Stephen Colbert Mocks Newt Gingrich’s Open Marriage Debate Rant

Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 02:29 am

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On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Stephen Colbert lampooned Newt Gingrich’s temper tantrum at the Republican debate over a question about open marriage.

Here’s the video from MSNBC:

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When asked about the new hot topic in the Republican presidential race, open marriage, Stephen Colbert parodied Newt Gingrich, “I just can’t believe that a journalist of your stature would lead with such garbage like that. I don’t care to answer that question, Willie. And I don’t think the people in this room want me to answer that question…I’m all for it, but you need two people to make that work.”

Colbert later compared Gingrich’s position on open marriage to Robert E. Lee, “You honesty is the best policy. Here’s the thing that I don’t think Newt Gingrich gets credit for. A lot of politicians screw around on their wives, but he was enough of a gentleman to ask permission first. Okay, that’s a Southern gentleman. That’s what Robert E. Lee would have done.”

It speaks volumes about the actual 2012 Republican candidates that a day before the primary, Stephen Colbert is generating more positive publicity than the frontrunners. Colbert may very well be stealing the spotlight from the real candidates. The good news is that the Comedy Central host isn’t wasting the attention. He has been using his platform to educate the country about the ridiculousness of the Citizens United decision.

People who have been seeing Colbert this week have learned more about this critical issue than they would have if they had watched all the Republican presidential debates. Stephen Colbert has performed a huge public service by challenging Citizens United in this way. As far as Newt Gingrich is concerned, the Republican Party should be horrified by the fact that the candidate who might win the South Carolina primary tomorrow has become America’s running joke.

Between Mitt Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns and Gingrich’s ex-wives, the Republican primary has become an even bigger train wreck than anyone could have anticipated. Newt Gingrich’s blaming of the media for his refusal to take responsibility for his own behavior deserves parody, and Stephen Colbert is the perfect person to satirize him.

Colbert may be a comedian, but by taking on Citizens United he is doing more for his country than any of the grandstanding and fatally flawed Republican frontrunners could ever dream of.