56 Comments

• OBPiper | Feb 24, 2012, 12:28 PM EST

  I am surprised that he was born a MacPherson and got "Gingrich" from a stepfather. Google his ancestry and see for yourself.

• seanomelbourne | Dec 07, 2011, 06:02 PM EST

  I am happy to see my mispelling of Sacrament has made your day. you're welcome. Where is your Christian forgiveness when you refer to people with a different view to yours as wingnuts, you sanctimonious hypocrite.BTW I was educated by the christian brothers(in Dublin ireland) and they were magnificient educators. I was reared in a loving Catholic home in Ireland. I respect every ones right to be religious or an non-believer,and that is a little more Christianity than you dislay. I cannot find a post by Virginia to make further comment.I merely made a comment on baptism If I am incorrect please say so and please refrain from your sanctimonious drivvel

• seanomelbourne | Dec 05, 2011, 06:01 PM EST

  Baptism is a christian sacrement,I always understood that any christian can baptise anyone.An adulterer is an adulterer regardless of when he changed his christian faith.All marriages are recognised in the christian fold.

• KatherineZ | Dec 04, 2011, 11:32 AM EST

  thank you 'rpmschevy' :-) and yes they have seen it as a career & not a service! that's why they shouldn't be paid the amt. of money that they given themselves & their terms should be limited. @ lokionline - yes i do believe he can receive communion as his past marriages don't count in the eyes of the Catholic Church as he wasn't a baptized Catholic at the time of them & the divorces. now that he is considered a Catholic, i wonder if he confesses his sins. esp. his bigotry & bold face lies.

• MegK311 | Dec 03, 2011, 04:51 PM EST

  I like Newt and I dislike all the rubbish posted about him here. He is a very intelligent man and I think he has what it takes to run this country. Don't beleve all the rubbish the liberal media prints about conservative candidates. Of course he is not perfect but neither are you or I. At the moment we have an inexperienced community organizer running this country and anybody would do a better job. If Obama is Irish then I will accept Newt as Part Irish. BTW I was born in Ireland.

• stmungo | Dec 03, 2011, 11:44 AM EST

  He'll say anything and connect himself to any people ,sect or religion to get himself elected. He's a cheat when it comes to marriage and people would be fools to vote for him. He's not Irish he's a descendant of the british who took over our land.

• Pittsburghkid | Dec 03, 2011, 11:36 AM EST

  Like Obama enough said.

• Pittsburghkid | Dec 03, 2011, 09:21 AM EST

  It is ludicrous to call Gingrich an Irish Catholic. He is an American who may have had some Irish ancestors - amongst others - multiple generations ago. On this site we seem to be forever trying to validate our ethnicity. It is almost laughable. As for being president, I certainly hope not. This guy is first and foremost an academic and belongs in that world of make believe - to be allowed out of his cloistered domain twice a day for food and water and then quickly returned. He utterly lacks the temperament which the Oval Office demands. Newt is a loose canon - and if that 3am call did come we have no idea what his response might be.

• gobdawpaddy | Dec 03, 2011, 08:07 AM EST

  I'm beginning to think that if they could find a connection, the Irish would claim Cheetah as one of their own.

• warlocks | Dec 03, 2011, 01:37 AM EST

  GINGRICH ! I wouldn't vote for him as Dog Catcher he's a criminal he stole Funds that was to go to the poor. we don't need another crook in washington its filled with them already in our Government. Remember he got canned when he was Speaker of the House. as for being a Catholic & Divorced i can't hold that against him.Jack Kennedy was Married & Divorced before he Married Jackie. and he was married in Catholic Church at a Mass. seems like the Church looks the other way when ITS Politics or Money. im my parish there are 7 that i know of that are Divorced and were remarried in the catholic Church and still go to communion the priest knows. but has never refused them. 3 of them are in local Politics. and 2 are very well off and help the church in Funding. its the same old story it pays to be in the know. ---BS walks and Money Talks !

• lokionline | Dec 02, 2011, 10:30 PM EST

  We recently had a bad definition of 'Gombeen' offered up in these pages. Now if you want a good example of a Gombeen Man...

• oaklongan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:23 PM EST

  Thomas Paine: "THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MEN'S SOULS" ...IF they have one. DOES Newt? What's BECOME of the GOP with the lineup of the outright looney to outright thieves? Seagreen commenter: We're concerned for our Republic, for sure...joeg2828. Yes. And MANY of the other commenters. Amen

• lokionline | Dec 02, 2011, 10:22 PM EST

  So as a divorced Catholic does Newt get communion at his church? I'm curious.

