Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista are both New York Times best-selling authors who share a passion for pets and American history. Tune into this special episode of the Oh Behave Show on Pet Life Radio with host Arden Moore as this power couple share how they are making American history unforgettable and fun through a series of children's books featuring Ellis the Elephant. Find out the contents of a secret note then-President Bill Clinton slipped to Newt Gingrich during his State of the Union address and the message Newt is delivering in his new book, Breakout: Pioneers of the Future, Prison Guards of the Past, and the Epic Battle That Will Decide America's Fate. All this and more -- only on the Oh Behave show! 

Questions or Comments? Send them to: arden@petliferadio.com.

Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is well-known as the architect of the “Contract with America” that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in forty years. After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people. Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, the first balanced budget in a generation, and the first tax cut in sixteen years. In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.

Today Newt Gingrich is the co-host of CNN’s Crossfire, where he continues to advocate bold policy ideas. He is a Senior Scientist at Gallup.

From May 2011 to May 2012, Newt Gingrich was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, winning the South Carolina and the Georgia primaries. The campaign was especially notable for its innovative policy agenda, its effort to bring new coalitions into the Republican fold, and for Newt’s debate performances. His $2.50 a gallon energy plan set off a nationwide discussion about the use of America’s energy resources.

But there is a lot more to Newt Gingrich than these remarkable achievements. As an author, Newt has published twenty-six books including 14 fiction and nonfiction New York Times best-sellers.

Non-fiction books include his latest, Breakout, in addition to A Nation Like No Other, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, To Save America, Rediscovering God in America, 5 Principles for a Successful Life, Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less, Real Change, A Contract with the Earth, Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America, To Renew America, Lessons Learned the Hard Way, Saving Lives & Saving Money, Window of Opportunity, and The Art of Transformation. He is also the author of a series of historical fiction books including, Gettysburg, Grant Comes East, Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant the Final Victory, 1945, Pearl Harbor, Days of Infamy, To Make Men Free, To Try Men’s Souls, Valley Forge, and his latest, Victory at Yorktown. These novels are active history studies in the lessons of warfare based on fictional accounts of historical wartime battles and their aftermaths.

Newt and his wife, Callista, host and produce historical and public policy documentaries. Recent films include A City Upon A Hill, America at Risk, Nine Days That Changed The World, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, Rediscovering God in America, Rediscovering God in America II: Our Heritage, and We Have the Power.

In his post-Speaker role, Newt has become one of the most highly sought-after public speakers, accepting invitations to speak before prestigious organizations throughout the world. Because of his own unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Newt is able to share unique and unparalleled insights on a wide range of topics. His audiences find him to be not only educational but also inspirational. For more information about Newt’s speaking engagements, please visit the Worldwide Speakers Group.

Widely recognized for his commitment to a better system of health for all Americans, his leadership in the U.S. Congress helped save Medicare from bankruptcy, prompted FDA reform to help the seriously ill and initiated a new focus on research, prevention, and wellness. His contributions have been so great that the American Diabetes Association awarded him their highest non-medical award and the March of Dimes named him their 1995 Citizen of the Year.

To foster a modern health system that provides better outcomes at lower cost, Newt launched the Center for Health Transformation in 2003, and continued there in a leadership role until he stepped down in 2011 to seek the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Recognized internationally as an expert on world history, military issues, and international affairs, Newt served as a Member of the Defense Policy Board. He was the longest-serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting course for Major Generals. He also taught officers from all five services as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Professor at the National Defense University. Newt was a member of the Terrorism Task Force for the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2005, Newt co-chaired the Task Force on U.N. Reform, a bi-partisan Congressional effort to reform the United Nations.

In 1999, Gingrich was appointed to the United States Commission on National Security/21st Century, Hart/Rudman Commission, to examine our national security challenges as far out as 2025. The Commission’s report is the most profound rethinking of defense strategy since 1947. The report concluded that the number one threat to the United States was the likelihood over the next 25 years of a weapon of mass destruction — nuclear, chemical, and/or biological — being used against one or more major cities unless our defense and intelligence structures underwent a massive transformation. That report was published six months before September 11.

Because of his work on the Hart/Rudman Commission, Newt Gingrich is credited with the idea of a Homeland Security Agency with a Secretary to serve on the Cabinet level. President George W. Bush later created the Department of Homeland Security.

From 2007 until his 2012 presidential bid, Newt served as General Chairman of American Solutions for Winning the Future. He has also been a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Newt is also a news and political analyst appearing regularly on cable and broadcast news programs.

