Thursday, November 17, 2011

Jackie Gingrich Cushman: Setting The Record Straight On Smears

I'm still seeing some of the "Newt served his wife divorce papers on her death bed" lies repeated here. I don't support Newt at this time. You may not support Newt either. However, hopefully we can all agree that this type of smear is out-of-bounds. Earlier this year, his daughter, Jackie set the record straight.
....But one of them seems to have taken on a life of its own, and simple corrections have not sufficed to set the record straight. Why does this happen? I can't be sure, but I suspect that the narrative created by these untruths proves to be so much more compelling and more dramatic than what actually happened that it proves irresistible.

I'm talking about the story of my father's visit to my mother while she was in the hospital in 1980.

For years, I have thought about trying to correct the untrue accounts of this hospital visit. After all, I was at the hospital with them, and saw and heard what happened. But I have always hesitated, as it was a private family matter and my mother is a very private person. In addition, for the four people involved, it was one of a million interactions and was not considered a defining event by any of us.

My mother and I have both recently run into quite a few people who hold an inaccurate understanding of this hospital visit. Many think my mother is dead.

So, to correct the record, here is what happened: My mother, Jackie Battley Gingrich, is very much alive, and often spends time with my family. I am lucky to have such a "Miracle Mom," as I titled her in a column this week.

As for my parents' divorce, I can remember when they told me.

It was the spring of 1980.

I was 13 years old, and we were about to leave Fairfax, Va., and drive to Carrollton, Ga., for the summer. My parents told my sister and me that they were getting a divorce as our family of four sat around the kitchen table of our ranch home.

Soon afterward, my mom, sister and I got into our light-blue Chevrolet Impala and drove back to Carrollton.

Later that summer, Mom went to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta for surgery to remove a tumor. While she was there, Dad took my sister and me to see her.

It is this visit that has turned into the infamous hospital visit about which many untruths have been told. I won't repeat them. You can look them up online if you are interested in untruths. But here's what happened:

My mother and father were already in the process of getting a divorce, which she requested.

Dad took my sister and me to the hospital to see our mother.

She had undergone surgery the day before to remove a tumor.

The tumor was benign.

As with many divorces, it was hard and painful for all involved, but life continued.

As have many families, we have healed; we have moved on.

We are not a perfect family, but we are knit together through common bonds, commitment and love.

My mother and father are alive and well, and my sister and I are blessed to have a close relationship with them both....
Read the entire article HERE

31 comments:

ellie said...

RWN, sorry, but I frankly dont care when he served papers. The fact that he was HAVING AN AFFAIR that led to the divorce is troubling. And it was not the first and only affair in his little life. If his wife can't trust him, he certainly should not be asking for his country to trust him.

But then again, it's OK to over look this type of behavior. After all, He's not Romney, right? the so-cons of our party have a really warped sense of morality, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

Newt is a pervert.

If you cant live with integrity, how can you lead with integrity?

Anonymous said...

I agree with another poster's comment regarding morality and conservatism. Morality should be the foundation for conservatism. How can you claim to be a conservative with no moral compass. Newt was both deceptive in his personal life and his political life so how can anyone think that this ego driven, power hungry,big government buffoon would make a great president who would reform Washington?

BOSMAN said...

""He walked out in the spring of 1980.... By September, I went into the hospital for my third surgery. The two girls came to see me, and said, "Daddy is downstairs. Could he come up?" When he got there, he wanted to discuss the terms of the divorce while I was recovering from my surgery." - Jackie, his first wife."

I guess someone is lying? or perhaps a Herman Cain moment?

Right Wingnut said...

Bos, I suspect his daughter is a more neutral source than his ex-wife.

BOSMAN said...

"his ex-wife."

HaHaHaHa!

That term in not in my moral dictionary, OR ROMNEY'S!

Noelle said...

Regardless of how the hospital conversation went down, Newt character is defined by his multiple affairs and lack of fidelity. He could have showered the room with roses as an outward sign of his love, but with the cheating he did, it means nothing.

Noelle said...

One more thing. Newt says he has repented. That's fine. It is his privilege to make every effort to obtain the forgiveness of his wives and children for his behavior. But forgiveness is not the same as trust. For him to regain the trust of the nation, he must work very hard to prove that he has changed. He needs to demonstrate that he puts his family and this nation above his own ambitions and desires. It is up to each voter to decide if he has done that, but for me, he has not even come close. I still hear in him an arrogant, haughty person.

Anonymous said...

Newt was having an affair for many years with his current wife back in the 1990's.( Note the time because it was during the Clinton sex scandal. )He asked for a divorce from his second wife only a few months after whe was diagnosed with MS, when she was suppose to be under no stress.

Now with Mitt, he stood by his wife through her battle with MS and this was about 30 years into their marriage.

So many times I've heard that Newt is more trustworthy than Mitt, because he's a true conservative who won't lie.

So that's the meaning of conservatism? Newt!!

Anonymous said...

RW, I feel for you, but you're not on the winning end with these posts today, my friend! You are bringing up things that are better left alone if you wish to defend the wife-cheater.

What exactly was said in the hospital is neither here nor there. In fact, reading this only makes me more disgusted with Newt because it puts a personal face to the damage caused to loved ones by his disgusting behavior.

This post only served to solidify the contempt people have for Newt over his immoral behavior that went on for years, caused untold pain, and left a trail of destruction.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

Honestly, my opinion of Newt has been the same for all these years. He is a man supremely concerned with himself. His ego and self-obsession knows no bounds. For 20 years, he didn't give a rip about how his actions affected the people who were supposed to be the most important to him.