• caramia | Dec 02, 2011, 08:02 PM EST

  Jackie Battley, Newt Gingrich's "dying wife", is very much alive and well. She is a personal friend of mind. I can't believe the hatred and venom I read here. If you're going to spew it, at least have your facts straight. She was the one who asked for a divorce, not the other way around. Newt may not be a 'perfect' human being, but are any of you? He does, in fact, understand what America needs at this moment. If you'd take the time to listen to him, you'd understand that. IF you're capable of understanding anything besides your blind hatred of ANY conservative viewpoint. November 2012 will tell the story of what a majority of Americans believe and want for this country. I'm sure of that.

• AlunPalmer | Dec 02, 2011, 07:03 PM EST

  Seagreen, don't worry about the bill, because O'Bama will veto it. He has promised to do that, and needs to be held to it. It still has to go through reconcilliation, so if they have any sense they will take that bit out to avoid the veto and get funds for the military.

• AlunPalmer | Dec 02, 2011, 06:54 PM EST

  Gingrich would be my last choice for president. However, Rasmussen polls are an outlier on the right. There are 7 or 8 other polls that predict O'Bama would trounce him, and none that agree with Rasmussen. As for the nomination, he may be ahead now, but I doubt he will stay that way once all his dirty laundry is fully aired.

• adrienrain | Dec 02, 2011, 06:24 PM EST

  If he can't be president, let's have him sainted - the patron saint of hypocrisy, adultery, and hatred for the poor (especially children). We could rewrite the beatitudes to reflect his inhuman attitudes. Jesus has been put to uses just as silly of late. Imagine him calling for the reestablishment of child labor, and refusing to heal those unable to afford insurance.

• seanomelbourne | Dec 02, 2011, 04:46 PM EST

  rasmussen will always slant their questions to get the conservative result they want.Gingrich the christian who served divorce papers on his dying wife,a serial husband annointed by the christian right what hypocrisy.

• mcbreen | Dec 02, 2011, 03:52 PM EST

  Now GINGERICH is Irish? You guys have now lost any credibility.

• awoken32 | Dec 02, 2011, 01:47 PM EST

  This man is the perfect candidate for the zionist elites,he is so corrupted its unbeleivable he is in the lead,the whole thing is rigged and has always been rigged,the only true candidate that speaks for the peole is RON PAUL,an like usual the good guy gets demonised by the corrupet media presstitutes,GINGRICH IS EVIL PERSONIFIED AN THE PERFECT PRESIDENT FOR THE PUPPETMASTERS AN NOT THE PEOPLE, RON PAUL THE ONLY MAN FOR THE PEOPLE

• JBRAFTREE | Dec 02, 2011, 01:33 PM EST

  I'm glad to see there is a front-runner on the Rebublican side. He couldn't be worse than the guy that's in there now.

• NoelleP | Dec 02, 2011, 01:07 PM EST

  The reason that it bothers me a lot that the GOP will more than likely nominate him as Presidential candidate is because, NEWT GINGRICH is the founder of and affiliated with an organization that supports putting drugs in public water supplies, which would, in effect, enable our governments to control their respective citizens, while telling said citizens that "It's good for you." Have you seen the movie, "Steppford Wives?" Didn't PG&E out in California tell the local residents that the hexavalent chromium PG&E allowed to pollute the local water supply was, "good for you?"

• tocon1941 | Dec 02, 2011, 01:06 PM EST

  I have know a lot of Irishmen just like him. Full of himself and born with a flannel mouth. About 2:00 in the morning someone usually punches them in the head and the barman closes up.

• EphraimKibbey | Dec 02, 2011, 12:57 PM EST

  I'm not so sure Newt has much staying power. The GOP electorate are very unforgiving once they see something that they dislike in a candidate. The Newtster is just as much a political wind vane as Mittens is. If you don't like what they are saying, just just wait a bit. One minute Newt is calling The Ryan budget "right wing social engineering" and the next minute he is Ryan's best supporter. When he can make a buck off Fannie Mae he is for it now he says they should all go to jail. Flip - Flop. Just because he has become a catholic in his SECOND religious conversion does not mean that he REALLY believes in its doctrines. When he became born again did he really believe or was it just a politically expedient move to make him more marketable? Remember why he was fined and removed as speaker. He spent money on himself that was to go to poor children. HE STOLE FROM THE POOR. If he is elected, I hope someone counts the White House silver before he leaves. Lets review - the GOP has run through Trump, Bachman, Perry, Cain, and Romney - they have Santorum, Huntsman and a bunch of politically less well known folks waiting for their 15 minutes on top. The right wing has plenty of fresh meat for its grinder, no reason to stick with Newt.

