Dogs have their day

A pop quiz: Which presidential candidate’s shiny legacy was scuffed by revelations he cheated serially on his wife, who was said to withstand his efforts at enjoying an “open’’ marriage?

Answer: Bill Clinton.

JFK, too.

Once again, Americans are forced to come face to face with their own hypocrisy on matters of the heart and other organs. Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich last week became the latest pol to be revealed not only as the husbandly version of Hannibal Lecter, but a deeply, perhaps irredeemably, flawed human being.

Now, with Gingrich’s resounding win in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, a scorching double-digit victory over Mitt Romney, the landscape has changed. GOP voters took fire over ice. And those seeking character, for the moment, seem willing to overlook imperfection in a man.

To the delight of Democrats only too willing to look the other way as Clinton discarded his marriage vows while getting serviced under the Oval Office desk, Gingrich’s second wife, Marianne, blasted her ex for the first time since their divorce more than a dozen years ago.

Marianne, who is stricken with multiple sclerosis, bitterly accused the faithless beast of having asked her if he could remain married to her and keep a mistress as well — a dream arrangement that some men fantasize about.

“He wanted an open marriage [with then-mistress Callista, his current wife] and I refused,’’ she told ABC. “That’s not a marriage.’’

She also got suspiciously political at this late date: “How could he ask me for a divorce on Monday and within 48 hours give a speech on family values and talk about how people treat people?’’

It should be pointed out that Marianne was herself the “other woman’’ whose affair with Gingrich helped end his first marriage, to Jackie Battley, who was stricken with cancer. I suppose the mistress never thinks it will happen to her.

On a positive note: At least Newt marries his women.

Clinton, whose dalliance with Monica Lewinsky led the poor girl to become tragically insecure, unemployed and a permanent punch line in a fellatio joke, was never more popular than when he admitted having sexual relations with a woman, not Hillary.

And then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was never as fierce as when she forgave Bill. Over and over.

But a different standard exists for Republicans. Dem devotion to generous social programs forgives a lot of sins, I suppose.

So the nation excused JFK for publicly cavorting with Marilyn Monroe. But Herman Cain couldn’t get arrested in the White House after it came out that he might have carried on behind closed doors.