Gingrich’s daughter here to debunk “urban myth” of her parent’s divorce (audio)

Radio Iowa ^ | December 10, 2011 | O.Kay Henderson

[iowamark]

As I’ve interviewed several self-proclaimed Gingrich voters over the past few months, many of them cite Jackie Cushman’s “Setting the Record Straight” editorial piece.  Jackie Gingrich Cushman is Newt Gingrich’s daughter, from his first marriage.

“His own daughter refutes the negativity in the media with her account of her parent’s divorce,” Jeremy Freeman, an Iowa State University student, told me in late November.

Competing candidates and their campaigns have been tossing a good bit of negativity at Gingrich since he’s risen to the top of the polls, some of it about spacey ideas (colonizing the moon) Gingrich has proposed, or his past support of a health insurance mandate. But the former speaker’s marital history is part of the campaign conversation, even among his own supporters. The Gingrich campaign called me yesterday and asked if I would like half an hour with Jackie Cushman to talk about what Cushman herself calls the “urban myth” about her parent’s divorce in 1980.

The rap on the twice-divorce Gingrich was that he served his first wife with divorce papers while she was on her death bed, dealing with cancer.  Cushman,was 13 when her parents told her and her sister they were divorcing.  She wrote in “Setting the Record Straight” it was her mother who requested the divorce and that her mother did not have cancer — a tumor was found to be benign.

Our conversation this afternoon, in the Starbucks at the hotel where Cushman and her family are staying, started with this question:  “Why did you write that piece?”

Cushman responded (here’s the AUDIO

Download

 of her answer): “Obviously, we’ve been quiet for a very long time and that’s really out of respect for my mother. She’s obviously still very important in our lives. She helps watch the children which is fabulous. I mean, she’s the best babysitter ever and she’s been really supportive of my sister and I and has said, ‘Look, y’all, you go out and help your dad and I’m glad to be here and help. I’ll watch the children. I’ll do whatever you need.’ But she is not a public person and she’s not wanted to be a public person and has very clear about not talking to reporters and has just kind of kept quiet because it really, from our perspective, it was about our family and it really shouldn’t be public, from a public perspective.

“But I’ll tell you one of the things that changed my mind, that made me really think about it and, in the end, write this straightening out the record, how to set the record straight. I flew to Alaska in February to give a speech to a Republican group there and one of the ladies that picked me up, a lovely lady, I said, you know, ‘Great to be here. Let me just call and check on my mom because she has the kids. I’m going to see how they’re doing.’ And so I called and, of course, they’re fine. They’re with my mom.

“But when I got off the phone, she goes, ‘That was your mother?’ 

“And I said, ‘Yeah.’  

“She goes, ‘She’s still alive?’

“I said, ‘Absolutely she’s still alive because she’s watching my children,’ but that’s when I realized here I was in Alaska, I mean, far away, right? Still in the United States, but very far away and clearly this urban myth that was very, is very untrue had spread so far that people not only believed it, but actually believed that my mother — I guess, if she was on her death bed, she would have been dead, so I understand how they might make that connection — but it wasn’t true, isn’t true and I really felt that, you know, we needed to set the record straight.”

My follow-up question was about how voters, not just candidates, are bringing up the subject of her father’s marital history. “How do you feel your father has been answering that question in the public?” I asked.

“I think he’s been very honest. He’s been very open,” Cushman said. “He very publicly said, ‘Look, I’ve made mistakes in the past. I’ve sinned. I’ve asked God for forgiveness. I’ve asked God for grace.’ And I don’t know what else more people want.

“You don’t fix what happened and you don’t change the past. It is what it is and I think when people see that both Kathy, my sister, and I are involved in the campaign. We’ve always been a close family…I think voters appreciate that and I think, too, he has changed very much from when he was speaker. He’s not the same man. He’s not the same man, I mean nor an I the same woman that I was 12 years ago.”

I asked: “How so?”

“When he was speaker, he was vilified by the press for four years,” Cushman said. “I mean, we’re near Christmas, so I can see that at one point he was shown as the Grinch that Stole Christmas, right? I don’t know if you remember that cover of, I think it was Newsweek, but I can promise you, as my father, he never actually stole my Christmas.

“…He wasn’t that person then, but even since then he’s changed a lot…He has grandchildren. I think that does…change your perspective and I think it makes you think about things a little differently.  The other thing is he’s been a small businessman…and that’s been really good for him.

“…I have watched his faith deepen in the last decade. You know, he’s grown much stronger in his faith. I think you can see that when he talks about, ‘I have sinned and asked for God’s grace.’  I mean, he means that very seriously. He’s always believed in God and had that as part of his foundation, but I’ve seen it strengthen enormously in the last decade.”

Here’s the AUDIO

Download

 of Cushman’s answers to those two questions.

According to Cushman, her dad “hadn’t bothered” to debunk the “urban myth” about the ‘death bed divorce’ because “he didn’t want (his first wife) to get in the middle of it.” It being the glare of media attention.

As for Cushman’s mother, Cushman put it this way: “She’s a very happy 75-year-old grandmother.”

[maine-iac7]

People on Free Republic trashed John Edwards and other for their adultery. They should defend Edwards just as strenuously as they are Gingrich in this case.

Big difference.

Edwards lied, schemed, bribed, denied is own daughter, etc etc

Gingrich never lied. He took full responsibility...

[maine-iac7]

Christian...

????

Christian is as Christian does -

Presuming to judge another when the Bible - and a Commandment - tells us not too - is that Christian.

