POLITICS WATCH : Newt Sees the Light

Newt Gingrich has made the right decision. Stung by the public controversy and the rebuke from his own party over a $4.5-million book deal, the incoming House Speaker now says he will turn down the huge advance he was offered. The Georgia Republican says he will take only a $1 advance and then will collect royalties on the actual sales of two books he will write for HarperCollins Publishers.

Ever the shrewd politician, Gingrich conceded that his controversial deal would have been used by critics of the Republicans’ “contract with America” program in the new Congress. It did indeed look bad for the self-proclaimed “citizen-legislator” to be cashing on his new powerful position at a time when the Republicans will be slashing programs that help the poor. The hypocrisy of it all was even criticized by fellow Republican Bob Dole of Kansas, soon to be the Senate majority leader.

Traditionally, it is acceptable for members of Congress to earn income from books, but Gingrich’s deal was problematic because the company he was dealing with is owned by Rupert Murdoch, the Australian native whose ownership of U.S. television stations is under investigation by federal regulators.

“I realized that we really owed it to every person who was on our team to say to them we don’t want anyone at any level to think we’re taking any advantage,” Gingrich said. He now has done the proper thing, politically and ethically. It’s too bad it took a hue and cry--from outside and inside his own party--for him to finally see what should have been obvious.