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March 09, 2007

Gingrich an Adulterer, Not a Hypocrite

Now that Newt Gingrich has admitted to James Dobson that he was having an extramarital affair during the same time he was criticizing President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he will certainly be branded by the left as a hypocrite. Personally, I think the "hypocrite" label is based on spin. Moreover, rather than hurting him, I think it plays to Gingrich's advantage.

I have found that often people on the right do not know pertinent details that would explain why the left is upset about certain incidents because right-wing media doesn't tell the whole story. The Scooter Libby trial is a classic example of that, along with the whole premise for starting the War in Iraq. Liberals understand the story because left-wing media has gone to extraordinary lengths to explain it to them. Conservatives don't get it, because if they did then they wouldn't be so puzzled as to why "liberals don't support the troops." Right-wing media intentionally keeps conservatives from understanding the issues.

The same thing, I believe, happens on the left. That's why I believe you will see liberals jumping all over this "hypocrite" thing. They have been led to believe that the impeachment was all about Clinton getting a blow job in the Oval Office from an intern. It wasn't. It was about him lying under oath. Committing perjury. Of course, the right-wing doesn't know how the President was set up because they almost certainly did not read David Brock's "Blinded by the Right."

So here's the point. Gingrich went after Clinton over perjury, not having an affair. Gingrich didn't commit perjury. Ergo, Gingrich is not being hypocritical. The right wing knows this. That is why charges of hypocrisy won't change any conservatives' minds about Gingrich.

What they will do is distract conservatives from the fact that Newt Gingrich is a serial adulterer. They hated Clinton for that. But if they can feel that Gingrich is the victim of a smear job over false charges of hypocrisy, they'll forget all about his affairs.

There is something even worse, in my mind, about this Gingrich story. That is, he specifically knows that Christians will be more concerned about his adultery than other conservatives and he needs their votes. So he has decided to play up to their forgiving natures by playing the role of a penitent Christian – and he's playing it to the hilt. Not only has he just written a book, "Rediscovering God in America," he's going to be featured this week in a lengthy and in-depth interview with James Dobson about the time he has spent on his knees over his human failings and how he doesn't want his precious grandchildren to follow in his footsteps. Dobson vouches for Gingrich's Christian credentials and makes sure that all the steps of repentance and forgiveness that a Christian would recognize are clearly professed by Gingrich. You really ought to read the partial transcript of the interview on Worldnet Daily.

All the talk about confession, forgiveness, mercy, prayer, anguish, etc. are certainly meant to win the hearts and minds of the Christian Right. We all know they haven't yet chosen their preferred candidate – Gingrich the serial adulterer is clearly hoping to win their nod. It will probably help his credibility with them when they learn that he has accepted Jerry Falwell's invitation to give this year's commencement address at Liberty University.

Posted by Becky at March 9, 2007 10:06 AM