10 Things Newt Gingrich Doesn’t Want You To Know About Him

By Zaid Jilani on Mar 3, 2011 at 7:50 pm

Today, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced that he is taking steps to consider becoming the GOP nominee for president in 2012.

As Gingrich begins the long process of possibly running for President, he is likely to take every effort to mold his image to make himself palatable to American voters. Yet the public deserves to know every important detail about the history of the man who may seek to be their leader. ThinkProgress has assembled a list of ten things Gingrich probably doesn’t want you to know about him:

1. DESPITE BATTLING THE “SECULAR SOCIALIST” AGENDA, GINGRICH CHEATED ON HIS WIVES SEVERAL TIMES: One of Gingrich’s main themes in his columns and speeches over the past few years has been the need to stop the “secular socialist” takeover of America, which he blames for the demise of the family. Yet he had several of these affairs while attacking President Bill Clinton for his own. He justified his hypocrisy to his second wife once, telling her, “It doesn’t matter what I do.”

2. WHILE DEMONIZING GOVERNMENT LARGESS, GINGRICH POURED MORE FEDERAL MONEY INTO HIS DISTRICT THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER: The politics of the mid-1990′s was marked by the right’s attempt to decimate the social safety net. As Gingrich waged his campaign to destroy unemployment insurance and aid for needy families, he made his own district the recipient of huge amounts of federal aid. Under Gingrich, his district in Cobb County, GA received more “federal subsidies than any suburban county in the country, with two exceptions: Arlington Virginia, effectively part of the Federal Government, and Brevard County Florida, the home of the Kennedy Space Center.”

3. IN 2007, GINGRICH BACKED CAP-AND-TRADE, THEN FLIP-FLOPPED TWO YEARS LATER: Talking to PBS just four years ago, Gingrich said, “I think if you have mandatory caps combined with a trading system, much like we did with sulfur, and if you have a tax-incentive program for investing in the solutions, then there’s a package that’s very, very good. And frankly, it’s something I would strongly support.” He even cut an ad with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) warning of the dangers of climate change. Just two years later, Gingrich ended all of his green advocacy in favor pandering to far-right views on the environment. “Imposing stunningly high taxes on an economy in the middle of a recession is fundamentally wrong. … [A]rtificially capping their economy is the wrong approach,” he said in testimony before Congress.

4. GINGRICH BLAMED THE MASSACRES AT COLUMBINE AND VIRGINIA TECH ON “LIBERALISM”: Showing that his cynicism knows no bounds, Gingrich blamed “the liberal academic elite, the liberal political elite” for the Columbine shootings in Littleton, CO. He followed the same script after the massacre at Virginia Tech, saying liberalism is responsible for the “dehumanization” that led to the killings.

5. GINGRICH WANTED THE RICH TO DECIDE WHEN THEIR OWN TAX CUTS WOULD END: During last winter’s debate over extending the Bush tax cuts, Gingrich said that we should “have the business leadership of the countrydescribe the number” of months that the cuts for the wealthiest should last.

6. DESPITE RAILING AGAINST THE “PARTY OF FOOD STAMPS,” GINGRICH PROPOSED EXPANDING THEM: One of the memes Gingrich has pushed over the past year is that Democrats are the “party of food stamps” because they believe in federal food assistance for the indigent. Yet in 2002, when President George W. Bush proposed expanding some food stamp programs, Gingrichbacked him, saying that the “welfare reform” law he helped author in the 1990s went too far in cutting food assistance.

7. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, GINGRICH HAS FRONTED FOR THE HEALTH INDUSTRY: Gingrich helped found a number of major businesses, including a for-profit health care firm called the “Center for Health Transformation” (CHT) and a communications firm called the “Gingrich Group.” CHT serves approximately 94 health industry corporations and lobby groups. Despite many meetings with Republican lawmakers to shape health care legislation, Gingrichrefuses to register as a lobbyist.

8. GINGRICH REFERRED TO JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR AS A “LATINA WOMAN RACIST”: During the debate over the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor, Gingrich took to his Twitter account to say that Sotomayor, who is a “latina woman racist” should withdraw from the nomination.

