Newt Gingrich's latest marriage is destroying the fabric of my potential divorce
Coming from a conservative upbringing, I have long held strong beliefs about marriage and the commitment that comes with eventually destroying said marriage. So when I married more than seven years ago, I set out on a path to make mine the most traditional marriage and divorce as possible. As my marriage has evolved, I have followed conservative principles as best as I could so I could have the type of marriage that emulated those of American heroes John McCain, Ronald Reagan and Rudy Giuliani. These men had cleared a path showing us all that wives were to be cheated on and then divorced.
Like these great men before me, I have spent a lot of time fighting with my wife, losing interest in her, being mentally and emotionally cruel to her and finally ignoring her entirely. According to the examples set for me, I was showing myself to be the perfect heterosexual husband. A well-earned divorce would most assuredly be mine.
But things have not worked out as I had planned. My wife has shown herself to be openly hostile to myself and my traditional divorce beliefs. At first, I believed that it was something I had done, but I realized this couldn't be the case. Then I pondered on whether witches or other evil spirits had invaded my wife. My tests on this theory remain inconclusive. But it helped lead me to the ultimate explanation - the fabric of my divorce is being destroyed by Catholic leader Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich, you see, had long been the best example of what heterosexual marriage is all about. He would marry women, tire of them, cheat on them, and then divorce them. His conservative leadership in heterosexual marriage has been invaluable for millions of earnest, Christian, heterosexual men to follow.
These days, however, Gingrich has strayed from his traditional heterosexual marriage beliefs. Because while his current marriage started with such promise - he got together with his current wife while still married to another woman and while trying to impeach Bill Clinton for an extra-marital affair - it has slowly become something that is destroying the fabric of traditional divorce.
Gingrich has now been married to his third wife for going on nine years. And he has yet to publicly humiliate her by having a well-publicized affair. Basically, Gingrich has shown no interest in continuing to be an example for heterosexual men like myself. He has let us all down lo these nine years. He is destroying the fabric of my potential divorce.
You see, there has never been any scientific study done to prove that heterosexual men have a "commitment gene." We heterosexual men have been given a gift from God - we can cheat and destroy our marriages at our own convenience. Gingrich has long been a heterosexual marriage champion, going so far as letting one of his previous wives know he didn't want to be her husband anymore while she was recovering from cancer.
Some may say I'm overreacting. "Don't worry, Bill. Newt will cheat again. Newt will get another divorce. Newt will embarrass and humiliate this latest wife as he did the first two."
But I am not convinced. I am fearful that Gingrich has lost his conservative edge and may just stay married to his third wife. And by doing so, he's making the rest of us - who believe the sanctity of marriage is defined by divorce - look bad.
So Newt, I implore you, please regain the strength of character that allowed you to repeatedly commit adultery. Show the world that traditional marriage, adultery and divorce are issues that you still believe in as much as you did while you were Speaker of the House. The future of heterosexual marriage, adultery and divorce are counting on it.
-WKW
















Outstanding!
~OGD~
July 16, 2009 3:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
But things have not worked out as I had planned. My wife has shown herself to be openly hostile to myself and my traditional divorce beliefs. At first, I believed that it was something I had done, but I realized this couldn't be the case. Then I pondered on whether witches or other evil spirits had invaded my wife. My tests on this theory remain inconclusive. But it helped lead me to the ultimate explanation - the fabric of my divorce is being destroyed by Catholic leader Newt Gingrich."
Ok, I hereby render unto you the Knightly Line of the Day Award for this here TPMCafe Site given to all of you from all of me. hahahahahahah
Now bear with me here, as a good--well a once mediocre Roman Catholic (remember that goddamn Novak did the same goddamn thing)...
Since none of his marriages were performed by a priest....he has never been married in the eyes of the Church.
So he gets to begin 'anew'.
Has much more going for him in that respect--at least compared to Henry VIII
July 16, 2009 3:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well he hasn't beheaded anyone yet.
July 16, 2009 5:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't be so sure.
