The Prisoner and the Politician, Part 3

(Parts 1 & 2 below)

7. Introduction, Part 3.

Part 1 compared two lives: a composite life-prisoner, and Newt Gingrich. Part 2 began to scrutinize the comparative virtues and vices of these men. Both have lied: Gingrich certainly, my client probably/maybe. Part 2 examined why.

8. The prisoner and the politician: comparison, continued.

 Let’s examine the comparative consequences of these character flaws, and other revelations.

d. The scope of their failings.Moral failings have consequences.

If my client lied about his knowledge of the murder of the house sitter, or his own participation in that crime, at least his lie had no scope. The commissioners and I were his audience, and we are few.

But Gingrich doesn’t lie to the few. He lies to a national audience. And he aspires to speak to the world as President of the United States with his unclean lips.

The scope of my client’s lies is minuscule. The scope of Gingrich’s lies is epic.

e. The effect of their failings.The consequences of my client’s – I suspect – minimization of his role in the murder is highly theoretical. A lie insults the dignity of the person lied to – here, the commissioners and me, whether we know of it or not. It has had no lingering effect.

When Gingrich lies, in addition to insulting the dignity of those he lies to, he deflects his audience from reality and molests their judgment. Based upon what Gingrich says, his credulous followers form opinions. Based on those opinions, they will choose candidates. And they will perpetuate his falsehoods among their friends and relations.

But almost worse than what Gingrich does to his credulous followers is what he does to his followers who penetrate his distortions. Because he is a hero to them, when they see him lie and rise, they are tempted to walk in his ways. This harms their integrity, and that potentially injures their personal and professional lives.

But Gingrich offends against more than his followers. He offends against the nation. Lies are toxic to our national lifeblood. On an individual level, any time we make an important decision – like whom to marry, where to invest our money – we crave accurate information. Who would marry if they knew that their would-be spouse was not kind, but cruel behind a mask of kindness? Who would invest their savings in a company, if they knew that the impressive company profits were only an accounting mirage? That's politics, too. America cannot sail itself to a safe and prosperous future under a delusion-based helm.

f. The burden of their failings.My client himself bears the burden his recent failing. He was caught with a cell phone, and he was denied parole. I have no doubt that he otherwise would have won release. As to his possible falsehoods, I feel no residual effect of this offense. Nor did the commissioners, if they were aware of it. I don’t think they shared my suspicion, because they said nothing. But minimization of personal responsibility for a crime is a fundamental reason for which commissioners deny parole.

Except in an eternal sense, Gingrich does not bear the burden of his recent failings; his followers and his country do. As Gingrich rises, we (potentially) fall.

g. Hypocrisy.My client is no hypocrite. He does not judge others harshly for what he himself does. He knows he has done evil. He hoped for mercy from the commissioners, but he was not dismayed when parole was denied. He did not complain about others who got parole who were, in his mind, less deserving.

Gingrich savages Democrats from his position of moral impoverishment. And as Speaker of the House, he famously made the case against Bill Clinton because of Monica Lewinsky. This, while he himself violated his vows to his second wife.

h. Goodwill.I don’t pretend that my client has affection for the commissioners who decide whether he goes free or stays in prison. But if nervousness is any indication, he fears them.

Gingrich possesses contempt for his followers. Contempt is the cause and effect of his falsehoods. Only contempt for his followers permits him to insult their dignity by lying to them instead of telling them the truth. And he necessarily must have contempt for people who cannot penetrate his transparent lies.


i. Humility and hubris.My client is humble. He doesn’t chafe under his daily routine, which is dictated by others. Others tell him when to rise, when to sleep; what to eat and when; what will be his occupation; what he may possess as property. He calmly accepted the decision denying him parole. He does not seek any lofty status in society. He just wants out. He knows he will always be under supervision, always be at risk for returning to prison. He accepts that.

Gingrich has wealth and power, and he seeks the highest power in politics. He considers his political rise more important than truth, and that is to say more important than God. Gingrich holds a bastard sense of entitlement to power – a sense of entitlement that overwhelms his fidelity to facts.

j. Future.If my client obtains his freedom, I have no doubt that he will lead a blameless life. For one thing, statistically, released lifers have a low recidivism rate. Also, after a deprived life, I expect the euphoria of freedom to choke out any depraved temptation that could cause his return to the futility of prison.

But it is hard to see a path to Gingrich’s rehabilitation. He has risen high in the world. He has the acclaim of millions. He has power, fame, and riches. And the consequence is pride. I see no catalyst that might alter the practices by which he has risen.


9. Conclusion.The life stories of my clients and Newt Gingrich are now being written. Some of my clients will achieve their freedom. Gingrich will rise, but I don’t know how high. But I predict this: in their small way, my freedom-gaining clients will lead good lives; and in his epic way, Gingrich will be a force for decline.