Actual quote from Ed Rollins about the fact that a Trump/Gingrich ticket would have six wives between them: “They certainly understand women.” That’s like saying a business owner who’s gone bankrupt four times certainly understands business.

But people do say that, don’t they?

The most interesting bit in this story isn’t that Gingrich wants to be VP. That’s been plain as day for months from his shilling for Trump on Fox News and online, sometimes to comically ridiculous lengths. It’s been said before but it’s true — Trump’s candidacy is a golden ticket for big-name Republicans whose heyday has either passed (Gingrich) or is in the process of passing (Christie). If you’re a GOP pol worried that you’ll never serve in office again, you had every incentive to buy Trump’s stock early and earn his good favor. If he ended up losing the nomination, eh. No harm done. If he ended up winning, you might just land a cabinet position as thanks for your show of loyalty, especially if you bring with you a touch of the political gravitas and conservative authenticity that Trump lacks, as Gingrich does. All of that is obvious. What wasn’t known until now (at least to me) is the degree to which Gingrich isn’t just promoting Trump but is working for him behind the scenes.

Gingrich has a reputation for insinuating himself into campaigns by firing off dozens of e-mails brimming with ideas that range from brilliant to insane. While it’s a quality that has irritated previous presidential candidates such as John McCain and Mitt Romney, sources say that Trump has come to value the former speaker’s opinions.

“They talk every day,” says a source familiar with the relationship, who claims that Gingrich e-mails Trump, campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski “countless times a day.” On Friday, the source says Gingrich sent five messages after lunch, musing on everything from Fox host Megyn Kelly’s interview with Trump to Trump’s recently announced list of potential Supreme Court nominees to ideas for targeting Bernie Sanders’s voters…

Gingrich’s influence within Trump World is widespread. Inside Trump’s newly established campaign offices in Washington, D.C., his fingerprints are everywhere. “Right from the minute I joined we were told that Newt will have his hand in every major policy effort,” says one Trump aide. “So one of the things I do when I’m researching or writing anything, in addition to looking at what Trump has said about anything, I look at what Newt has said.”

Newt’s now a part of Trump’s “inner circle,” Eliana Johnson goes on to say. The Daily Beast reported in March that Gingrich had been talking Trump up in meetings with congressional Republicans, and author Tim Mak noted at the time that “Gingrich and Trump have had multiple political strategy conversations over the past year.” Today’s the first time it’s been reported, though, that they’re speaking frequently and that Gingrich is playing a role in shaping Trump’s policies. That smells like a calculated leak by Team Trump at a moment when Republican leaders are preaching unity, designed to reassure conservatives that he’ll govern from the right by bringing the man behind the Contract With America onboard. If so, it makes sense that they’d dribble this out to a reporter from National Review, in order to reach an audience of movement conservatives. But never mind that. Here’s my question: Does Fox News know about Gingrich’s role in Trump’s campaign? Last I checked he was a Fox News contributor; they used to have him on regularly, as noted above, to comment on the election. It’s basic good journalistic practice to introduce campaign advisors during media hits by noting their affiliation in order to alert the viewer to their bias. Is Fox doing that for Newt or are they still pretending that he’s an impartial commentator? I’m asking earnestly. I haven’t watched in weeks.

Eh. I suppose it’s silly to fault Trump TV for overlooking a pro-Trump conflict of interest. At this point, if you watch Fox, you know what you’re in for. Wouldn’t you feel better, frankly, if you found out that Sean Hannity or Eric Bolling had some ulterior motive for boosting Trump instead of actually believing that he’s a principled conservative in good standing? At least Newt’s getting something out of this trainwreck. Exit question: If you’re looking for an outsider VP who’s never been part of “the system,” your thoughts turn naturally to Newt Gingrich, right?