Newt Gingrich: Leading Clinton impeachment wasn't hypocritical

CBS

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on "Fox News Sunday" yesterday that it wasn't hypocritical of him to lead impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton in the 1990's, even though he was having an extramarital affair at the time, because the impeachment case was "not about personal behavior."

"Obviously, it's complex and, obviously, I wasn't doing things to be proud of," Gingrich said. "On the other hand... I understood that in a federal court, in a case in front of a federal judge, to commit a felony, which is what he did, perjury, was a felony. The question I raise was very simple: should a president of the United States be above the law?"

The former speaker's past indiscretions have become a matter of discussion again as he considers jumping into the 2012 presidential race. In recent months, Gingrich has been confronted with questions about his infidelity and multiple marriages by a Christian-affiliated media outlet and by his detractors at a speech at a university. His personal problems will likely prove to be a political liability most significantly early on, when Republicans must appeal to social conservatives in Iowa, the first state in the nominating process next year.

When asked on Sunday whether he considered himself in a "glass house" as he lead the impeachment proceedings against Mr. Clinton, Gingrich said yes. However, he said it was imperative for him to continue with the impeachment.

"I thought to myself if I cannot do what I have to do as a public leader, I would have resigned," he said. "Now, look, I think you have to look at whether or not people have to be perfect in order to be leaders. I don't think I'm perfect. I admitted I had problems. I admitted that I sought forgiveness."

"But I also think over time, if you look at my total record, I'm a pretty effective leader," Gingrich continued. "I fight for this country and I fight for the changes we need with tenacity and I take a fairly tough beating, including from you and others, in order to stand in the arena and stand up for what I believe is really important."

[imnho]

He is doing a real good job inmatating Richard Nixon

[theaffluentsociety2]

Hope the affair(s) were worth it Gingrich. Because it totally blew a hole in your political ambitions. Shame on you. Not for the affair. Though thats bad, we're all only human. What's bad is how you've never apologized, nor ever admitted that you're anything less than a 'good American.'

[nolapearl]

He's also not presidential material.

[noloyalisti]

Maybe someone should explain to this pea-brained, Republican retread, radical moron what a hypocrite is. The hypocrite obviously doesn't know.

[EldonPittman]

Anybody with a head as big as Newt's has got to be a hypocrite!

[mick7744]

You're quite right, mjlewis6 &

Gingrich wasn't the only dirty player in that sordid Clinton fiasco...

I have always wondered why there was never a Starr Investigation...an investigation OF Kenneth Starr, I mean.

He was given a mandate by Jesse Helms and other Republicans to "get something on Clinton...anything"

Using tactics that would make Joe McCarthy proud, Starr bullied, coerced and incarcerated people over Whitewater. When that didn't pan out...he seized on a BJ from a chubby intern...a real classy guy...55 million dollars of taxpayer money for partisan political window peeping

Republicans have a long and shameful history of not allowing themselves to be voted out of office merely because the voters turned them down at the polls...and have always displayed a willingness...an eagerness...to resort to criminal behavior to regain POWER (what it's all about to them)

Just look at President Obama's first two years. The Republicans remaining in office...as a well-organized group, worked against the interests of the US and her people during a national crisis that Bush and his looters caused, for purely partisan political gain.

And it worked...the GOP was rewarded for their obstructionism in the midterms. They call it "brilliant political strategy and organization"...I call it treason!

Clinton...Jimmy Carter (Reagan's Iran hostage deal)...or JFK for that matter...all called down the wrath of the Republican Party by defeating them at the polls and removing them from...POWER

Nixon nailed Johnson and Humphrey by sabotaging the Vietnam Paris Peace Talks...as a private citizen...prolonging the war for another 7 years and costing an additional 40,000 American lives...just to prevent Johnson from getting credit for ending the war and costing him (Nixon) the 1968 election.

These Republicans are very bad people...treasonous people...not so much a political party as a vast, ongoing criminal enterprise!

[democracy5]

Um, yes, Newt, yes you are!

[trueblueusa]

BIGGEST HIPPO crytes on Earth are -

Newt ' THE Grinch ' and Rush Limmpdicck

[vetsence]

Leaders must lead by example. Gingrich should have resigned and given the job to someone with moral standards that he obviously did not have. The political bickering that brings these kinds of things to the forefront is also a disgrace to our nation. So called Christians who claim to know God would keep a man or womans private life private. The reason they don't is they will not stop at anything that serves their selfish interests.

[voxpopulus]

"I am not a hypocrite". And that's a very hypocritical thing to say Newt.