Newt Gingrich said in Scottsdale, Arizona that while he will not attend mass today for Ash Wednesday, he will give up "all desserts" for Lent. His wife Callista joked that she will give up her "opinion."
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Newt Gingrich says he will not attend mass today, Ash Wednesday, because he is not obligated to do so by the Catholic Church.
"It’s not a Holy Day of obligation," Gingrich told reporters outside his Phoenix area hotel Wednesday morning.
The former House Speaker, who converted to Catholicism in 2006, said he has gone and received ashes in the past but will opt out this year.
He is, however, thinking about the Lenten Season.
"I am going to give up desserts ... all desserts," Gingrich said. (It is customary in Lent for the devoted to give up something.)
"I am giving up my opinion," Gingrich’s wife, Callista, said jokingly.
The couple, which loves McDonald’s, said they definitely are not giving that up.
The speaker will be spending today in private meetings and preparing for the presidential debate tonight.
“My debate prep is to think deeply,” he said.
Gingrich also met briefly with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ) at a local hotel, taking pictures with the governor and Callista. Some news outlets are reporting Brewer will make an endorsement of a GOP candidate after the debate in Mesa, AZ, tonight.


WOW! What a pair! lol
Newt can afford to pass up desserts for awhile...
Calista should give up something meaningful like - Tiffany's...
Freakin hypocrites!
McDonald's? Seriously? Sorry God but it's McDonald's is more important then making a sacrifice to honor you.
The way Newt looks he sure must like to Super Size his value meals.
Feisty, you really are a hater, feel bad for you.
To you and the moonbat brigade, nothing is sacred, and no personal attack is beneath your dignity.
You DO know the old saying about opinions & everyone one having one dontcha Bob?
I don't believe the Styrofoam head had an opinion to give up for Lent. Maybe she should give up that wig. That'll have Newt running to the next Mrs. Newt.
Indeed .. as if the bobble head #s has never slung a personal attack. That is a classic.
Lawrence O'Donnell said last night that if one was to be a true Christian according to Jesus, one had to give up all wordly goods, or possessions, or something like that.
Newt, I don't think giving up desserts is what Lent is all about. Jesus gave his life and you give up chocolate cake? Oh brother.
These are sacrifices grade schoolers make. Maybe they should look in to saying a few more rosaries for world peace or look into doing some corporal works of mercy. They give Catholics a bad name!
At least we now know where she gets that special sauce that holds her hair so perfectly in place. Here we thought at first it was holy water.
Wow--- Humpty Dumpty and Big Bird ...who gives a rats butt!
Here we have a couple who loves McDonalds, yet shop at Tiffanys?
There's something wrong with this picture. It's called l-y-i-n-g.
I'm betting the hair gel is more along the lines of the 'stuff' in 'There's Something About Mary'...
Just sayin...
@ Pat
You have something there! The two of them should give up lying, at least for Lent. What would tonight's debate sound like if Newt followed through with that one?
Wayne,
In keeping with the theme of the last two weeks or so, please allow me to take this moment to offer a few words of quiet contemplation in the form of a Bible passage before this evening's debate. Little Ricky would like it, being the kind devoted religious and respectful man that he is. I thought this passage would be nice for each of the Republican
hypocriteschurchgoers who we all know practice what they preach.As quoted by Jules Winnfield in a classic scene:
The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.
And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
***********
Enjoy the debate
Ok Feisty - quit tempting me to start in on Newt giving up some Callista desert...you know how my mind works.
I SURE do!
It's one of the reasons I ♥ ya! lol
Wow Pat! I half expect the Lord to smite the unrighteous ones behind their podiums tonight! Poisoning and destroying is what they do best, even to each other.
Wayne, bingo. LoL!
Great catch Pat!
Pat/Wayne - that would be some good Must See TeeVee - some good old Lord smiting for each lie and smear these candidates will utter tonight, and they will utter them.
RedDev,
The fire and brimstone show would be worth the price of admission, that's for sure!
Feisty, is it true your husband gave up sex for Lent - in 1972!
Whinemaker, your wife gave up sex in 1957. One and done!
Wasn't even born then Wayne. Care to try again?
