European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 162007 stars ads tripes Page 15 opinion candidates know when its time to come clean Washington conservative icon Newt Gingrich has wiped away whatever doubts i had that he might be planning to run for president the former House speaker has revealed on National television Clarence Page that he conducted an affair with a Young staffer who is now his wife while seeking president Clinton impeachment in connection with of All things an affair with a Young intern Gingrich admit Ted in a interview with James Dobson founder of focus on the family a conserva Tive Christian group that he had fallen Short of my own Stan Dards theres certainly times when Ive fallen Short of gods standards i leaped to one conclusion of yeah newts running candidates do not normally toss their Bon net into the political ring by announcing on National to that they have had an extramarital affair but these Are not Normal times the 2008 race is unusually wide open with no incumbent president or vice presi Dent in the race both parties have crowded Fields yet republicans have been express ing surprisingly deep disappointment with the choices they have been offered and yes democrats Are nervous about whether their two current front runners can go the distance if s significant in that sense that Ging Richs confession just happened to follow sen Barack Obama riveting account of his parents connection to the civil rights his tory that did not happen quite in the Way that he recounted it speaking at the commemoration of the 1965 bloody sunday confrontation Over voting rights in Selma Ala the Illinois Democrat energized a Church crowd by link ing the event to his birth there was some thing stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma Alabama he preached because some folks Are willing to March across a Bridge so my parents got together and Barack Obama or was born so dont Tell me i dont have a claim on Selma Alabama dont Tell me in not com ing Home to Selma Alabama it was such a spellbinding Story that i Al most didst want to wonder How the Selma event could have led to the senators birth which happened four years earlier we might Call it a Story too Good to allow facts to get in the Way were he not a presidential candidate these Are the Days of what i Call the narrative primary a Getty Knowle period in which candidates project their Best sides into the voters minds through spellbinding stories of their lives struggles and epiphanies Obama eagerly wanted the civil rights generation folks in that Sanctuary to embrace him As one of their own a Little embellishment of ones life Story is permissible in that Pursuit but one should at least keep the time lines straight critics have accused sen Hillary Rodham Clinton of similar biographical embellishment that Day although the charge appears to be a bum rap in another Selma Church she recalled poignantly How seeing Martin Luther King speak in Chicago had inspired her during her High school years in mentioned were her descriptions of herself in her memoirs during those years As an Active Young Republican and a Goldwater girl right Down to my cowgirl outfit a de tails details since sen Barry Goldwater the goes 1964 presidential candidate was one of six Republican senators to join Southern demo cratic segregationists in opposing the 1964 civil rights act her admiration of King sounded contradictory to her critics but As the Liberal Media matters for America web site Points out the new York senators 2003 Memoir living history explains the seem ing contradiction in detail a Liberal minis Ter taught her to Admire King and a conservative teacher taught her to Admire Goldwa Ter both for their rugged individualism that swam against the political tide even if in different political directions i liked them both personally she says of the senator and the civil rights Leader and did not see their beliefs As diametrically opposed then or now makes sense to me it also fits nicely into the mid Leof therond narrative Frame that appeals to swing voters whom sen Clinton is trying to reach which brings us Back to Gingrich his time May have come the right is restless hungry for a hero these Days a York times poll released tuesday found nearly 6 in 10 republicans said they wanted More choices than the candidates already in the race so if i were Newt right now id be think ing Why not me if Giuliani implodes As More conservatives find out about his past support for Gay rights abortion rights and gun control Newt looks increasingly like Luke Skywalker against the encroaching lib eral Empire As the author of a Long list of fiction and nonfiction books Gingrich understands the Power of a Good narrative Hes smart to get the bad news about his personal life out now along with his apologies american Vot ers can be quite forgiving As Long As you keep your facts straight syndicated columnist Clarence Page writes for the Chicago Tribune Pace Shoul Dve looked before he leapt into Gray area Washington Post editorial Gen Peter Pace chairman of the joint chiefs of staff this week re fused to apologize for saying that homosexual acts Are immoral explaining that he was expressing his per Sonal moral views Hes entitled to his opinions of course but when it comes to shaping Public policy Hes obligated to reach a bit higher to consider facts and evidence and the Impact of his Public expressions of intolerance on the men and women he commands in response to a question on his views about the dont ask dont Tell policy that allows Gays and lesbians to serve in the Mil itary but not As openly Gay or lesbian Pace told the Chicago Tribune on monday i believe homosexual acts Between two individuals Are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts i do not believe the United states is Well served by a policy that says it is of to be Unm Oral in any Way dont ask dont Tell is the misguided policy instituted in 1993 by president Clin ton that deprives the military of Abl Bod red men and women who want to serve their country it made no sense in a time of peace it is absurd in a time of War one of paces predecessors retired army Gen John Shalikashvil called for reconsideration of the policy earlier this year As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have worn on the Pentagon has had to lower its recruitment standards moral waivers granted to army recruits with Misdemeanour and felony convictions nearly doubled Between 2003 and 2006 one such recruit Steven d Green stands accused of raping a 14yearold iraqi girl and murder ing her and her family meanwhile the defense department purged 11077 troops including 322 desperately needed linguists from its ranks Between 1994 and 2005 simply because they were Gay although the Pace of expel when it comes to shaping Public policy Gen Peter Pace is obligated to reach a bit higher Sions seems to have slowed As the Mili Tarys needs outweighed its moral scruples homosexuals serve admirably and openly without fear of prosecution or sneering judgment in 24 coun tries including Israel Australia and Britain americas staunchest ally in the Iraq War neither morale nor military performance has suffered As Pace considers the uproar Over his re Marks on morality he might reflect on Marine staff sgt Eric Fidelis Alva who like his father and Grandfather chose to serve in the military when he enlisted 17 years ago he lied about his sexual orientation Alva was the first american wounded in the Iraq War when he stepped on a land mine president Bush presented him with the purple heart his moral fitness for duty was unquestioned whats immoral is that Alva and thousands of other Brave members of the armed forces had to lie or be silent for the right the risk and the Honor of serving his country prickly City by Scott Stantis not 50 Gucco the sucks Sph 1 vow k 110lncu