After Careful Consideration

Among the usual inane and off color e-mails, sometimes one gets one that is a thoughtful, well articulated view on important matters.  I got such a one this morning from a Russell High School classmate and friend.  His credentials include service to his country as an officer in the Air Force followed by consulting assignments in the defense industry.  But that is not the point; however, the weight of what he had to say is.  It follows here:

Although I will probably vote for Newt Gingrich if he is the Republican nominee, is he the best Republican candidate?  I have my doubts. 

"Speaker Gingrich has never run anything," according to Governor Chris Christie. "He's been a legislator. I have to tell you – I don’t think being a legislator is the best calling card."  "Look at the guy we have in the White House now: He never ran anything and was a legislator."

Newt Gingrich was born June 17, 1943, thus he would be 69 when he becomes President.  My first question concerns Newt’s physical health.  Is he healthy enough to be our President?  To me he looks overweight and somewhat blubbery. This is an indicator that he does not have the discipline to eat healthy and exercise properly.  I do not believe we have had a President who looked this much out of shape since Roosevelt in 1945.

My second concern is Newt’s track record as Speaker of the House.  While he achieved major accomplishments with his “Contract for America” such as maintaining a balanced budget, he left under a dark cloud. The House charged Newt with 84 ethics violations.  Although all but one was dropped (the reason they were dropped is questionable), they voted 395 to 28 to reprimand him. In addition, he had to pay a $300,000 "cost assessment" for an ethics violation.   Facing major opposition from the House’s Republican caucus, he resigned rather than facing an up-hill battle to keep his Speaker’s job.  He stated, "I'm willing to lead but I'm not willing to preside over people who are cannibals.”  Although he achieved some notable success, his tenure ended in failure.

While I think he has done very well during the debates, to me he sometimes comes across as arrogant and condescending.  This is a trait of President Obama’s that I find repulsive. His answers to Chris Wallace’s question about his staff resignations, and Scott Pelley’s question about killing American-born terrorist received favorable reactions from the viewing audience.  However, in my opinion, he purposefully belittled the moderators which he didn’t have to do. 

Gingrich’s consulting work for Freddy Mac will be scrutinized in detail and may prove embarrassing for him.

Gingrich jokes about his environmental add with Nancy Pelosi, but this may be a minor problem for him.

Another concern I have is his multiple marriages and publicized indiscretions.  Gingrich has been married three times. He first married Jackie Battley who was his former high school geometry teacher when he was 19 years old and she was 26. About 20 years later he divorced Battley after having an affair with Marianne Ginther whom he married. In the 1990’s while leading the Republican investigation of President Clinton, he was having an affair with Callista Bisek, a House of Representatives staffer who is 23 years younger than Newt.  He married her in 2000.   He says his infidelities are in his past and I believe him.  However, I am not only concerned about how many votes this could cost him, but also how it will be perceived around the world.  Jay Leno and other comedians will have a ball with this, and I do not enjoy watching our President being brunt of these jokes.

Gingrich was raised a Lutheran.  He changed to Southern Baptist during graduate school. Gingrich converted to Catholicism, Callista Bisek's faith, in 2009.   My concern is not that he is a Catholic, but that he seems to be a “church hopper.”  Being a Baptist was an asset when he ran for office while living in Carrolton, Georgia.  I wonder if he could have been elected if he were a Catholic. 

These are just a few of my thoughts about Newt,

J Knight

San Antonio, Texas

In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that Mr. Knight's analysis reflects pretty closely my own sentiments, but does so in a more convincing and well thought out manner.