Should Newt Gingrich's marital issues hinder his bid for the GOP nomination?

1. 72

   JamesPoppellposted 12 years ago

   Should Newt Gingrich's marital issues hinder his bid for the GOP nomination?

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2. 68

   Mark Monroeposted 12 years ago

   No, he has many other issues that will hinder his bid for the GOP nomination.

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3. 66

   xethonxqposted 12 years ago

   No, but he doesn't have a chance in hell of winning anyway.

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4. 0

   Sooner28posted 12 years ago

   It would depend on exactly what his issues consisted of.  If he was an abusive spouse maybe.  If he just cheated on his wife (s) no.  I don't like him at all, but I don't think his past marital decisions alone should exclude him.  Maybe in combination with other factors though.  I'll be curious to see what happens with tonight's interview, and if GOP voters practice what they preach and make him pay for not following "traditional" values.

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5. 91

   UnnamedHaraldposted 12 years ago

   Within reason, I don't expect the leader of a nation to be perfect. Being as pure as driven snow does not qualify a person to lead. Just about everybody has skeletons in their closets, but what I can't stand is the fact that, when Newt was excoriating Clinton for his affair with Lewinski and thundering on about family values, etc, etc, ol' Newt was porking his own mistress. That, I cannot abide.

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6. 59

   GoGreenTipsposted 12 years ago

   I think all this is just a diversion, frankly it wouldn't matter to me what the private life was of any elected official if they solved some of the deep problems that plague this country.
   
   The question should be to voters will he help this country and can he lead it, many of our great leaders had less than perfect personal or family lives.

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7. 60

   NiaLeeposted 12 years ago

   Frankly, anything that reveals the personality traits of the leader of such a country needs to be assessed. Now, he seems to be a man who doesn't not respect anybody he can get away with crushing. Yes, people make mistakes but he can try to wash himself of but some things can't be ignored or dismissed, some people either.
   Somebody who repeatedly make some huge mistakes or just don't have principle is not trustworthy.
   He just doesn't come across as a person that we can trust in many department...the motto seems to be anything that pleases me, I will cry later!

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8. 60

   lostdogrwdposted 12 years ago

   yes it should. do you want a 1st lady who was a mistress for eights years. this country been in invasion war for 10 years now. it time to elect Ron Paul so our country can be rebuild, bring home the troop and start to look after the U S. the Patriot Act, NDAA, SOPA AND THE REPEAL of Glass Steagall Act are all act and law against the U S people.and Paul the only man running for President  telling the people about it

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9. 0

   SJmorningsun25posted 12 years ago

   In his as in all politicians' lives, we cannot expect perfection (as UnnamedHarald has already said). However, the different parts of people's lives cannot be compartmentalized to the extent that a person's character in the privacy of their own home has no relation to their public character. As the saying goes, "truth will out," and a person's underlying character will eventually be revealed. If the shock of discovering someone's sordid history and current misbehaviors can cause him (or her) to be impeached, forced to resign, or otherwise disgraced while IN office (think of Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, John Edwards, Mark Sanford), should not those same considerations prevent him (or her) from attaining office at all?
   
   Personally, I would not vote for someone who we already know could not show fidelity to his wife and family when no one else was looking. Why should his public character be any different?

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10. 80

    terrektwoposted 12 years ago

    I think public opinion on politician's personal lives will always effect the vote. Realistically any politicians personal life has nothing to do with whether they can do well in a political office or even run the country but people are always swayed by what they think. Media will push their own agendas and that includes putting the dirty laundry of the politicians they don't like on the front page. The more people that see it the more it'll effect things.

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11. 86

    Ms Deeposted 12 years ago

    Such similar things did not hinder a lot of former presidents from getting the job, so why start now?

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