Isn’t it amazing how many people play the “contrition” card when something they want is on the table?
Take Newt Gingrich. Now that he’s announced his run for president, he’s realized his past is going to become his present and quite possibly, his future.
Newt Gingrich is a Republican who believes in God. (OH. MY. GOD. Really? Why is this not surprising?)
Seems the two go hand-in-hand. But there’s a third hand in play. The hand of “I’m sorry.”
Republicans have huge egos. We all know this. Combine ego with faith and you end up with a Republican running for office. “I’m a Republican. I talk to God. Hot damn…I’m gonna get into politics!”
What they seem to forget is they are also human. With human foibles and quirks. Everyone has a past that is perhaps not as pristine as they would like. Living in this world is hard work. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone asks for forgiveness. Only we don’t ask God for forgiveness. What’s he got to do with it?
We ask for forgiveness from the ones we hurt.
While everyday people look on this as an opportunity to better themselves, Republicans look on it as a challenge and a way to rationalize their behavior.
“I screwed an office staffer. But it’s okay. I talked to God and he forgave me.” “I fooled around on my wife 10 years ago and have supported a child ever since. But it’s okay. I talked to God and he forgave me.” “I’m gay and I hid it and supported the anti-gay movement. But it’s okay. I talked to God and he forgave me.”
The Republican presidential hopeful has now admitted that his two divorces and his extramarital affair with a congressional aide may be a problem with religious conservatives. Ya think?
He says he has sought God’s forgiveness for his personal failings.
“He has spoken at a ministerial conference in Des Moines for the past several years, and one attendee said Gingrich was particularly introspective about his personal life last year.“
HELLO???
The man’s running for office. He’s got to suck the sorry teat. He doesn’t like it. He thinks he’s above all that. In fact, I suspect that he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong. After all, didn’t he end up marrying his extramarital lover? It’s all better now, right?
Honestly, Republicans are a strange bunch. They talk about how God speaks to them and how faith in God makes all their mistakes acceptable. Seems a running dialogue with God is kind of like a Republican version of Monopoly’s get out of jail card. You can almost hear them say, “God’s fine with it. So, what’s your problem?”
Over the next few months you’ll be hearing Newt do the “I’m sorry” at every evangelical and religious conservative rally from here to there. Remember…this is the man who demonized Bill Clinton during the Monica-months…at the same time he was having HIS affair. Pot, let me introduce you to kettle.
It will be interesting to see if Newt’s acts of contrition will garner him the forgiveness of his party. He is, after all, playing to an audience of “blind” faithers. But, something tells me they are not blind AND ”dumb.” Could it have been the voice of God?
UPDATE: Newt’s not out in la-la land all by himself. He’s got an unable side-kick named Rick Tyler as his press secretary, who had this to say after Newt’s Meet the Press session last Sunday:
From HP: Gingrich press secretary Rick Tyler fired off a response blasting the political and media elite.
“The literati sent out their minions to do their bidding,” Tyler wrote. “Washington cannot tolerate threats from outsiders who might disrupt their comfortable world. The firefight started when the cowardly sensed weakness. They fired timidly at first, then the sheep not wanting to be dropped from the establishment’s cocktail party invite list unloaded their entire clip, firing without taking aim their distortions and falsehoods. Now they are left exposed by their bylines and handles. But surely they had killed him off. This is the way it always worked. A lesser person could not have survived the first few minutes of the onslaught. But out of the billowing smoke and dust of tweets and trivia emerged Gingrich, once again ready to lead those who won’t be intimated by the political elite and are ready to take on the challenges America faces.”
That’s some mean wordsmanship. *eye roll*
This is a picture of Rick from his Twitter feed. When I clicked on it to save the image, I noticed it was entitled: “Rick_reasonably_small.“
Need I say more? I think not.
Well said.
It would be just kind of sad and frustrating, too, if it didn’t impact everyone. If someone wants to keep falling for it, when the person is CLEARLY not sorry, not repentant, is using it to gain power at a convenient, and public, time (and will even have to be “sorry” again when they get caught for repeating the behavior), then okay, I guess it’s their life. But it’s that the politician will gain power over people who don’t fall for it, who see the blatant hypocrisy that seems almost, I don’t know, “not fair” (to put it in petulant, tantrum form).
Politics is never boring…scary, yes. Predictable, yes. But never boring. Abe Lincoln is no longer rolling over in his grave from the rabid mutterings of people like Newt and my new fave, Michelle Bachmann…he’s spinning like someone possessed.
I realize this quote from the Gettysberg Address is not quite applicable “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” to Newt’s particular brand of schizophrenia but to me this means all the people or at least the majority. I can’t believe that the majority of Americans would ever vote for this guy.
Actually, the Gettysberg Address is right on…a civil religious war is brewing. It’s going to get nasty and then America will be fucked.
“He’s got to suck the sorry teat.” Ahem. That is absolutely brilliant writing there.
You are very insightful. Now that you mention it, I don’t recall him ever talking about asking for forgiveness from the women he cheated on. Apparently he’s only done it by proxy via God.
Don’t forget that he’s never really taken full responsibility for his actions, either. He blames it on caring about America too much.
“There’s no question at times in my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.”
See? It’s okay because it only happened because I work too hard for this country I’m passionate about.
Newt can go to hell in my humble opinion.
Not appropriate? I think Newt meant to say morally reprehensible. Not appropriate is when you fart in a room full of your like-minded, power-hungry, money-grubbing cohorts. What he’s done and I suspect will continue to do is use the God defense when he thinks it will garner some sympathy.
I’d could say he’s got the lizard-like qualities of a newt but then that would be an insult to newts.
The only thing I want to know is can I steal your illustration? I mean the Capitalist/ Monopoly dude?
It’s yours. Copy away.
What I really dislike most is the false-piety. What — now at 60 years-old plus you’ve finally figured out your relationship with God? Please.
I do wish we lived in a society where a politician can say “Man, I screwed that up and I’m going to be a better person…” honestly. I haven’t heard it yet.
Exactly. Every person on this planet has, at one time or another, done something to be ashamed of…me, you, the Pope. Shit…shouldn’t have mentioned the Pope…don’t get me started.
You screwed up? Then you take the blame like big boys and girls. Oh…and saying God has forgiven you? So fucking what.