We have two men in the race to become the Republican nominee who have, shall we say, imperfect pasts.
First is Newt Gingrich who apparently asked his former wife for an "open marriage" and has admitted to adultery in the past. As people said during the Lewinsky affair with Bill Clinton: if he lies to his wife how can the American people trust him?
But Newt has acknowledged past transgressions and says he's past that now and has changed.
Then there's Mitt Romney. Romney was the governor of a very blue state. He supported abortion, gun control, raised fees (including fees for gun owners), and put in place a government-run health care system that became the model for Obamacare. But he says he's had a change of heart on abortion, was always a gun rights supporter, and thinks it's okay to do government-run health care (with an individual mandate) at the state level but not the federal level and would fight to repeal Obamacare.
Can we believe either man? I'm sort of of the school that past behavior is indicative of future tendancies. And which is worse? Is it worse to be a serial adulturer, and then say you've changed, or to be a serial liberal and then say you've sort of changed?
The answer to that question that the South Carolinian voters have to decide will probably give the nomination to Mitt or make the nomination process go on longer.
That is one advantage of Santorum, he's as constant as the northern star. Just not sure I'm crazy about what he's constant about. Some have called him a "big government social conservative."
I first gave luke warm support to Cain. Then I switched to Perry. Now I'm stuck with Mitt, Newt, and Santorum. I don't like any of them. Will I vote for any of them over Obama? Oh yes. I am back in the "undecided and unhappy" column. Is it too late to draft Jim DeMint?
Oh, I'm not going to say which is worse. Because I don't know.
This is my assessment of both men's transgressions: Newt is not the best looking guy and is a little chubby. But when you are in a position of power (I have read) attractive women throw themselves at you. Newt did not have the personal fortitude to say "no" to such temptation (a lot of men wouldn't and don't, but only Republicans get caught).
And Mitt is a opportunistic politician who when running for governor of Massachusetts ran to the left to get elected and now that he is running for the GOP nomination is running to the right. How he will be in office is anybody's guess.
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