The Kitchen Cabinet: Taking A Position
January 21, 2012
What We Expect Of Our Children
We have been impressed with the passion and the concern expressed about the sudden boost Newt Gingrich has received in the polls, and which will likely deliver him a win in South Carolina’s Primary tonight. Some of our readers have expressed dismay that The Kitchen Cabinet isn’t more energized by Newt Gingrich’s comments, or his five-day meteoric rise in the polls. Here’s our answer:
Children Are Watching.
Voters in South Carolina are energized not because Newt Gingrich has put us all at ease with his cluttered past, but because of a well-delivered attack on the media. My 14-year old daughter doesn’t ask me why Mr. Gingrich is opposing the media, she asks me why we would vote for a man whom his own wife hasn’t been able to trust. How to answer that?
Gingrich Great At Framing Anger. Now Frame The Truth.
Newt Gingrich is a powerful voice for conservatives and is exceptionally talented and articulate. His greatest asset in this campaign is that he expresses clearly the anger and the frustration that all conservative taxpayers feel about the country.
In these dire times, we need that…and more.
The Kitchen Cabinet’s missions, stated on our About Us page, indicate that we focus on the ECONOMY as the moral issue of our time. Another mission is to demand higher ethics of our elected officials. This is where we find ourselves parting ways a bit with Newt Gingrich.
We cheered along with the country when Gingrich put CNN’s John King in his place. However, that does not give Newt Gingrich a pass on answering the questions posed about his character. Newt Gingrich should not be allowed to deflect serious questions about his personal conduct OR public conduct in office.
Win or lose this evening, Newt Gingrich owes America’s voters a full explanation of his moral conduct during the Bill Clinton impeachment proceedings, and full disclosure of his ethics violations and dismissal as Speaker of the House. These issues are material to his qualifications to be President of the United States.
The Kitchen Cabinet will demand the same level of accountability of ALL candidates. In particular, we await the financial records of Mitt Romney, and even Rick Santorum and even Ron Paul…who to date refuses to disclose his tax returns. However, these candidates are not attempting to run for president with a mountain of personal and public baggage.
Character Counts. We teach this to our children in our schools, our churches and our homes.
How can we possibly compromise on character in selecting the next President of the United States…when our children are watching?
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I agree with 100%.We must not forsake our principles!!Newt does not seem to demonstrate much character and we so desperately need a person with character in the White House!!
You answer it by saying there are two sides to every story…it’s between Newt and his ex. Period.
I have not heard that his current wife does not trust him. Please produce proof of that…where SHE HERSELF is saying that.
It sounds to me that you have issues with all the GOP candidates. I say to each of them: “Until President Obama produces absolute PROOF beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a United States citizen and that he also produces his college transcripts and everything else that is in question about him, do not produce anything that you don’t have to.” As far as Mr. Gingrich’s personal past is concerned, let it go. If he has asked for forgiveness and God has done so, then that should be enough. To the children who are asking their parents these questions, the parents can use examples of things they have done wrong in the past to show them that people CAN turn around and become good moral people. I know I have done plenty in my past that I’m not proud of, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and moved on. Have YOU been a sinless person? I doubt it. Get over it. You consider this to be Republican / Conservative group?… well then, act it and don’t beat up on our candidates. They need our support, each and every one of them. They want the same things as we do.
And his ethics violations as a Congressman? It’s the consistent history of compromising character for position, discarding wives because they weren’t “young enough or pretty enough to be a First Lady” which is troubling Mary.
Thanks Alice. The concern however is that children look to the President of the United States. You may not be aware for instance, but I am as a school board president in Los Angeles, that Oral Sex became a rampant problem in our MIDDLE SCHOOLS and HIGH SCHOOLS after the Monica Lewinsky affair made it public and trendy. Today, oral cancers are on the rise in young adults between 18 and 32. I don’t suggest this of Newt Gingrich. However his personal practices AS Speaker, included and are documented as being conducted ON Capitol Hill, and during his tenure as a Congressional leader. This is what we would like him to give perspectives about, before he takes the nation’s time again.
You notice he has run for Congress again from Georgia.
This was so well written. After reading this I am an even bigger fan of Kitchen Cabinet! Character completely matters. I am baffled by South Carolina. How they are discounting character and principles and even conservative values! Are they voting for the man who can yell the loudest, blame others, and has the most anger?!
