Do Open Relationships Matter in Political Campaigns?

If Newt Gingrich becomes president, we should all invest in steel underwear.

But wait. Let me explain.

Let’s face it, Gingrich’s emotional intelligence could use some work. When you’ve just confessed to wrecking the rules of your relationship, why would your partner trust you to build a whole new set? The way Gingrich defines “open relationship” is, quite frankly, wrong. A real open relationship is carefully negotiated between partners — otherwise it isn’t a relationship. In the Gingrich scenario, the term was used as rhetorical power-play. There was no “relationship” in Gingrich’s ultimatum. Just ask Wendy-O Matik, author of Redefining Our Relationships, who writes that those who are opening up sexually should “… set the boundaries around certain people that you and your partner feel would jeopardize your relationship.” In the Gingrich scenario, I guess this would have been … um … Callista?

I, for one, would prefer to keep him out of our boudoir. Hence the steel underwear.

It also interests me that Gingrich lashed out at last week’s GOP debate in South Carolina, saying: “… To take an ex-wife and make it two days before the primary a significant question for a presidential campaign is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine.” I’m interested in his response because our sexual conduct reveals a lot about our reliability. In my view, if a person lacks the humility to weep in front of his partner, and say, “I’m lost, I’m broken, and I’m sorry. It’s all my fault,” then why should we elect him?

Hence the steel underwear.

Mind you, if Mitt Romney inherits the metaphorical boudoir, many of us will end up locked in the closet. In fact, when gay veteran Bob Garon asked Romney whether he supported repealing New Hampshire’s same sex marriage law, Romney replied that he believed marriage should be between a man and woman. It seems we’re only allowed to love and marry if we do it Romney’s way.

After the discussion, Garon understandably said of Romney and gay marriage, “I’m totally convinced today that he’s not going to be my president, at least in my book. At least Obama will entertain the idea. This man is ‘No way, Jose.’ Well, take that, ‘No way, Jose’ back to Massachusetts.”

Thank you, Garon, but I think we’re fine without it.