ethical sins because he’s sensed Newt is a changed man. The phrase ‘once a sinner, ALWAYS a sinner’ comes to mind…..but we know that that’s not right. People CAN change, and sometimes they do.
But the odds are against it.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
73 – If someone can’t point to a time and reason for a change, I don’t buy it. It isn’t clear when Newt saw the light, let alone why. He has been strongly in favor of a national mandate for over 15 years, and now we are supposed to believe he suddenly saw the light in the last few weeks? Anyone who buys that is delusional.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Btw,
The Democrats are doing all they can to bring down Mitt’s candidacy while boosting Newt.
Doesn’t that TELL you something??
November 28th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Delusional or lying
November 28th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Romney leads Obama in Arizona by 7 in the PPP poll that will probably be posted on this site sometime tomorrow. Gingrich TIES Obama. In ARIZONA!!
This is just one piece of evidence out of many that relate to the facts cited in #75. Romney defeats Obama in yet another state that’s part of the President’s re-election strategy. Gingrich, once again, fails to do likewise.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
#74 Jax: This entire primary has been delusional–one not-Mitt after another. The Not-Mitts fell mainly because they didn’t seem smart enough. Newt seems smart enough so he probably will not fall. In fact, delusional Republicans may even nominate him. I do not believe the old, fat, white, unethical, pervert lobbiest can beat the young, slim, half-black squeaky-clean incumbant. At least that’s how Newt will be portrayed.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:53 pm
All you people are pathetic. If you had a great mechanic who could fix your car, would you stop going to him because he may or may not have had an affair? I am on the Cain Train because I truly believe he can fix our ailing economy. It does not matter to me if he had an affair. I voted for Bill Clinton because I thought he was our best choice. Newt has baggage, but I can support him. Let’s keep our eye on the ball – we have got to defeat Obama! Forget about these smear attacks on Mr. Cain. If you supported him before, stay on the Cain Train! Cain is just a man … he is not perfect … but in my heart and mind I believe he is the one to defeat Barry in 2012!
November 28th, 2011 at 11:58 pm
Like a few people, I cringed to hear Gingrich within the last 6 months absolve himself for his moral failings by claiming his bad behavior was due in large measure to his over-zealous love for his country.
Not the words of a penitent man taking full responsibility, but the words of a very strange person who delusionally fools himself into thinking that any rationale he puts forward truly does absolve, and places the responsiblity back on us to pony up and forgive. Weird. I can’t place it exactly, but it starts to register on the narcissistic personality disorder scale.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:01 am
Most of your posts are “on the wrong thread”, just in case you wanted to know…
November 29th, 2011 at 12:03 am
#79 You might be missing the real point here. It’s not so much that a person had an affair but what kind of life have they lead en toto. What is the man’s character? What are his abilities? How dependable will he be in actually effecting what he’s promised? How realistic are his policies? Can he be trusted?
I personally do not believe in 9-9-9, but if I believed for one minute that Cain would be best on the economy and foreign policy, the purported affairs and other stuff (not even proven) would not matter to me. People are saying that it’s the sexual allegations that are hurting Cain. I believe it’s gaffes, misstatements, obvious lack of serious knowledge to be POTUS that’s been the real problem.
Newt’s affairs per se don’t dissuade me from voting for him–except that Newt’s life has been dysfunctional on so many levels that he scares me as POTUS.
Newt and Mitt are ahead in the polls right now because they are the only ones who have shown the intelligence, understanding and experience to actually be POTUS.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:05 am
How would you Newt supporters react if it came out that Newt had indeed cheated on his third wife? There are rumblings of just such q story coming soon.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:08 am
83.
