Posted on 05/14/2011 9:33:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
My father, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, has been in politics as long as I can remember.
And as long as I can remember, media coverage about him has contained misstatements of facts. The vast majority are simple mistakes that are easily corrected, understood and rewoven into an ongoing storyline.
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.
My sister and I feel that it is time to move on, close the book on this event and focus on building a great future. We will not answer additional questions or make additional comments regarding this meaningless incident, which occurred more than three decades ago.
As I said, my mother is a private person. She will not give media interviews. She deserves respect and should be allowed to live in peace.
-- To find out more about Jackie Gingrich Cushman, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.
If this is true -and I have no reason to believe it isn’t- it changes my perception about Gingrich considerably. He’s still got a lot of baggage though.
You mean all this time, the media has been lying?
I’m shocked. Shocked!
But I though Newtie divorced his wife on her deathbed?
Wow. This is dramatic. Sad that this smear ocurred before the internet.
NOW she’s correcting it? After all this time? How odd.
She was an adult teacher and molested newt (no matter how willingly).
Newt ever since has been led through life by his “newt.”. He is a risk, a national security risk. He can’t resist a snapping thong panty.
Honestly and I live in Atlanta, most people think Newt’s wife had cancer and that he was trying to get her to sign divorce papers on her deathbed so to speak. Thats the story we always heard even down here. I thought the woman was dead myself.
This NEVER came to pass. It never came to pass because ole pudgy, Newt, was screwing his aide, now 'wife', Callista, whose name he now drops whenever he gets the chance. He got caught and resigned. He knew when he promised due diligence to uphold conservative values he couldn't deliver and to make it worse, he didn't even fit the mold himself.
He is a seriously flawed person and it will be a cold day in Hell when I vote for him in a primary OR general election. I don't care what his daughter says.
I don’t give a crap about Newt’s personal life.
He’s a phony pseudo-conservative. That’s what I care about.
Good for her to help clarify the media’s lies.
So, did you vote for John McCain in '08? Maybe you should look up Carol Shepp McCain on wikipedia, if you are not familiar with her story.
“I don’t give a crap about Newt’s personal life.
He’s a phony pseudo-conservative. That’s what I care about.”
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
This.
Ever since he caved to Clinton in ‘95 (I think that’s when) I wrote him off.
He has decent commentary on a limited number of issues. No doubt he has a high IQ and is very articulate.
But he is not Presidential material.
This correct information has been out for years.
The brain-dead and non readers found in abundance here on FR have skipped over the truth for years.
After much discussion, contention, explanation here about he's better than so-and-so, etc. I relented and voted for his sorry butt. The only bright spot of the whole event was Sarah Palin.
Will the same thing happen this time? Hell No! As I said, I am very familiar with Gingrich. He was my Congressman and he betrayed me personally. I will not vote for him under ANY circumstances.
I thought she was dead as well. It just goes to show that you MUST stand up to lies AT THE TIME. You can’t allow the press to get away with it. When will conservatives LEARN???
Are you referring to me FRiend?
Likewise, I remember Newt shaking hands with B Clinton promising to form a blue ribbon commission on something for which BC would later take “bipartisan” credit for. Maybe it was saving soc security or some other manipulation. Newt CAN’T be the best the GOP can offer. Enough of the old, white male, RINO relics.
Ok, i always heard that when his wife was dying of cancer, he dumped her. This sure is a different story. If it was as the urban legend says, doubt his kids would defend him.
Freaking leftists,,,
I utterly enjoyed his US history lecture series.
But i am very unforgiving about his support of Global warming, and sitting on that sofa with Pelosi.
That was the signature effort of the forces trying to destroy America. And he helped.
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