The idea that he is the person we need right now--or ever--is revolting, actually. The sad thing is that he is seen as competent because of the vast incompetence of the rest of the field, other than Romney.

Thank HEAVEN for Mitt Romney is all I can say.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

Well for the record, I do not agree with the way Mr. Gingrich handled his personal affairs. However, you are correct RW, that he is not quite the monster that he is made out to be. Further we gave Mr. Clinton a pass so why should we hold Mr. Gingrich to a higher standard. However, there is enough antic in Mr. Gingrich's public life (without getting into Personal stuff) to disqualify him for office.

Ohio JOE said...

"The sad thing is that he is seen as competent because of the vast incompetence of the rest of the field, other than Romney." Mr. Romney is still part of that imcmpetent field. He may have been a good businessman, but he did not succeed as governor.

Anonymous said...

OJ, writing your own history again, I see.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

Ah no Martha, his few years as governor in MA were not the high-light of his life. We as a country are now paying for that.

Anonymous said...

Oj...honest question here. Other than RomneyCare, what was so worthless about his time as Governor in Mass? Another honest question...What made Palin's time as Gov. so much more successful than Romneys? I haven't studied her tenure as closely as you...

Gordon

Anonymous said...

OJ, Romney closed a gigantic budget deficit, and made government smaller. He stood up for life, and fought valiantly against gay marriage. I do not believe you can truly point to anything he did as governor that cannot be considered conservative, other than signing the assault weapons ban--and even that was not a bad thing according to the NRA.

As you know, RomneyCare was origianlly a conservative idea from the Heritage Foundation, which was co-opted and mangled beyond recognition into ObamaCare. Romney did nothing that the country is 'now paying for'.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

Well Gordon, if you take away MAcare, he certainly was not a terrible governor. However, MAcare is unfortunately a major part of his history that cannot be separated. The fact that this helped lead to ObamaCare does not put some of us in a good mood. This best thing that could happen to Mr. Romney is that the Supreme Court throw ObamaCare out so that HC will be off the table.

As for Mrs. Palin, she brought fiscal sanity to Alaska and she helped clean up corruption and fight shenanigans. So I hope she does not endorse Mr. Gingrich.

Ohio JOE said...

"As you know, RomneyCare was origianlly a conservative idea from the Heritage Foundation" For the record, I for one am no fan of the Heritage Foundation, they used poor judgement.

Anonymous said...

OJ, you said, "As for Mrs. Palin, she brought fiscal sanity to Alaska and she helped clean up corruption and fight shenanigans."

I have a hard time seeing how you can consider Palin a conservative governor, and not Romney. I think that if you take their records side by side, and factor in their respective political climates, you would find Romney to have actually been a more conservative governor than Palin was.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

OJ, it is not poor judgment to ask people to pay for their own healthcare costs. It is conservative.

-Martha

Ohio JOE said...

Paying for one's own HC is Conservative, mandating them to buy insurance while introducing government regulations is a different story.

Anonymous said...

OJ, not really. But you'll have to take it up with Reagan about intoducing government regulations. He signed mandantory ER care into law. The aftermath is that someone is forced to pay for it. Either the person receiving it, or you and I.

Perhaps it's not the most ideal situation, but I prefer that we FORCE people to pay for their own care, rather than FORCING me to pay for it.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

Both of Newt's divorces just don't make him look good at all. He left both wives during their individual illnesses. The first wife he divorced when she was ill with uterine cancer and the second when she was ill with MS.

Not only that, he didn't keep up with his alimony payments to Jackie Battley, his first wife. At one time, it became necessary for her friends to take up a collection for her and her daughters.

I don't think women voters will be crazy about Newt.

BOSMAN said...

Martha,

"OJ, not really. But you'll have to take it up with Reagan about intoducing government regulations. He signed mandantory ER care into law. The aftermath is that someone is forced to pay for it. Either the person receiving it, or you and I.

Perhaps it's not the most ideal situation, but I prefer that we FORCE people to pay for their own care, rather than FORCING me to pay for it."

BINGO!

Ohio JOE said...

Then force them to pay for their own healthcare. Health insurance does not equal Health care.

Ellie said...

I am happy I am not alone in my thought process. http://evangelicalsformitt.org/2011/11/the-wives-of-newt-gingrich-do-they-matter/

Pablo said...

Oh well this settles it. Newt's daughter just defended him.

Kim said...

His daughter is on his payroll. She gets PAID to support him.

They've even written a couple of books together.

This is all about $$$$$$$$

I agree with the X-Wife's version.

Anonymous said...

Gordon,Martha and Ohio Joe,

Attached is a really good article on Romneycare and how it went wrong. This is one of the first articles that has depicted in more detail of what I understood about the Romneycare program.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/68606_Page2.html

Anonymous said...

My relatives live in Massachusetts and they, along with 86% of all residents of that state are thrilled with the health care law. Why should the taxpayers pay for healthcare of those who refuse to contribute anything towards it, either because they can't afford the enormous premiums or because they can afford them but know that if they get sick the taxpayers will have to foot the bill? Everyone needs to be mandated to pay at least a small portion of a health insurance and that is what happens in Mass. One is forced to have car insurance, so why is this different? Also, whoever runs against Obama will lose unless his name is Huntsman..and Repubs are too short sighted to recognize that fact.