Yeah…sure, Greg. Reveal your source, or STFU.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:09 am
This entire post lacks moral character. The author is trying to say adultery doesn’t matter. It can be forgiven is true, but there is a cause and effect, a chain of actions that comes with transgressions. As much as Newt was committing adultery so was his new wife. It should disqualify him from being President period. Again though this is nothing compared to Newt’s actions while he served as Speaker of the House. Losing his speakership was a huge error that demonstrates his lack of courage under fire. Absolute Power corrupts absolutely, and how did Newt handle his power?? Now we are trying to justify Newt’s actions and forgive him. It is a character issue. There are issues regarding Mitt’s dealings with Fannie and Freddie that are horrible. How far do we have to go. We give him the power of the presidency, means we exonerate him from his past. I’m all for repentance but there are candidates like Santorum, Bachmann, Perry and Romney that don’t have these stains to deal with. Their character is shinning compared to Newts.
Adultery, crony capitalism, corrupted power come with a heavy price tag and though God can forgive and he does, certain acts disqualify candidates from becoming the most powerful man on earth. Newt has shown very poor character in the past while abusing power and how do we know he won’t abuse that power again. It would be sorely wrong to give him that opportunity again when there are so many who have shown they know and understand how to use their power correctly. I’m not saying Newt is a bad man, he may have repented, I don’t know that is an individual issue between him and God. I don’t want to put him in office to find out.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:11 am
#80 Watch: Precisely my impressions. It all clicked when I heard that his mother suffered from manic/depression. When you look at the patterns of Newts life you see some signs: Sexual promiscuity (including oral sex in a place where his kids could have seen him), hyper-activity, risk-taking, poor money management skills, 100 ideas per minute, some just plain dumb (like a neighborhood draft board to see which illegals will stay and which will be deported).
People have said that Newt’s upbringing was clearly dysfunctional and are amazing that he portrays it is glowing Norman Rockwell terms. And yes, your point of how Newt portrayed his adulteries as “patriotic.”
It’s interesting. Nearly everything Mitt has touched has turned to gold. Nearly everything Newt has touched has turned to caca, including his famous 1994 revolution and subsequent implosion.
I don’t like armchair psychoanalysis, but in this case voters need to take a keen look and consider a candidate’s mental heath. Good grief!
November 29th, 2011 at 12:14 am
50
Nah, I’ll take that. I’d be perfectly happy with a Newt/Mitt battle.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:14 am
Wingnut,
See #73.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:16 am
Hummm…
With all this RomNot forgiveness for Cain and Newt going around, no wonder they have no room left in their little hearts to forgive Mitt for anything, even his hair…
November 29th, 2011 at 12:19 am
88, Greg stated that there are rumblings of a story about to break. That is a lot different than your opinion as to whether someone is capable of changing their ways. Greg is using sleeze ball tactics that should be denounced(but probably won’t be) by his fellow Mittheads. If he supplies a credible source, I’ll take that back.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:22 am
90 – I’ll do it.
Greg, unless you’re somehow telling the truth, in which case I’ll apologize, don’t be a sleaze and post things like that.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:22 am
Atty 4 Cain stalker = big dem donor: $2300 to Obama 08, $500 DNC 07, $500 DNC 04, $500 Edwards 04, $2000 Kerry 00, & $5,800 to other dems
November 29th, 2011 at 12:25 am
I know that a SoCal newspaper is doing an investigative report into Gingrich, and they say that there is evidence that he was unfaithful to his 3rd wife at some point furing their marriage. Not making this up. Should break by mid-December.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:26 am
Hey RomNots, with all this forgiveness talk going around, are any of you willing to take the plunge and forgive Mitt for transporting the family dog on the car roof?
November 29th, 2011 at 12:27 am
72 Teemu…you nailed it. The personal change Newt sites came after he was free of the power and stewardship of public office, and he’s untested since.
It’s the pattern and breadth of this behavior that DISQUALIFIES Newt for the White House. Not a simple short sexual affair…multiple, emotional and physical betrayals over many years and with multiple parties. Not just a simple lapse in judgement as speaker, but 85 distinct violations of House ethics rules. Not just taking a fee for consulting to the most corrupt Government backed agency the western world has known in the last 40 years, he has taken 1.5 Million, and he continues to justify it.