9. GINGRICH FLIP-FLOPPED ON THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE: In 2008, Gingrich suggested “insurance mandates for people who earn more than $75,000 a year.” Yet by 2010, he was blasting the mandate as unconstitutional.

10. GINGRICH SAID WE SHOULD ALLOW SOME TERRORIST ATTACKS TO REMIND US OF THE DANGER: During a book tour, Gingrich told an audience in a speech that was televised on C-SPAN that the Bush administration had been very successful at intercepting terrorists, but had not gotten credit for it, explaining that maybe we should’ve “allowed an attack to get through to remind” Americans about the danger of terrorism.

Throughout his career, Gingrich has devoted himself to constantly changing his views on a whim and trying to position himself relative to the political climate of the moment . While he claims to have changed, the facts haven’t, and ThinkProgress will keep you informed about his latest flip flops and turnarounds in the coming months.

I wish people would quit with the Gingrich affairs, although if he can't keep an oath to his wives, how can he to a country full of strangers he is supposed to lead? But, I digress. My problem is not only the flip-flopping, but the fact that this man is a hypocrite and liar. The really frightening thing for me though, is his worship of Third Wave and Alvin Toffler. Google "Third Wave Newt Gingrich". Frankly I don't understand how anyone in their right might would even consider him in their quest for "not Mitt Romney". You want that, Ron Paul has been staring back at us the whole time. He doesn't lie, isn't bought and paid for, and stands on principle no matter how unpopular it makes him.

By John E. Yang
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 22 1997; Page A01

The House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to reprimand House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and order him to pay an unprecedented $300,000 penalty, the first time in the House's 208-year history it has disciplined a speaker for ethical wrongdoing.

The ethics case and its resolution leave Gingrich with little leeway for future personal controversies, House Republicans said. Exactly one month before yesterday's vote, Gingrich admitted that he brought discredit to the House and broke its rules by failing to ensure that financing for two projects would not violate federal tax law and by giving the House ethics committee false information. Enough Said!!

Newt has gotten many a 'free ride' in his life time and it ain't about his political views!

Mala'chi: Good for you. Me too. Deport, pay a big penalty or go to jail. No amnesty for illegal aliens. My answer to anyone who disagrees is: Ah, come on, man. Michele is the only candidate with a strong position on illegal aliens who enter this country knowiing we don't want them. Vote for Michele Bachmann. And women: don't send in yur income tax apyments until the press in America prints what Michele has to say about illegals.

If it wasn't for Ron Paul bringing up Cain's past Fed. Reserve employment during a debate I wonder when, if ever, the mainstream media would have...

...and then again Gingrich's hypocritical infidelities. Paul could have his own news channel if this worthless campaign reporting keeps up.

Nice how these bee otches didn't even mention Ron Paul except to show the video. Shame on these lady schills.....Get ready who neo-cons Ron Paul 2012! the REAL winds of change are a commin'! Ron Paul 2012!

newts has such a sordid past even historians can't keep up with him. he goes on and on without missing a beat. he has no shame. makes you wonder if he's actually amoral.

Ron Paul is right on the money regarding Newt. He is not a conservative and a lot like Mitt.

However, I believe Gingrich is correct about Al Qaida. While I would agree with Paul that our interventionism is generally out of control, we need to step up the tempo in Pakistan, not back out. Just play back the 9-11 footage before you dispute what I am saying. The Taliban and Al Qaida are one and the same and Bush did the right thing establishing a new government there. Unfortunately, Al Qaida ran across the border and Bush let them recoup there.

All things considered (pardon the NPR pun) I would still vote for Paul over Newt. I think the criticisms of Newt are surfacing now and there is still time for a conservative to get a foothold.

Amy, as well as others, do not know much about history, or the past positions of the Republican party. Ron Paul is NOT an exception; his views are historically legitimate and politically plausible - however, he is running against the status quo, the media, and the industrial/military complex. The other candidates want to "solve" the economy while engaging in endless military adventures overseas.

I again will state that it is my firm belief that the other candidates will cancel each other out due to past indiscretions or bombastic statements, and only Ron Paul will be left as the logical and rational choice. If the economy does not improve, President Obama will not be reelected.........

