In the View from Elsewhere on the opinion page on Dec. 7 was an editorial by the Chicago Tribune.

I’d been thinking about the rise of Newt Gingrich and religious groups in Maine and very carefully read the editorial, “A Candidate’s Philandering Does Matter Sometimes.”

I lived through those years of Gingrich in Congress, and they were not pretty. Because they happened years ago he is counting on the people to forgive and forget about why he left in disgrace and all the other baggage he carried.

He has admitted cheating on two of his wives. His first wife was ill when he had his first infidelity. They divorced, and his mistress became his second wife. He cheated on her with the woman who is now his third wife.

Gringrich said his lapses came “from an excess of patriotism.”

While he was committing adultery with the future third wife, he, as one of the leaders of Congress, was trying to impeach Bill Clinton for lying about having a dalliance with Monica Lewinsky.

I read two paragraphs of the editorial over and over.

“His hijinks are old enough that they’d be easier for voters to excuse. But Gingrich has another problem: His former mistress is now his wife.”

“Americans have tolerated an unfaithful president before. But an unfaithful president and a home-wrecking first lady? That’s a new one.”

If Gingrich wins the nomination to run against Barack Obama, how many of the religious people in Maine plan to vote for him with all the various values they hold?

Joyce Bushey

Oakland

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