Newt Gingrich, Carpetbagger For God, Made a Movie About the Pope

Not the current pope, alas, who could actually use some conservative hagiographical spin right about now, but the previous pope -- John Paul II, whose efforts to combat totalitarianism through faith are chronicled in the Gingrich-produced documentary Nine Days That Changed the World. The former House Speaker and Georgia Republican has traveled with the film to the late pope's homeland of Poland, where he spoke Wednesday of the political change that Catholicism can effect under Communist regimes in Cuba and China. And, one can only presume, in America, where the film will make the university rounds this fall just in time to combat the Obama-flavored socialist scourge jockeying for public office. Hold it just a second, Newt -- I thought you were a Baptist?

Oh. Per the AP:

[Gingrich] was a Baptist, but started growing closer to Catholicism after marrying Callista [Bisek] -- a lifelong Roman Catholic [and former Gingrich aide with whom the politician had an affair for years during his second marriage, which you have to admit is at least sort of catholic -- Ed.] -- 10 years ago. He was also inspired by seeing Pope Benedict XVI during his 2008 visit to the United States.

"It was a process which had occurred over about a nine-year period," he said. "I was catching up with what had happened to me, I wasn't making a decision. The decision was sort of unveiling itself."

Ah ha. And so now Gingrich, who has returned to public life as a friend of the Tea Party and is greasing the skids for a likely campaign for elected office of one kind or another, has affirmed his Catholic creds with Nine Days, warming up to a beloved dead pope rather than backing the one still under fire for alleged cover-ups and shielding of abusive priests over the course of 20-plus years as a cardinal. But again, he isn't "making a decision." He's just got continued uncanny timing and historical taste! Jesus Christ, indeed.

· Newt Gingrich promotes film on Pope John Paul II [AP]