Why bother with dribble like yours. You never have anything of any value to contribute in any case. All you know is foul mouthed, back biting, racist, sexist tripe. Go get a girlie magazine. It's the only good time you and the hand will ever know.
Why thank you for your interesting comments Wayne. Prior to being critical of anyone, perhaps you should read your own comments. My, my, go to mommy and have your mouth wash out with soap.
When it comes to foul mouthed comments, you liberals seem to rise to the top! Perhaps you and your hand should get the magazine Wayne. Go for the female mag this time Wayne.
How's that for a nasty retort?
Most of us could afford to pass up desserts for awhile, or at least cut back.
Really, how is this even a topic First Read, unless it is really a slow news day.
Um, maybe it is newsworthy, because they were stupid enough to utter the words from the stupid mouths.
I was fascinated by Gingrich comment about debate preparation.
"I am preparing for the debate by doing some DEEP THINKING."
Huh, is that like deep breathing?
Does he do twenty minutes of DEEP THINKING? Then ten minutes of cool down...
Will he be selling a new DVD: DEEP THINKING in four easys steps.
Guess I will have to see if his preparation did make a difference in the debates tonight.
Northstar
you immediately conjur up an image of Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy,...and now I will laugh until the 'debate' ends. thanks!
of course the 'handy' part refers back to calista's hair gel,...okay, that was just wrong. I will flag myself. I just couldn't resist.
What a silly idea give up something for Lent. Another man made rule.
Calista better watchout or Newt might give up on her for Lent.
How about Newt giving up his selfish and divisive rhetoric about his fellow human beings. Not that he matters anyway.
Why don't you leftwing attack hounds show a little decency and lay off the personal attacks?
You do have a little decency left, dont you?
Well, Bob McDonnell, that decency thing cuts both ways. Gingrich and his wife made a joke out of Lent and yet the righteous right is offended when liberals poke fun at it.
What decency has the GOP candidates shown with their outrageous lies about President Obama? Seems to me that Pen24 is correct, these candidates should be rethinking what they give up for lent; maybe they should try giving up lying and aim for honesty.
Jody..You have got to be kidding! The cowards on the right gave up on honesty 20 years ago.
44 years ago! Nixonism has taken over and run the party so far down hill that they can see Hell from their house.
The righteous right no nothing about lent. A good christian will not announce to the whole world what he or she is denying their body.
Lenten season should be a holy period very personal between you and your God. This is a way for hypocrite Newt to show his fellow supposed righteous RWNJs how religious he is which is contrary to the bible teachings they cling to.
Think I'll give up something meaningful this Lenten season......like 'self-denial'.
I wonder if spewing BS would be to much to ask?
Gingrich has already made an "ash" of himself. Now he needs to give up campaigning for lent, and thereafter.
"Let it be written that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a prosperous man to pass an Inn serving manna."
Apoc. 6: 4-8
For lent, hubby and I are not "giving up" anything - just trying to be more moderate. But we are going to "do" more. Help out more at homeless shelter. Help out more at the center for abused women. Help at more at the VA. This idea came from our parish priest (one of those hated and despised Catholics).
I bet Clitoris had to give up her opinion a long time ago....
If a person makes a sacrifice for lent, it is supposed to be something that isn't easy, but more importantly, it is supposed to be something that is helpful for other people. For example, giving up personal time in favor of serving in a food shelf. Giving up dessert for lent should do Newt some good, so it isn't a sacrifice.
I'm sorry. I do not believe in any of that religion stuff. That makes me an athiest i guess? But today, i sacrificed something so very very important----today, i gave up on all of these candidates. Especially that Rick Sanitarium! I cannot abide these hypocrites! Each and every one of them are fighting for the right of Presidency. Unfortunately, they are going about it the wrong way! Try helping this economy, instead of bringing up tax cuts you have no way of paying for, or offsetting it with some revinue. Calista gave up more of her rights, if she had any to begin with? She gave up her opinion? Did she have one with ol Newtie? For some reason i doubt that. This debate will be fun to watch. Hopefully this one will cull out the disabled in our society, oops, did i say that? I meant to say the weak ones. (LOL)
I am very concerned about any human who consumes large quantities of genetically modified food as one would find at McDonald's. I now know why Calista locks so plastic. GMO's, Plastic food for plastic people!