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In recent days, he's been asked about an ethics fine he paid as speaker and his work for Freddie Mac. "I don't understand numbers with all those zeros," said a man in Thursday's crowd, referring to the $1.6 million Gingrich's company earned from Freddie Mac. Gingrich explained that he didn't take in all that money himself and that he fought to increase regulations and not increase funding for the government-sponsored entity. The candidate argues that such forums give him an opportunity to set the record straight on issues that have been distorted. But they also dredge up the controversies, even as he seeks to put them behind him. One example came in a telephone town hall meeting Wednesday night when a caller likened Gingrich's three marriages to polygamy. "Jesus very specifically states in the Bible that divorced people are really still married, which I think technically means now that you're a polygamist, and I'm wondering what you'll do to legalize polygamy in the U.S. if you were to be elected president," the man said.
Gingrich labeled the question "fairly unusual" and said he would oppose any effort to legalize polygamy. The former Georgia congressman acknowledges his tendency to stray off script. At Mabe's Pizza in Decorah he was asked why his Republican rivals have been so eager to embrace government intervention in the economy. He paused and an impish smile crept across his face. "I'll just get in trouble," he said.
[Associated
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