SOUNDING BOARD: Other US presidents have had moral failings
Newt Gingrich almost certainly has the experience to run our national government, but does he have the moral and ethical qualifications? Some would say that's a nonsense question. Others would say it does indeed have relevance that Gingrich, the former House speaker, has been married three times -- and had an extramarital affair with his current wife, Callista, while still married to his previous wife, Marianne.
Is that fair? We're trying to elect/re-elect a president who can lead us out of these economic doldrums, protect our security and champion American values. Do we also need a marriage role model? We asked members of The Californian's Sounding Board for their take on the issue.
***
It is very interesting that the hyper examination of an individual's ethics and morals becomes an issue in America only at election time. The rest of the time we tolerate absolute trash in our media, family and religion are disintegrating without objection, and our heroes are made in Hollywood. It is almost like we have one set of standards for our leaders and one set for the rest of us.
If you believe, as Christians do, that man is flawed by original sin, you also believe in redemption and forgiveness. That does not imply that serial redemption frees an individual from accountability for their actions. The scrutiny of personal lives and economic status is important, but we have to be careful due to limited or biased information.
I think voters would be better served by studying voting records, reading old speeches and books written by the candidates, and finding out who gives them advice. Problem is that we depend on others to do this and our information is filtered by individuals who may or may not be neutral.
History has shown that some of our greatest leaders have had turmoil in their personal lives that did not interfere with their ability to do what was best for the country. Leaders have to be intelligent, honest and willing to work with those with differing views without compromising their core beliefs. How we vote should reflect how well they convey those beliefs and if they are beliefs we share.
Karen E. Wass of Arvin is a retired real estate broker.
***
The question of whether a politician's personal life and behavior should be relevant in an election is a personal one for each voter. In the United States, we can vote for someone anonymously for whatever reason we want. Some analysts postulate that the most "likable" candidate usually wins. I hope "likability" is not the most important factor for me when I punch the chads. I would like to think that I weight the following traits and qualifications the most heavily in selecting a candidate:
* Honesty and openness.
* Altruism and sincere concern for potential constituents.
* An open mind and rejection of dogmatism and extreme partisanship.
* Tact, diplomacy and an ability to work with those who disagree with them.
* Intelligence.
* Conscientiousness and demonstrated commitment to hard work.
* A thorough understanding of what the job entails.
On the other hand, when it comes to the next presidential and gubernatorial elections, I suspect I will vote for the candidates that seem to have the best plan for getting us out of this economic mess that we Americans and Californians find ourselves in, regardless of their personal traits. I might be willing to vote for a reincarnated Warren G. Harding if I thought he could get that done.
John Tarjan is a Cal State Bakersfield management professor.
***
The question mentions that we were trying to elect someone who would champion American values. Values is the key word. Newt Gingrich has skirted around the edges of our values his entire life. Never did anything to get arrested for, that we know of, but always seemed to be right on the edge of sleaze in all he does. He strikes me as a pompous windbag who is totally in love with himself and believes he is above the everyday person's rules of the game. That is not the type of person I want to see upholding American values.
Sadly, nobody on the Republican side inspires me. Our system is so sick, the good folks that used to inspire us will not run anymore.
Fred Kiesner of Frazier Park is a management professor at Loyola Marymount University.
***
Do ethics and morals matter? Of course. Do they necessarily disqualify a candidate from elective office, such as the presidency? Perhaps. That depends on the category where they apply.
Currently, a major attack on Newt Gingrich is being made regarding his having been married three times. If this is unethical, then every person who has been married, divorced and subsequently remarried would have to be declared "unethical." And then, are the many laws that control these procedures also unethical? Not likely.
Is it immoral? That may depend on your religion or your personal perception or upbringing. It may also depend on the specifics of the individual relationships, which are not known to outsiders for adequate understanding. That may not even be enough to disqualify a candidate from office. Consider some of our past presidents:
* Franklin Delano Roosevelt apparently had a mistress while married to Eleanor.
* Dwight David Eisenhower apparently had an affair with his WAC driver during World War II.
* John Fitzgerald Kennedy apparently was a womanizer while married to Jackie.
* Ronald Reagan was divorced and remarried at the time of his election.
* William Jefferson Clinton had a highly publicized sexual incident while in office.
Did any of these circumstances prevent these men from being elected or from performing the duties of the presidency? Clearly not.
Why should Newt Gingrich be held to a higher standard than any of these past presidents?
Rather the question should be, "Is this candidate the one best qualified to address the serious problems facing our nation today?"
Donald L. Daverin of Bakersfield is a retired teacher.
***
The fact that he has been married three times is not of as much concern as the conditions under which he divorced and remarried. Those issues could speak to his character, as well as other examples of poor judgment in his personal and financial affairs. Unfortunately, some presidents show themselves to lack character after they are elected. We should not knowingly elect a president that has a history of such transgressions. And -- snarky comment -- I just can't see Callista as first lady.
Kathleen Kress of Bakersfield is a consultant.
***
The office of the president should be respected. Anyone running for that position is offering themselves up as the person who can lead our nation and thus should deserve our admiration.
In the case of Newt Gingrich, he has had a long, well-documented, established political career. I could never put my faith and trust in a man that has been married three times, with two of his wives still living and one very bitter. We've all heard the stories concerning each of his relationships and none of it is pretty. In my mind, that certifies him as a liar and a cheat, and I could never believe a word he says.
I hate it when I can't respect those in authority. Regardless of our political differences, I want to be able to hold the president in esteem, and that includes his ethics and morals, because those qualities are such an intricate part of what makes him the person he is.
Anyone who decides he wants to run for the highest office in the land is essentially saying, "Look at me." In my mind, we should do just that. With a magnifying glass.
Bobby Scrivner of Bakersfield is a retired Kern County employee.
