Newly released court documents cast doubt on Gingrich version of first divorce

CNN ^ | 12/26/2011 | Alan Duke

[TBBT]

Carrollton, Georgia (CNN) -- Newt Gingrich claims that it was his first wife, not Gingrich himself, who wanted their divorce in 1980, but court documents obtained by CNN appear to show otherwise.

The Republican presidential candidate, now in his third marriage, has been peppered with attacks and questions about his divorce from Jackie Gingrich for the past three decades.

Questions about his past -- and what that past tells voters about his personal behavior -- have re-emerged as he has returned to the political scene 13 years after he resigned as speaker of the House.

A new defense that has arisen as Gingrich entered the presidential race this year is the insistence that she, not he, wanted the divorce.

On the "Answering the attacks" page of his campaign website, Newt.org, which "(Sets) the Record Straight: Newt's Positions on the Issues and His Record," the campaign discusses Gingrich's first divorce.

"It was (Jackie Gingrich) that requested the divorce, not Newt," the campaign website said, referring readers to an online column written by Gingrich's youngest daughter, Jackie Gingrich Cushman, last May.

Cushman, 13 when her parents separated in 1980, was rebutting persistent rumors that her father served divorce papers on her mother the day after cancer surgery. In the column, Cushman writes that papers were never served in the hospital, and that her mother did not actually have cancer.

[chuckles]

How do we get this info and we can't even check the BC or SS# of Bamma? Who's business is it about a person's divorce?

My niece was just divorced with a husband that was caught cheating and told her that he never loved her, but she was the one that plopped the money down on a lawyer, so SHE was the one filed for divorce, as if that was what she desired. He didn't see a problem as long as she didn't care what he was doing on Saturday's, business trips, and in the office washroom. It seemed harsh to him to loose his marriage and have to pay child support just because he brought a disease home to the wife. BTW, she is being treated right now for cancer of the uterus from the disease.

We will never really know what happened in Newt's private life, so can't we just move on to the best person to run the country,.....which of course is Newt.

[chickenlips]

Just wait until Willard is nominated and see how the past treatment of blacks in Mormon doctrine is scrutinized and publicized. He’ll be paralyzed to say anything negative about the One because it will be looked upon as proof of his bigotry; he’ll be on the defensive constantly.

[Scotswife]

exactly....and because republicans are republicans, they’ll forget to point out Reid’s status as a mormon.

Similarly - they failed to point out Obama’s hypocricy in his recent fight to keep $40 in the pockets of americans.
Since when did democrats care about americans holding onto $40?.

No matter who we nominate - they’re going to get “something” thrown at them.

[mmanager]

“Most people despise this level of gutter politics. I smell the stench of desperation.”

I smell ROVE and ROMNEY!!!

[Cringing Negativism Network]

"Next round of establishment/media Newt bashing?

Recycled old news? No people really care?

-

Well that's certainly an interesting thing to ask, as you post the article...

[Spunky]

I'll belive the daughter over CNN

Setting The Record Straight

[mcshot]

No Kidding. There is no longer a career field as an independent journalist. They have thrashed their credibility to the point they will never be viewed honorably nor respected. They may be employed as party hacks but that will be it.

[msamizdat]

What bothers me about this parsing is that Jackie Battley (First Wife) had surgery for uterine cancer. I believe they are trying to make the case that the cancer was removed so she not longer “had cancer” at the moment the divorce papers were brought in.

It makes Newt seem pretty pathetic to me.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

I can’t remember this much investigative reporting in 2000 or 2008 about Carol McCain.

[StraightDave]

“...there were “no lights, no heat, no water, no food in the home...”

Of course! When most people move out of a home they have the utilities cut off to save money, winterize (drain pipes so they don’t freeze and split), and empty refrigerators and freezers so the food does not turn into a rotten mess. AND, you need to reverse the process upon re-occupying... Make sure the heat is on, hot water main is off until the tank is filled with water, etc. It takes a little common sense planning... Oh, and you may want to stop by the grocery store to pick up some food on the way :)

Info compliments of a Realtor®...

[C. Edmund Wright]

>>> I had rather have a POTUS that was faithful to his family rather the smartest man available. >>

Well goodie for you. You get: Obama, Carter, Ford, Bush, Bush, Nixon.

We get Reagan. We also get Clinton, who was pushed to the right by NEWT.

We win, you lose. But damn, you get to feel self righteous don’t you?

[Eva]

Who cares. This news sounds like it’s right in line with the Axelrod/Obama MO.

Obama likes to use the politics of personal destruction against his most serious opponents. It’s the only way he can win.

[C. Edmund Wright]

>>> I had rather have a POTUS that was faithful to his family rather the smartest man available. >>

Well goodie for you. You get: Obama, Carter, Ford, Bush, Bush, Nixon.

We get Reagan. We also get Clinton, who was pushed to the right by NEWT.

We win, you lose. But damn, you get to feel self righteous don’t you?

[Plutarch]

What is amazing is CNN doing this story now, as generally the MSM has held back on what they have on Gingrich, so to ease his path towards the nomination. Then they planned to unleash hell.

With Gingrich sinking in the polls, CNN must have figured it wouldn't be relevant soon, so might as well release it now, hoping to tar Republicans in general.

[classified]

I agree!

[wildbill]

How Jackie and Newt Met:
Newt met Jackie when he was in high school when Jackie was his geometry teacher. Newt and Jackie secretly dated until their wedding.
Wedding Date:
Jackie and Newt were married on June 19, 1962 while Newt was still in college. Newt was 19 years old and Jackie was 26 years old when they married. Newt’s family boycotted the wedding because they thought Jackie was too old for him.

If they had been caught while he was still a high school student and she was a teacher, would she be considered a sexual predator?

[Jim Noble]

None of my business.

[bgill]

This is round two. Round one was to drag up bs from years ago on Cain but what worked with Cain may not work so easily with a seasoned career politician. I’m still not so sure this isn’t being done by the GOP so they can get their pet Mitt in. Evil doers on both sides of the aisle.

[stylin19a]

We are the same people who hammered Clinton for his long-time past dalliances and bad behavior...and we give our guys a pass ?

[Bobalu]

I wonder if we can anticipate such scrutiny of zero’s past in the upcoming election

Of course not.

What will happen is the MSM will attack Newt, Newt will get pissed off and attempt to run ads that hit Obama where it really hurts. All the stuff the MSM has refused to speak about.

What will happen is the major networks will refuse to run Newt's ads. If the stories get out there then they will have to talk about them if only to refute them....they can't let that happen because they would sink Obama.

They can't allow a debate between Newt and Obama because Newt cannot be restrained and will talk about the scandals before the entire nation when they can't shut him up. And once again they would have to talk about the scandals.