• Ratslayer | Dec 02, 2011, 12:48 PM EST

  This evil, conservative, Fannie Mae-lobbying creep is a women-hating psycho -- but please dumbarse Repugs, pick this monster as ye nominee. Please!

• CitizenWhy | Dec 02, 2011, 12:40 PM EST

  Oooh, he's likes sitting among the scarlet bishops. Reason enough to dismiss him.

• CitizenWhy | Dec 02, 2011, 12:39 PM EST

  Will we really have to listen to this 100 words are better than 1 yapper?

• peterson | Dec 02, 2011, 12:05 PM EST

  Any one of the possible ten candidates would make a major improvement over obumma. Gingrich and Romney would make a good team to clean up the mess that obumma and his henchmen have made. The GOP needs some house cleaning also.

• cillowen | Dec 02, 2011, 11:56 AM EST

  no way jose - obama is a lot more irish than tubby know-it-all fatso. Romney acts like miss america as he shyly enters to debate.

• bcoc1124 | Dec 02, 2011, 11:51 AM EST

  What a stellar example of an "Irish American Catholic" - liar, cheater, hypocrite, but he supports "the right to life"! Does this extend to gun control and the death penalty? I think not. Does this mean he is willing to "feed the hungry & clothe the naked"? No, it means he wants poor kids to clean toilets. Such a charitable man - oops, not! Never will I vote for this creep!

• joeg2028 | Dec 02, 2011, 11:33 AM EST

  Well, I'm glad to see that most of the commenters here are unswayed by the sell job on the article. Newt is a CINO, as far as I can tell. He seems to change religions with the aplomb of someone changing trains during rush hour in the New York subway. If it were politically advantageous, he'd become Muslim next.

• kilgara | Dec 02, 2011, 11:32 AM EST

  At least he recognizes the sanctity of human life. Obama is one of the leading promoters of abotion in the world.If you call yourself Catholic the lesser of two evils is crystal clear.

• KatherineZ | Dec 02, 2011, 11:28 AM EST

  i hope not!! good grief the man is nothing but a headache and part of the problems that we face now...we need to clean house big time here in this country...sorry excuses for politicians, all of them!! no exceptions!

• irelandmusic | Dec 02, 2011, 11:20 AM EST

  take a bath and get a job really he needs a bath for his soul and all that jewelry for his wifey he bought her.He is the big goverment we need to throw out of our country.

• SeamusMartin | Dec 02, 2011, 11:08 AM EST

  Everything stated in previous comments I totally agree with. A newt, a stinky slimey salamander, but doesn't hold a candle to that nucklehead Newt Gingrich. What Irish roots? Dismiss him.

• larslofan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:56 AM EST

  As someone who follows this creepy turd let me tell you he never once--not once-- ever been proud or lead with his "Irish Roots." The man's a grifter.

• larslofan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:54 AM EST

  Gee, I wonder if NEWT ever paid the $300,000.00 fine levied against him by the Ethics Committee? He was the only Speaker of the House ever censored and fined in the history of the United States. Not a nice guy.

• maryosullivan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:54 AM EST

  Why does the Catholic Church accept people of Gingrich's ilk, when it expels and sanctions those who disagree with [Bishop Dunbleton of Detroit recently ran afoul with the church for having the audacity to question the handling its child abuse scandal] The belief in redemption is strongly held by the church. What indication is there that Gingrich has changed his spots, NONE, ZERO, in fact, he has continued his non-christian [much less Catholic] ways with more reckless abandon than before. Again, why does the church accept pariahs like Gingrich, Blair, RUC chief Herman? Has it become one more political party?

• Hannah1879 | Dec 02, 2011, 10:53 AM EST

  No way in hell and I'm disapointed to hear he is Irish.

• rugbyplayer | Dec 02, 2011, 10:52 AM EST

  Why would any sane American want a panderer, fraud, liar, adulterer and megalomaniac like Gingrich for President? As a matter of fact the whole GOP 2012 presidential wannabees lineup is made up of frauds clowns and liars. The only selfish crowds that want any of these GOP fools to become President are the very rich,the banks,the military and defense industries and Wall Street-all greedy entities.

