Cain: Wife didn't know about friendship, ‘financial assistance' to Ginger White

Union-Leader ^ | 12-1-2011 | John DiStaso

[smoothsailing]

Cain: Wife didn't know about friendship, ‘financial assistance' to Ginger White

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is questioned by New Hampshire Union Leader publisher Joe McQuaid in Manchester Thursday. David Lane

MANCHESTER - In his most candid interview since the latest allegations emerged, Herman Cain adamantly maintains that he and Ginger White were no more than friends. He told the New Hampshire Union Leader that in about 70 text messages she sent him between Oct. 22 and Nov. 18, she was "asking for financial assistance. She was out of work and had trouble paying her bills and I had known her as a friend."
By JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
MANCHESTER - Herman Cain acknowledged Thursday that he repeatedly gave Ginger White money to help her with "month-to-month bills and expenses" without telling his wife.

In fact, the embattled presidential candidate said, his wife, Gloria, "did not know that we were friends until she (White) came out with this story."

In his most candid interview since the latest allegations emerged, Cain adamantly maintained that he and White were no more than friends.

He told the New Hampshire Union Leader that in about 70 text messages she sent him between Oct. 22 and Nov. 18, she was "asking for financial assistance. She was out of work and had trouble paying her bills and I had known her as a friend.

"She wasn't the only friend who I had helped in these tough economic times, and so her messages to me were relating to ‘need money for rent' or whatever the case may be. I don't remember all the specifics."

Cain said White, who has alleged that she and Cain had a 13-year extramarital affair, told him that she did not have a job and was unable to get financial help from her family, "and that quite frankly, I was the only person who was a friend at the time - and I underscore ‘friend' - that was in a position to help her.


"I'm a soft-hearted person when it comes to that stuff. I have helped members of my church. I have helped members of my family.


"And I know a lot of other people who had done the same thing, and sometimes, quite frankly, it was desperation," Cain said.


Cain said that in 17 reported text messages back to her, he would respond with messages such as, "What are you doing to get a job?"


Cain said he did give Ginger White money, although he would not say how much on the advice of counsel.


And, he acknowledged, "My wife did not know about it, and that was the revelation. My wife found out about it when she went public with it.


"My wife now knows," Cain said. "My wife and I have talked about it and I have explained it to her. My wife understands that I'm a soft-hearted giving person."


He said his wife "is comfortable with the explanation that I told her."


He said he told his wife about White only after White went public.


Cain said that in retrospect he should have told his wife about his friendship with White, "but retrospect doesn't necessarily change what's going on now."


He also said his wife "did not know we were friends until she (White) came out with this story."


He said White did not threaten to go public with the allegation of an affair if Cain did not give her money, "nor was there any indication that there might be blackmail or anything like that.


"I thought I was helping a friend, end of story," he said.


Cain said the two "struck up a friendship" many years ago when she attended a conference in Louisville, Ky., where he was the keynote speaker.


Cain said he does not know why White has gone public with the allegation.


"But I have very strong speculation that someone offered her a lot of money," Cain said. "I was helping her with month-to-month bills and expenses and somebody _ this is speculation only _ offered her a lot of money.


"And one of my objectives is to clear my name and my reputation," Cain said.


(This story will be updated throughout the evening.)

[Venturer]

Cain isn’t the only one that is Naive.

[Gator113]

I wonder how his “reassessment” is going.

[ktupper]

Fair point. I’m 20 years his junior. Maybe it’s a generational thing. But it’s all a moot point now. The damage has been done. And if it was all completely innocent and this has been a character assassination, I’m sorry for HC.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Yeah. I’m thinking there were lots of $500 payments - always following a couple hours time with Ginger.

It’s possible that’s why, in 13 years of financial aid, she could never get back on her feet... cause whenever Herman came calling, there she was on her back again. :-)

[GlockThe Vote]

I don’t. He brought this on himself and its better we find this out now. Imagine he got the nomination and this all came out a few weeks before the GE?

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Ms White is interviewing Stephanopolis very soon and should hit the big time. You can also be guaranteed that this admission will also accompany the interview.

So much for Cain’s attack dog attorney shutting this one down.....

[Persevero]

My husband would never give any person money on a monthly basis without telling me.

Sure, he’d give a cup of coffee to a homeless guy, or give $25 to United Way (ugh) at work.

But not sending her regular stipends over several months, as seems to be the case here.

Now, we are not millionaires. Maybe their marriage is different. But it doesn’t seem normal to me.

[Gator113]

—Cain is now down to 6% in Florida. It is 50% Gingrich, 19% Romney, 6% Cain.—

Well, it seems like that just isn’t a fear he needs to have.

[sunmars]

Don’t go there, one John Edwards is enough.....

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

“Reassessment” Code word for “How can we turn this one around into several million more in donations?

[moehoward]

"No good deed goes unpunished."

No it doesn't . Cain told Cavuto he had helped many people with grocery and rent money. I doubt he told his wife about each and every one.

[TBall]

Or maybe Herman has a heart and decided to take care of someone less fortunate. You know, like Christian person would do.

[Gator113]

It’s been reported that White has one child. I wonder how old the child is??

[org.whodat]

I was putting fuel in my truck the other day and some young lady came up and said she had run out of gas and needed some fuel, I gave her a few bucks, but we did not have sex on the fuel island. Guess I must be some sort of pervert.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Bridge for sale.........

[Responsibility2nd]

You’re missing the point. On purpose - I believe.

FTA: Cain said that in retrospect he should have told his wife about his friendship with White, “but retrospect doesn’t necessarily change what’s going on now.”

Cain KNEW he shoulda told the missues. Scratch that. Cain KNEW he shoulda never had that sorty of “friendship” in the first place.

I understand what you are saying about being generous and giving money only to have it backfire. I do. Been there - done that. But using Cain’s own words here....

In “retrospect”... he shoulda not done it.

[GlockThe Vote]

Did he text all those people at 4am as well over 13 years?

[riverdawg]

“Herman Cain is a multi millionaire

If he gave a person in need a $20 or even a $100 I doubt if he would miss it or think he had to report it to Momma...

Mrs Cain probably gives money here and there to good causes to that Herman doesnt demand to know about..

Its called trust...

He knows Gloria wont give money to Planned Parenthood behind his back..

She trusts him to not be sponsoring “girlfriends””

I would never give $20 to anyone (other than our daughter) without mrs riverdawg’s knowledge. We can certainly afford to give money to help people, and we do, but we keep each other informed about such transfers and almost always discuss them in advance.

It's called a marriage ...

[Gator113]

$$$$

[X-spurt]

The crime is the stupidity! What stupidity I suppose depends on how enamered one is with “their” candidate.

Sounds like the stupidity was that any of all this was never going to surface.

Even Ron Paul has some really great ideas, but he sure as heck ain’t going to get the nom, same here.

Hope the next Pres, makes him Fed Chairman or something similar, but far as GOP Nom, that train has left the station.