Famed Freddie Mac house historian for hire Gussie Fink-Nottle says all that money he got from corporate clients to introduce their products to his friends in government was not lobbying by another name, but rather evidence of his good citizenship. No, really:

Mr. Gingrich, a former House speaker who has repeatedly said during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination that he has never acted as a lobbyist, added, “They want to say isn’t that lobbying? No it’s called being a citizen. As a citizen, I’m allowed to have an opinion.”

Too right! What a coincidence that Fink-Nottle’s opinion happened to coincide with the interests of health care companies hoping to do business with the government, whose members Fink-Nottle just happened to have a personal relationship with. Imagine that. If it looks bad, well, who are you to question the motives of a man who would put his marriage at risk, and lose it, in the service of his country? Why do you hate America?