Hahaha you dont think that after people have experience hell they are somehow unqualified to speak on it?
As a recovering addict, I personally feel capable of discussing how terrible dope is for people, especially moreso than the people who had never used trying to convince me how bad it was.
Maybe Im just looking at it differently, but my experiences make me feel qualified talking about the subject and how bad it is; I know its a "do as I say not as I did" type deal, but if even 1 person learns from my mistakes......
This isn’t about you.
It’s about a very shrewd and politically astute individual jockeying to become president by positioning himself in a such a way as to appeal to (at first) very conservative voters who prize things like traditional marriage, fidelity, family values, etc. He has spoken out aggressively against gay marriage and routinely moralizes at length. Notice that in these debates Newt keeps referring to himself as a “grandfather” (as if he were the only one who has a family). Most people have warm and loving memories of their grandparents. So, presumably we should begin to think in Newt in those terms… rather than as the polemicist that he is.
To be sure, all young people make mistakes and learn from them, but 57 is not young. Indeed it is way past adulthood. I am reminded here of Henry Hyde who gained national attention for his leadership role in managing the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. He slammed Clinton when he was in a position to do so on the national stage. When the media outted Hyde for having his own affair he quietly admitted that it was true, but waved it off as a “youthful indiscretion.” Only later we learned that his affair occurred when Hyde was in his 40s. Yeah, that’s “youthful” . . . if you are in your 70s.
Typically when people talk of youthful indiscretions they are talking about the behavior of tweens!
Contrary to what you write above the point here IS that Newt is a dick.
That is precisely the point. One must not lose sight of that, but you appear to have readily done so. We have a choice here; we can choose to believe that
a) people can learn from their mistakes, and become much better individuals and that this the dynamic that Newt is exhibiting. Isn’t it wonderful?!
or
b) Newt is the same slimey figure he was just a few years ago and all this talk about going to god to seek forgiveness for his mistakes is merely cover for someone who badly wants the power of the presidency, to get an appointment in an administration, or otherwise boost his profile to increase his speaking/consulting fees (Freddie Mac anyone?) and audiences for his books.
He is a good rhetorician and “performs” well in debates--emphasis on the word performs—nevertheless I choose b.
You appear to have taken a defensive posture in this thread because you see some version of yourself in it. That is your prerogative, but as I said, this is not about you.
