…the Bleacherman has entered the stadium…
I have spent most of the day pondering my takeaways from last night’s Republican’s Presidential debate. There were many but the most dominate was how well Newt Gingrich rang up the sale that might fund his way all the way to the Republican nomination.
At times I wonder whether he and John King conspired to open up the debate with good theater. I mean, what else can you call Newt’s wonderful, powerful and well-rehearsed response. Not just good theater, but great theater; theater worthy of an Academy award.
Newt denied the allegation of wanting an open marriage. That little refutation got lost in his demonizing the liberal main street press. How wonderful, first Newt blames his patriotism for his infidelities and then blames the press for making an issue of the fact that while he was prosecuting the President of the United States for his infidelity, Newt, behind the screen of secrecy, he and God-fearing Calista were doing the exact same thing.
So tell me then: why isn’t character an issue? Isn’t the presidency about character?
Newt said he made a mistake and has asked for and received forgiveness. Okay, I not so enthusiastically and with a great deal of reservation and equivocation will accept that somewhere out there in the vast world there is a God that when it serves him well can be compassionate. But it seems his compassion is limited to only Republicans and only to Republicans who commit adultery. It seems that adultery has been reduced, by necessity, to a misdemeanor of sins.
If God, as Newt claims, provides on-going revolving door forgiveness for his indiscretions then why doesn’t Newt and his God have compassion for the ‘criminal’ who committed a non-violent crime and even after serving his or her time, completing parole or probation, is still denied the basic fundamental right of being able to vote. Why does Newt soak up all compassion for his transgressions and leave none for those also worthy of such absolution?
But Newt made his sale. The audience bought it hook, line and sinker and the former Speaker’s poll numbers are, according to the experts, exploding. It now looks like Newt has won South Carolina and America, real middle class America who cannot make $1.6m in giving history lessons to Fannie Mae, has lost.
Great sales job Newt, great sales job.
…the Bleacherman has left the stadium…