Ron Paul 2012

You know how crazy it makes us dems that Newt is at the top ??? NOTTA....but do you know how crazy it's apparently making Mitt.....I think he soiled himself on FOX......but nobody noticed cuz it always smells like that at FOX........

As if the controlled media has not been discredited enough

now they are selling engineered puff-polls to boost Newton.

Newt is the biggest pile of garbage, lies, filth, slime, gunk, scum, sewage, hypocrisy, excrement, dishonesty, dirt, muck, smut, trash, vomit, puke, barf, immorality, debris, manure, pretense, corruption, debauchery and all around depravity to ever seek the office of president. Newt Gingrich is the poster child for all that is wrong with politics – not only in this nation but in the entire world.

Me thinks Ron Paul is smoking the wrong candidate. Newton Leroy is toast and Paul should go after Romney. Newt's snoot's so deeply rooted in yesterday, we must remember he resigned in disgrace. Michele can do no wrong, just ask her! It's been a cheap primary so far, but the real money will start next year. All the publicity so far has been at the expense of the trailing TEA-GOP-Republican candidates and their continued tripping and stumbling. It's been a hoot with the Texas Streaking Turkey realizing he cannot fly on the national scene. And we can't forget Elvis' birthday bumble from some one who hasn't bumbled yet, ask her. And we have "Pizza Supreme", whose private life, ain't no more! There are others slowly moving up and down with one steady runner still trudging along at a steady 25! This has been one heck-ova entertaining Republican primary!

What really scares me is the fact that alot of Americans actually support someone like Newt. If the media doesn't inform the "sheep" with the truth, then I am afraid of alot of these people who actually are allowed to vote!

I can hardly wait to hear the screams when the picture of the Newter sitting next to Nancy Pelosi agreeing with her about the problem of climate change (global warming for the folks on the right). Should be great

The "family values" party. What a joke.

Ron Paul is doing a great job for the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party. Dr. Paul whose economic beliefs are radical in the extreme and are fundamentally the same as those practiced in Victorian England except for his belief in the voluntary payment of taxes and a complete elimination of any and all Social Programs. At least Victoria funded the building of Infrastructure, hospitals and Poor Houses. He can snipe from the outside knowing full well he is unelectable. Ron Pauls Economic guiding stars are Murray Rothbard and the Founders of Anarchocapitalism and Ludwig Von Mises and Fredrik Heyak of The Austrian School of Economics. Anyone who contends they are traditional conservatives or main stream are flat out nuts.

Anarchocapitalism is self defining it is economic anarchy with NO restrictions and in the main no taxation on the investment of capital. The Austrian School based on subjective value and marginalism ignors statistical data, modeling and mathematics allowing it to ignore any and all data which conflict with their belief sets. It has NEVER been considered mainstream conservative thought even in The AustroHungarian Empire from whence it came. mainstream conservatism has been a belief in NeoClassical Economic Theory or Monetarism and have damn little to do with Dr Pauls FAR FAR from mainstream Libertarianism which in almost no way is recognizable as any form of Conservatism ever practiced on this continent.

As a supporter of Economists such as the much despised by the right Paul Krugman I love to see Dr. Paul beat up on his fellow candidates showing them for what they are a formerly bloated gasbag, and a political opportunist willing to say do or pitch anything for advancement. Paul may be many things but he is neither stupid or afraid to rock the boat because he knows he is unelectable. His supporters just dismiss the absolute reality that he ran for president as a Libertarian and has written a number of books and articles which if used as a template for government would bring about the complete dissolution of the Federal government and destruction of the union into regional governments with shared interests.

His ideas have never worked anywhere on the face of the earth unless you call moving all capital into the hands of a ruling elite and the creation and expansion of unrelenting poverty a success.

jkh

His ideas have never worked on the face of the earth...? Guess you've never examined his positions that are all consistent with our Constitution! Its worked pretty well now for 135 years! You should do some research before you comment.

Haven't we all been put through enough of Newt Gingrich politics and political campaigns. If he is really the best the Republicans have to offer, the Republican party is in for a big downfall. It's really hard to believe. Surrealistic really. He's worse than Nixon ever thought about being.