Newt and Arnold at The End of The World

There are sometimes synergies between world events which enliven the news. And better still, there may be ironies included that lighten the otherwise heavy dudgeon - so viewers won't be bored or can skip their Zoloft. I think the week or so just past has been one of those times.

First we had the news explaining the split between Maria and Arnold; that is, we heard about Arnold's affair with his housekeeper and the 'love-child' he had with her. This was another of those fun moments when we realize that the tabloids and our paranoia can combine to be right about someone. Remember way back when Arnold was running for governor? Those stories about his groping and being generally a pig around women? They (and our gleeful gossipy hopes) were right!

And where had we seen this sort of thing before? Remember when Bill Clinton was first running for President? Remember those stories of his illicit liaisons, and the threats and bribes to keep the ladies quiet? Fast forward to Monica Lewinski and her dress: we were right!

Of course, in neither case did the rumors (or reality) cause them serious problems in their candidacies, and when we found out the truth, they were already out of office (more or less). Lucky. But not everyone is so fortunate. Take Newt Gingrich, for instance.

Mr. Gingrich is a notorious womanizer, according to the press (and the man himself). But, just as we witnessed with the two gents above, that kind of personality issue wouldn't, couldn't, hurt his candidacy. We just would never find out the worst until after he's ruled the world and retired.

No, Mr. G has been deliciously brought down, it seems, and herein lies the lovely irony, by giving a thoughtful, honest, opinion. Not a character flaw at all, unless you happen to be a power-broker in the republican party machine, or a Tea-Party fantasist. Then it seems, honesty is the flaw trumping all others.

When Newt was asked in a TV interview, what he thought of republican Paul Ryan's draconian budget plans for Medicare, he answered (and I paraphrase) that he didn't believe social engineering from either the left or the right was the proper duty of the legislature.

As Jon Stewart said on the daily show, that was a perfectly middle-of-the-road statement for a centrist republican - if only those people existed today. Newt forgot for a moment that his backers are fundamentalist in thought and fervent in their desire to dismantle government, i.e., to engineer social change as they see fit.

Now, there may be some doubt whether Mr. Gingrich really meant what he said, or was just trying to be noncommittal, as most serious politicians learn to be in the run-up to an election. It doesn't really matter, because in the eyes of his backers, he's a traitor.

So it looks to be the end of Newt's comeback from political exile to party favorite. At least he may not have to wallow in defeat for long. According to some people, the world will be ending today, May 21, 2011. As I write this it is 1:30 pm in Los Angeles, and the world is still here, but the day isn't over yet. Newt may yet be spared the long, painful journey into another exile.

What's happening to Arnold, and whether he'd welcome a remake of the End of Days I am not sure. But if he's trying to revive his movie career, he could do worse. Unless, of course, today is the End of Days, in which case ... he won't be back.