July 16, 2009 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, as a hair-splitting non-Catholic with personal experience in the matter:
1) according to church doctrine, priests don't marry the spouses; priests are the church's official witness to the only sacrament that a non-cleric can confer: spouses marry each other and a priest's presence is not strictly required. Hence, non-Catholic marriages are deemed to be valid by the RCC if certain elements are present (both are baptized; both are free to marry, i.e., not currently married to someone else; both consent to the marriage).
2) if either party is (formerly) married outside of the RCC, then an annulment of that existing marriage can be sought to prove the invalidity of that marriage. If the old marriage is deemed to be invalid, then the new marriage can proceed with RCC blessing. Note: a pre-existing non-Catholic marriage can be deemed valid (and therefore an impediment to the second, Catholic marriage) by the annulment investigation. If that's the case, then the couple cannot be married in the RCC until the 3rd party dies.
I don't know Newt's circumstances, but I'm willing to bet that he went through a couple of annulment investigations before he got his RCC wedding. He probably knows a bishop or two who greased the skids for him.
July 16, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Schmedley, I think you are right about that. God, what if he did have to go thru an annulment process.
This really has me thinking.
But you buttress an argument I have attempted to make several times at this site, really with no results. The minister really is just a witness in the eyes of the state anyway.
This is all keyed into my belief that the license grants the right to marry and once the oath is administered...then you are married. And I do not care if it is el Papa or a Justice of the Peace. They are all performing the same function as a Notary Public.
I just get pissed at both sides in this marriage debate. If all the rights accruing to those who make a civil contract, who cares if they call it marriage or not.
July 16, 2009 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
This isn't the "official line," but it's a pretty good rundown.
I pretty much find the whole notion of state sanctioned marriage quite hypocritical and also pretty much misrepresented as a tradition. It has become yet another means of influencing social mores for political manipulation and obfuscation. Newt is the poster child for the marriage of political expedience (one of the classic purposes for the institution).
July 16, 2009 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe that WKW is the master of understated but sharp third-person satire. I couldn't help but think that sending this piece wide (from his blog to TPM) was heralded by the purchase of a significant piece of spousal jewelry.
So, WKW, what kind of 18K bauble was it? It's not too late, especially if the wires run with this.
July 16, 2009 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
WKW you probably made the mistake of marrying a level headed, good natured woman with a sense of humor who was in love with you. Newt would never seek such qualities in a mate, not that he'd have much luck if he did.
Didn't Newt say he divorced his second wife, the one he served with papers in her hospital bed after cancer surgery, his former 7th grade math teacher, because she wasn't pretty enough to be first lady? Let's face it, a guy as delusional and shallow as that isn't going to attract the best the fairer sex has to offer.
July 16, 2009 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pretty sure that was his first wife. His second wife, Mary Ann, was in her 30s when he married her. My label for Gingrich: serial adulterer.
July 16, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're probably right TX. It's so hard to keep Newt's wives straight.
July 16, 2009 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol, yeah my marriage is just fine. My wife understands what I do, so no baubles are demanded (though appreciated.) Of course, she does think I'm a fairly strange bird, but she has her quirks, as well ;)
July 16, 2009 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
There you go. The other night, I made the mistake of reading aloud a tongue-in-cheek TPM piece to my SO and got blank looks back. Then again, he had just finished watching non-stop Faux News.
July 16, 2009 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
In my third significant relationship now for over 15 years. Dang it! Should known it would be like this since she's so liberal!
July 16, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wonderful post! :-)
I've failed to arrive at divorce for nearly 42 years... We figure it's because we're both "too proud to admit a mistake!" ;)
July 16, 2009 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is because you are one of my favorite saints, TheraP.
How anyone could call it quits on you, I cannot fathom.
July 16, 2009 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
If he wanted to, I'd have his head examined! ;)
July 16, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am sure the gene of commitment (or at least fidelity) exists, as I have demonstrated it; it is just obfuscated in some men (and some women) by the gene of "getting away with something."
Lovely satire in this post, William. More, please.
July 16, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did you test her for buoyancy? It's a known fact that witches are made of wood and weigh as much as a duck!
July 16, 2009 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hate to tell you this, WFW, but the last time I loaded this page, I got an ad for a Christian Marriage Book, and book about marriage counseling.
Googgle clicks know me so well!
July 16, 2009 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink