Newt Gingrich bitten by a penguin

Originally published on Examiner.com on April 16, 2012.

Former Speaker of the House and GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is used to being in the headlines. After a career in public office that has spanned nearly 40 years it is a safe assumption to make that this is the first and only time you will read a story such as this.

While in St. Louis for a NRA fund raiser, Gingrich along with several others visited the St. Louis Zoo. Mr. Gingrich, who is a known animal lover, decided to make contact with a penguin. It is reported by the AP that Gingrich was attacked by a Magellanic penguin, leaving a gash in his finger.

Gingrich’s injuries did not require stitches or the intervention of medical professionals.

Any follow up by Gingrich’s campaign was nonexistent. This is likely because of the former speaker’s past troubles that included two public affairs, which led to public divorces and being the only speaker in history to be fined $300,000. The vote to do so was quite one sided, 395-28.