Did hard work and patriotism lead to Newt Ginrich's affairs?

Gail Collins of the NYT writes, "The presidential race is barely under way, but already we have had our first Big Thought. I am speaking, of course, of Newt Gingrich’s suggestion that he was driven into serial adultery by hard work and patriotism."

President Gingrich?

"Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, took the first official step toward running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination on Friday by filing paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service to explore a potential candidacy."

The NYT has more here.