We're Nothing Like Gingrich and his wife.

[Rozlee]

Ever since Newt Gingrich announced he's running for president, my FB page has been buzzing with comments from stories about him gleaned from the news media. So have so many liberal websites that I visit, including DU. One of the biggest criticisms I hear is that he married a woman 23 years his junior.

In his personal relationships, I think he was smarmy in the way he dumped his first wife while she lay sick with cancer. He cheated on his second wife with his third while he sanctimoniously pummeled Bill Clinton for his affair with an intern. All the while, he was having an affair with one too; the future, third, Mrs. Gingrich.

But, one of the biggest criticisms I hear is that he married a "woman young enough to be his daughter." "A trophy wife." "A gold-digging younger woman that wanted an old, rich fart." "An old perv that wanted a sweet young thang."

I'm married to a man twenty years older than I am. He was a widower when we met in 1987. I was a single mom, working three jobs as a cocktail waitress at night, a grocery bagger by day, and an Army Reservist one weekend a month. He was an Air Force officer.

He'd stood steadfast by his first wife's side while she died of leukemia. He'd never have left her for another woman then, or any other time. He wasn't rich, although he was high ranking. He was shocked and confused when a young Army Reservist was crushing big time on him at the Air Force hospital I worked my drills at. He tried to tell me he was too old for me. I told him age was just a number. He was uptight enough that he refused to date me for two years for fear of fraternization until I no longer worked at Wilford Hall. This wasn't a man that was taking advantage of a younger woman. And I wasn't going after a rich old fart.

I always see people startle when they see us together. Now, I've turned 50 and he's turned 70.

It makes me cringe when I hear comments like those above about the reasons for May-December marriages. Even after all these years, it's hard not to flinch at hearing some of them. It's stereotypical to the max and it hurts, it really does. It's like being an interracial couple. By the way, we're an inter-ethnic couple. I'm Hispanic, he's Anglo. I'm sure that doesn't help either. I just wanted to get this all off my chest.

My husband warned me it would be like this when we were seeing each other. Hey, he's worth it, and more. But, maybe it might be nice, if you're ever in South Texas and see a small Hispanic woman and a tall strapping older Anglo man, holding hands as they walk their dogs, you might think for a moment and say, "They really love each other," and not, "Boy, she got herself set for life," or "He must've liked them young."