2008 Election Coverage

Newt Tests the “Character Scrutiny” Waters

March 9th, 2007

Per the AP: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged he was having an extramarital affair, with his now-wife Callista Bisek, even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair.

“The honest answer is yes,” Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. “There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There’s certainly times when I’ve fallen short of God’s standards.”

When I first saw the headline, I figured Romney was starting a smear campaign to keep Gingrich on the sideline. I was surprised to see that Gingrich brought this on himself, likely to test the waters to see if he would endure the kind of scrutiny and ill-will accompanying Giuliani (also like Reagan with 2 divorces). We’ll see if it hurts im or not. He’s got as good a chance as anyone even though he isn’t running.

Entry Filed under: Election, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Newt Gingrich, 2008, Republicans