Professor Cornpone, Newt Gingrich

When I worked in the Agriculture Library in the late 70s, ethanol, biogas, and saving the environment were huge topics. I did a lot of reading on it, and why it failed. It's bad for the wallet, and bad for the environment. I was shocked to see it resurrected as part of the current green movement, and to see miles and miles of fertile midwestern farm land converted to products to make energy for our cars and industry, when it took so much energy and water to make the conversion.

And now Mr. Randy himself, Newt Gingrich, wants to hitch his star to the Renewable Fuels movement, aka, burning food instead of feed people. The man is a moral mess. He married one of his high school teachers, left her for wife #2 when she had cancer, and left #2 for #3, one of his staff with whom he was having an affair all while he was investigating President Clinton for his moral lapses with an intern. In late 2009 he converted to Catholicism. He is a historian and in an interview I heard he liked the 2000 year tradition he was joining, so he doesn't think of it as a conversion. Those pesky marriage vows and bonds had already been taken care of so he could marry wife #3 who is a devout Catholic.

Why should anyone including Calista Gingrich, believe anything this man says? Really. Do we want this couple in the White House? Also, as much as I admire Roman Catholics for their stand on life, on marriage they are simply duplicitous. Liberal on annulments; conservative on divorce. So the rich and famous and political like the Kennedys and Gingriches can get their pass for playing around, but the ordinary teacher, clerk or nurse can't without a lot of soul searching, agony and money clout by someone in the church helping them out.

Review & Outlook: Professor Cornpone - WSJ.com