I SECOND WHAT ALICE SAID .THOSE WITH OUT SIN .CAST THE FIRST STONE .I SEE A LOT OF STONES BUT I DOUBT ALL ARE WITHOUT SIN .IF newt ask GOD for forgiveness GOD knows his heart . HAS DONE SO.
Thanks for your input Nancy, and for your time in replying. As you’ll notice many different perspectives dwell in The Kitchen Cabinet! We love it!
This is a well-written argument, but the foundational facts are important.
In 1999, the Georgia press reported that Marianne Gingrich walked out on Newt in 1987, and claned out hte house leaving only a television and a guest bed.
So where is the premise that his wife can’t trust him?
Marianne Gingrich abandoned her husband in 1987, and lived separate for 6 years. They tried to reconcile in 1993-1994. But did not make it work.
In 1995, Newt started to date Callista Bisek.
Sof if Marianne broke the relationship in 1987 (no, we don’t know why), how is that SOLELY Newt’s fault?
Every time I see Newt’s ethics violation allegations brought up, I notice the lack of the word “allegations.” The violations were charged, but they were also found to be without merit. The violation for which he paid $300,000 fine was paid because the committee was unable to determine the validity of the allegation themselves, so they fined him–which he paid of his own pocket — and sent the matter to the IRS to decide. Every single violation levied against him was found to be without merit. When children ask about those violations, we can tell them it’s like the courts system, A charge can be filed, but it doesn’t make the person guilty of them.
And in fact, what we can also say is that at the time Newt was told to pay the fine, he did so by taking out a personal loan to pay them. It was within his legal right to use campaign or defense funds, paid by taxpayers, to pay that fine. He did not — he paid it himself, even knowing he was not guilty of it. To me, that speaks very highly of character.
As for the situation with his exwife. Newt’s current wife, Calista, has nothing about distrust. His exwife has cause to feel as she does, absolutely. And there is no condoning cheating. But I also do not see Newt expecting a pass on that. He’s said, time and time again in the media, that he looks back at his actions and is not proud. That he made mistakes. That he’s sorry for the people he hurt. How is it moral to judge a man based on mistakes made over ten years ago, ones for which he has taken responsibility for and admitted his fault? It boils down to whether we choose to trust him now and that is a personal choice on whether each of us can find it in ourselves to do so.
Well-argued Jeannie. What about floating checks on the House bank, and basically using your money and ours to float his own personal checking account? Our problem is that Newt Gingrich leaves a path of destruction behind him which is at least 30 years long, includes discarding wives who did not fit his political ambitions as they grew, and converting to Southern Baptist from Lutheran when even religious affiliation was a benefit! Now, just two years ago he finds Catholicism, and now Catholics underwrite his films and books. There’s a lot more investigation out there before Newt Gingrich is fully-transparent. It doesn’t feel right to us here at The Kitchen Cabinet, and Herman Cain’s lying about important things…did not either. That is our job here. To give women the inside track in the inflatable world of political claims, and help conservative women sort through the mud. Newt Gingrich can’t expect anyone who really looks at his professional record, never mind his personal one, and not have reservations. Thanks for your thoughts Jeannie. Hope you will continue to contribute.
It would appear that you ladies have made up your minds to not like Newt Gingrich regardless of how much evidence is provided to dispel all the gossip.
On the other hand, it doesn’t appear as though you’ve actually done any research on the moral character and ethics of any of the other candidates.
So, I have to ask myself if you’re really all that concerned about “Restoring America” or if you’re really just doing your part to “Destroy Newt Gingrich”. Kind of like how I’m sure those charming women on the View will be doing?
Let’s watch the news, the debates, and Mr. Gingrich for a week or two…and take a hard look at him. The Kitchen Cabinet is bringing credible, documented information forward on all the candidates, and will hold each accountable. Former Speaker Gingrich just has a longer record than most.
So, you have “credible, documented information” on all the candidates? If that’s so, why wait a week or two to share what you have on the others? Why not share it all right now so the vetting can be done on everyone at once? I have to tell you, this waiting two weeks sure makes it sound like you mean you want to wait and see if all this gossip (not the same as credible documents) runs Speaker Gingrich off, at which time you’ll no longer have a reason to actually vet your favored candidate. 😉
Tam…we suggested that YOU wait two weeks, and see what you learn. Check through all of The Kitchen Cabinet coverage and you will see our stories and sources.
thanks
Of course.. have a good one ladies, at whatever it is you’re trying to do here.