Newt Gingrich is a leading advocate of increased federal funding for basic science research. In 2001, he was the recipient of the Science Coalition’s first Science Pioneer award, given to him for his outstanding contributions educating the public about science and its benefits to society.

Gingrich, a strong advocate of volunteerism, has long championed the positive impact every individual can have on society. He has raised millions of dollars for charity, donating both time and money to a wide array of causes, including Habitat for Humanity, United Cerebral Palsy, the American Cancer Society, and ZooAtlanta. As a former environmental studies professor, he is widely recognized for his commitment to the environment and to the advancement of a new, common-sense environmentalism. In 1998, the Georgia Wildlife Federation named him Legislative Conservationist of the Year.

Newt was first elected to Congress in 1978 where he served the Sixth District of Georgia for twenty years. In 1995, he was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1999. The Washington Times has called him “the indispensable leader” and Time magazine, in naming him Man of the Year for 1995, said, “Leaders make things possible. Exceptional leaders make them inevitable. Newt Gingrich belongs in the category of the exceptional.”

His experiences as the son of a career soldier convinced him at an early age to dedicate his life to his country and to the protection of freedom. Realizing the importance of understanding the past in order to protect the future, he immersed himself in the study of history, receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Emory University and Master’s and Doctorate in Modern European History from Tulane University. Before his election to Congress, he taught History and Environmental Studies at West Georgia College for eight years.

Newt resides in McLean, Virginia with his wife, Callista Gingrich.

Callista Gingrich

Callista Gingrich is the President of Gingrich Productions, a multimedia production company based in Washington, DC.

Callista and her husband, Newt, host and produce historical and public policy documentaries. Recent films include A City Upon A Hill, America at Risk, Nine Days That Changed The World, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, Rediscovering God in America, Rediscovering God in America II: Our Heritage, and We Have the Power.

Mrs. Gingrich is the author of the New York Times best-selling children’s series featuring Ellis the Elephant. Her children’s books include Sweet Land of Liberty, Land of the Pilgrims’ Pride, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and From Sea to Shining Sea.

Callista’s photography is featured in the New York Times best seller, Rediscovering God in America, as well as in, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, a photographic collection inspired by Newt and Callista’s award-winning documentary film.
Mrs. Gingrich is also the voice for several audio books, including A Nation Like No Other, Valley Forge, To Save America, To Try Men’s Souls, 5 Principles for a Successful Life, Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less, The Art of Transformation, Real Change, A Contract with the Earth, and Rediscovering God in America.

Prior to leading Gingrich Productions, Callista served as a congressional aide in the U.S. House of Representatives. She worked both on the House Committee on Agriculture as Chief Clerk, and in the Office of Congressman Steve Gunderson (R-WI). With over eighteen years of staff experience, Mrs. Gingrich has a wide range of knowledge in government affairs, strategic planning, legislative research, and constituent services.

A devoted Catholic, Callista is a member of the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., a resident professional choir. In March of 2005, the Choir visited Rome, Italy to honor Pope John Paul II, and recorded a compact disc entitled Pope John Paul II: A Celebration of Life and Faith. In April of 2008, the Choir sang for the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, during his Apostolic Journey to the United States. In November of 2008, the Choir participated in the International Festival of Sacred Music and Art in Rome. And in April of 2013 the Choir returned to the Eternal City for a series of performances for the Papal Foundation.

Mrs. Gingrich plays the French horn with the City of Fairfax Band in Fairfax, Virginia, promoting musical growth and education among area residents and students. The City of Fairfax Band is a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Silver Scroll Award. The Sudler Silver Scroll is regarded to be North America’s most prestigious award for community concert bands.

Callista is the president of the Gingrich Foundation, a charitable nonprofit corporation. Among its many charitable contributions, the Gingrich Foundation established the Newt and Callista Gingrich Scholarship at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, providing annual scholarships for instrumental music majors. Other grants have been awarded to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington National Opera, Wolf Trap Foundation, City of Fairfax Band, Atlanta Ballet, Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Museum of the Rockies, American Museum of Natural History, Arthritis Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, Learning Makes a Difference Foundation, Autism Society, Catholic Charities USA, American Heart Association, Girl Scouts of the USA, and the Trust for Public Land.

Callista graduated Cum Laude and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music with a concentration in Public Communication from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While at Luther College, Mrs. Gingrich was a Pi Kappa Lambda Member and Regents Scholar.

Callista resides in McLean, Virginia with her husband, Newt Gingrich.