It’s amazing that Newt’s even still in this race. It’s amazing that he views himself as somehow morally qualified to hold this position of trust. It’s inexplicable to me that anyone can support him. My party is losing its mind.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:28 am
AndrewBreitbart: Edward Buckley dem donor $2300 Obama 08 $5,000 dem PAC 08 $500 DNC 07 $500 DNC 04 $500 Edwards 04 $2000 Kerry $5800 otherDs
37 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply
November 29th, 2011 at 12:29 am
#93….Greg….I don’t think we should be trusting phantom news stories that are “set to break” sometime in the future….especially if just before the start of voting.
But that doesn’t stop Craig for Losers from peddling DNC lies and distortions about Romney with great lust and enthusiasm.
How is it they define a hypocrit again…
November 29th, 2011 at 12:30 am
CR…the new woman has cell phone records showing calls from Cain early in the am and late in the evening. He doesnt even seek to explain them. He tried to tell us that this was going to happen…do you remember when he warned you that “they’re be more allegations”. He knew this was going to happen.
I promise you that Herman Cain will end his campaign before the First of January. I’ll wager you dinner at your favorite restaurant. Sadly, I like the man, but honesty is the only policy….this is why.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:31 am
96.
If Cain is innocent, he’s going to have a difficult time explaining why his wife doesn’t know who she is after 13 years of texts, phone calls, letters, and plane tickets. I like Cain, and considered supporting him at one point, but this looks bad on the surface. His attorney’s statement didn’t help matters.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:42 am
#99 I liked Cain a lot too….long before CR jumped on his train….but his “not ready for primetime” vaporous 999 plan, foreign policy ignorance, and other policy and preparedness issues were hurting him with me.
I have stayed on the sidelines about this sexual related stuff, waiting for the facts to come out, but his attorney’s statement regarding the 13-year affair is pretty straight forward, basically saying, “It’s not a crime. Next topic please.”
I just have the gut feeling this one is one Cain won’t be able to wiggle out of.
If Cain is innocent, he owes it to his family to set the record straight ASAP……not dance around it like he’s been doing about the sexual harassment charges.
As for the voters, Cain pretty much has left us up to our own wits, so I guess we’ll just have to decide for ourselves…
November 29th, 2011 at 12:53 am
Newest Cain Accuser Has History of Financial Trouble
November 29th, 2011 at 12:55 am
98.
Why did she not even release ONE of them?
You know why.
November 29th, 2011 at 12:58 am
While living in Louisville, Kentucky, she worked at Recruitment Plus, LLC. According to WAGA, she filed a sex harassment claim against an employer ten years ago, and the case was settled.
Well surprise, surprise!
November 29th, 2011 at 1:00 am
Cain’s campaign is standing firm that this is ALL manufactured – his Iowa chairman, Steve Grubbs, tweeted out that White is a “shocking, defaming libeler.”
November 29th, 2011 at 1:03 am
The question then is why are a few conservatives on this board, assuming the truth of the allegations?
One might say it’s because they’re not Conservatives.
November 29th, 2011 at 1:06 am
Actually it’s a high-risk strategy for the Dems to try and destroy Herman this early.
If Cain survives all these lies and ends up on top, he will be unbeatable.
November 29th, 2011 at 1:17 am
106:
Maybe Democrats think that Cain was so weak that he was just going to take votes away from Gingrich, so they attacked him further believing it would improve chances of Gingrich to get the nomination.
November 29th, 2011 at 1:22 am
Official position from the Cain camp:
November 29th, 2011 at 1:24 am
She didn’t even release the content of ONE text message. Not one!
Pathetic.
November 29th, 2011 at 7:15 am
Not to pour salt on a wound. Believe me, I check into character first thing. Romney won’t let you down.
November 29th, 2011 at 9:45 am
K.G. reveals the Mitt-conspiracy to hijack the party in the name of moderate liberalism:
“The base is not dependable to make a rational choice, at least so far.”
November 29th, 2011 at 10:10 am
70 mike I understand your point. Perhaps in a street fight or a fox hole a partner,s fighting skills are independently important, but I dont do buisness with liars and cheats. Everyone has a line they wont cross and this is mine. By the way repentance is a wonder gift, but admission by expediency is not confession, and momentarily stopping the offense for the moment is not foresaking the behavior.