[Lady Lucky]

http://www.creators.com/opinion/jackie-gingrich-cushman/my-miracle-mom.html

This link is to Jackie Gingrich’s “My Miracle Mom.” Two points I’ll put forward here via exact quotes; anyone is welcome to have at it, I will not be getting into a discussion.

“My parents met when my father was a senior at Baker High School. They started dating when he was in college.”

“Mom was first diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 1978.”

[Raebie]

His family and God have forgiven him. He doesn’t owe YOU an apology.

[VictoryGal]

> Before we all get carried away, Newt has made many mistakes, should he be spurned for life?

As long as he keeps making “mistakes”, yes. Newt has shown himself to be completely amoral, saying the “right” things and then gong back on those things, repeatedly.

> I dislike Edwards, not because of his infidelity but his socialist policies.

Then what do you think of Newt’s support for the horrible mandate to purchase healthcare — the most unconstitutional and freedom-crushing component of Obamneycare — THIS year.

Listen, I know its a rough year and we may have to settle for Newt. Fine. But I wish all of us would REMEMBER WHO NEWT IS and what he does, because if he gets the presidency we will have to CONSTANTLY keep pressure on him to do the right thing. As it is, he may usher in big government policies and strengthen Obamneycare and we may have very little influence on him. Newt is for Newt, people.

[nickcarraway]

I’m not judging him. I’m just saying it makes him unsuitable to be a president. Big difference, and you’d be wise to recognize it. I suppose you defend Bill Clinton this way? Maybe we should go to death row,m find someone who has been forgiven, and make them president? Practice what you preach.

[Osage Orange]

Sin is sin. No difference in God's mind.

So...that said, have you ever sinned?

Were you forgiven?

It's a bit different when we had a serial sinner...( Bill Clinton...) running for and becoming POTUS.

And BTW....yes you surely are judging him. I judge all the time. Welcome to the club.

[nickcarraway]

1. Everyone here is making a giant misunderstanding. Being forgiven does not make one a good candidate for president.

2. You are the direct representative of God on earth, who can tell us His will?

3. If he has atoned for his sins, why does he still deny that he ever did anything wrong. Why did he do it again? There is a good chance he’s in adulterous relationship right now, since he did that most of his adult life? What are you going to say when this comes out a week before the election?

4. How come his family said they are voting for Obama?

[nickcarraway]

It's a bit different when we had a serial sinner...( Bill Clinton...) running for and becoming POTUS.

And Newt Gingrich wasn't a serial sinner?? Didn't you see the article quoting Dick Armey about how Gingrich and Clinton would jaw about their respective extramarital flings?

[nickcarraway]

And BTW....yes you surely are judging him. I judge all the time. Welcome to the club.

So first I am evil because I "judged." Then you say I am a "judger" no matter what I do.

Semantics. Aren't we "judging" who should be the best presidential candidate? So we shouldn't "judge" Obama?

[longtermmemmory]

I am always amazed how many who post on these threads have the amazing ability to walk on water. (/s)

[nickcarraway]

So...that said, have you ever sinned?

Okay, can you pay attention here. I am not concerned with Gingrich (or any other candidate's actions) so much that they are sins, or the effect they have on his soul. I am using them to evaluate his fitness to hold the office of president. That's a whole different set of criteria. Gingrich (or Obama, or Romney, or XYX) may or may not be in good with God. That's not my concern per se. My concern is whether they would have potential to win the presidency, and more importantly, whether they'd be a good president. You are now claiming we should ignore a presidential candidates actions. I claim that is ludicrous.

Can any of you show me a post that you stuck up for Bill Clinton, or John Edwards in the same way? Why not? Don't the same rule apply to everyone?

[Raebie]

1. Every single human being on this planet sins, including your precious candidate, whomever that may be.

2. No. But if you ask for forgiveness, it will be granted. Christianity 101.

3. He has stated pubicly that he has made mistakes. that isn’t denying he never did anything wrong. The rest of your statement is BS.

4. Yes, his gay half sister is voting for Obama. Color me stunned.

Overall, nice fail.

[Osage Orange]

So first I am evil because I "judged." Then you say I am a "judger" no matter what I do.

LOL!!! When did I say you were evil? You said you weren't judging....I said I thought you were. Nothing more, nothing less.

Semantics. Aren't we "judging" who should be the best presidential candidate? So we shouldn't "judge" Obama?

nickcarraway....you were the guy/girl who said you weren't judging. All I said was we judge all the time. Period.

[Osage Orange]

There is a good chance he’s in adulterous relationship right now

There's a good chance you are a serial liar.

There's a good chance the world ends tomorrow.

There's a good chance I die tonight.

There's a good chance you get zotted.

See...two can play your game.

[nickcarraway]

Hmmm. Mature. I said there’s a good chance, because he has a track record of doing it over his adult life. Those things you mention don’t have a track Can I ask why are fighting for this guy? Can you also answer if/why you don’t defend Bill Clinton with the vehemence?

[Osage Orange]

You are now claiming we should ignore a presidential candidates actions

You really paint with a broad brush. I'd guess 75% of FReepers care about "ACTIONS" over words.

So let's just get down to where the rubber meets the road.

Both lead runners are sinners. Both unperfect human beings.

Both have said one thing, and done another.

WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR?

[nickcarraway]

I meant “judging” in the since of that biblical passage. Obviously, the bible asks us to use our judgement all the time. How could we then be forbidden from using our judgement?

[Osage Orange]

Not fighting for him........

Countering your goofy logic...

Care to review???

[Osage Orange]

So....you meant you couldn't "judge" him...because you were involved in the same sin.

Okay, I get it.

Thanks!