• larslofan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:52 AM EST

  People! Are we forgetting Next served divorce papers on his second wife in hospital while she battled cancer so he could marry his (current) wife with whom he had a six-year illicit affair with? And that his first wife was his geometry teacher from high school? This is to be our next president? Really?

• larslofan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:49 AM EST

  Newt is white trash.

• pounder | Dec 02, 2011, 10:43 AM EST

  First it was Obama,an Irishman, now this guy.If he was gay he would be a true hero on this site.

• newnation | Dec 02, 2011, 10:42 AM EST

  that was his last visit to ireland, KEEP OUT! if he's irish then i'm american!

• ConnieCobe | Dec 02, 2011, 10:29 AM EST

  Just what we need, a president that cheated on wife #1 with wife #2 while pressing to have Clinton ousted for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. And now is on wifey #3...yep thats what we need alright. NOT!

• wileycoyote | Dec 02, 2011, 10:20 AM EST

  I'm sorry mike, you are correct. The wife is still alive. I guess that made it OK? And I did research it & here's what I found - "though he is twice divorced, and left his first wife following her treatment for cancer. He left his second wife for a staff member who is now his third wife, Callista." What a model citizen!

• jamieLM | Dec 02, 2011, 10:18 AM EST

  "His Irish roots will surely be an advantage." What? Please don't insult those of us with Irish ancestry who vote, not on the basis of someone's ancestry, but on the candidate's political platform and their perceived ability to competently hold the Office of President. I couldn't care less if Newt, or any of the others including Obama, claim any or no Irish ancestry. What if Newt and Calista divorce? Will Newt remain a Catholic if his next wife is a Protestant? His being a Catholic doesn't give him any advantage with me. Had Calista not been a Catholic, Newt wouldn't be one either. The polls change daily. Newt hasn't even won the GOP nomination, yet, so who knows if he'll even be running against Obama.

• NYCsheridan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:12 AM EST

  @mikehoulihan, you are such a radical tool. GOP, good luck in 2016. @francisquinn, thanks for your post, you made my day. :D

• eileenkny | Dec 02, 2011, 10:03 AM EST

  Newt Gingrich is now a Catholic? Which RCIA program was HE in?Plus, he's also Irish? This man is as far from any Irish Catholic I've ever met. We can only hope that he doesn't try to use either of them to promote his campaign. He thinks children should be hired to clean the bathrooms in their schools! Really?

• mikehoulihan | Dec 02, 2011, 10:00 AM EST

  Hey wileycoyote, do your research, that story is false. the ex-wife is still very much alive, she is the one who asked for the divorce and it's just another smear from the left. Check it out. And no matter what his past, he now believes in the sanctity of life, unlike our baby killing current President Nobama.

• slainte9 | Dec 02, 2011, 09:51 AM EST

  God help us.

• wileycoyote | Dec 02, 2011, 09:50 AM EST

  This guy is a total phoney. He ran around on his wife while she was dying of cancer and then "converted" to a Catholic when he & his girlfriend got married after the wife died. The sad thing is, the GOP contenders are so lame that people would actually consider Newt as a viable alternative.

• johhnyb | Dec 02, 2011, 09:49 AM EST

  Newt was rubbish 2 weeks ago. Then you discovered he was old Irish and new catholic. Now he's great. What a coincidence!

• catherineu | Dec 02, 2011, 09:46 AM EST

  I'll go to Mass and pray that Gingrich does NOT become the next president. This guy's values are down the toilet. What sort of compassionate person tells people to "take a bath and get a job". Is he so out of touch with his half-million line of credit at Tiffany's that he cannot see how horrific this economy has been on the middle class? He is arrogant, self-righteous, and a boar.

• francisquinn | Dec 02, 2011, 09:44 AM EST

  That is interesting....whenever someone becomes famous they want to be Irish.....Look at how many Presidents claim an Irish background...How can you be Irish with a name like NEWT ?

• seagreen | Dec 02, 2011, 09:34 AM EST

  After the passage of the $662 billion defense budget with the arrest powers that were attatched to the bill, it really does not matter anymore. I am an older guy, that did my military, acquired a profession.. I am telling you youn people with an education or a trade. Get out while the getting is good. become bi or tri lingual and head for Argentina or Chile. We are headed for big trouble in this country