With less than a year to go until the much-anticipated 2012 presidential election rears its ugly head, it seems the competition is heating up a bit, particularly when you consider the laugh-out-loud circus that is the Republican offering this time around.
And no, I’m not trying (at least not intentionally) to offend anyone with that comment, but I must admit I find the hypocrisy involved in an election of any sort in this day and age – what with technological and communication breakthroughs such as Twitter and Facebook – well ... humorous, to say the least.
Case in point? Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich’s recent pledge to “defend and strengthen the family.”
Sorry, but the only thing I see Gingrich strengthening here is his grip on a group of ignorant and weak-minded voters who have the memory span of a peanut. Why? Because I, for one, actually read the news, and I happen to remember just how dedicated Gingrich has proven to be in the past, particularly when it comes to the institution of marriage.
And while Gingrich did not, in fact, sign socially conservative group The Family Leader’s Marriage Pledge, he did send the group a written response in defense of “traditional” marriage, as well as the Defense of Marriage Act (completely unconstitutional, by the way), and in support of a constitutional amendment that would define (confine?) marriage to a union between a man and a woman.
Considering Gingrich himself has been married three times, this is hypocrisy at its best. And before you accuse me of attacking a good-old Christian Republican candidate while ignoring Bill Clinton’s White House indiscretions, just remember that Gingrich, even as he was condemning Clinton for his actions, was involved in an affair of his own ... his second.
Just saying.
As for Gingrich and his fidelity pledge, the former House speaker had the following to say:
“I’ve made mistakes at times. I’ve had to go to God for forgiveness. I think people have to measure who I am now, and whether I’m a person they can trust.”
First of all, I’m more than happy to agree with Newt when he states that he’s made mistakes in the past. We all have, myself included, and nobody’s perfect. And asking God for forgiveness? Well, I suppose that’s what I would do too if I were in his shoes ... and running for president.
It’s that last sentence, however, that really irks me.
I’m sorry, Newt, but I think I have a pretty good handle on your ethics at this point in time, such as they are, and no amount of posturing on your part is going to change my mind. A reputation as a liar and cheat, I’m afraid, is a hard one to live down. And when it comes to a possible presidential candidate, well, even a forgiving, liberal soul such as myself finds it hard to overlook.
Then again, I’m just a socialist Obama supporter in the eyes of many and Gingrich probably wouldn’t want my vote anyway, considering such opinions (freedoms) don’t fit it with his conservative, all-American point of view.
In the end, it’s fairly simple. We have a great country – one that was founded on a number of great ideologies – that is fading fast in the face of partisan politics, and the politicians involved, who have nobody’s best interests in mind but their own. And that may be the most hypocritical scenario of all.

Follow me on Twitter ... @evesunbrian.