Posted on 01/19/2012 9:06:36 AM PST by SeekAndFind
In response to the Drudge Report’s scoop about Marianne Gingrich’s interview with ABC News, Bob Walker, a senior Gingrich adviser, tells National Review Online that the campaign will fight back. “It is pretty nasty to use personal tragedy for political exploitation,” he says. “That was a very bitter divorce, and you’re talking about somebody who is still, probably, very bitter.”
Beyond Walker, several sources close to the Gingrich campaign agree on the merits, but predict that Gingrich will likely ignore the story. They tell NRO that the interview is a “retread” of an Esquire magazine article published in 2010, and that Gingrich will not respond to the broadcast, at least in any official capacity.
“He’ll answer questions from voters, he’s not running away from anything, but these are old issues from the divorce,” says one source. “He has addressed these issues before, and there is nothing new here.”
Other sources familiar with ABC’s editorial direction on the segment shrug off the newsflashes, guessing that Matt Drudge, the site’s editor, was playing up a leaked scoop, nothing more. “Marianne Gingrich’s unhappiness with how things ended is something people close to Newt have known for a long time,” says a second source. “The real response from people who know him is disappointment with Marianne for doing this, and sadness about the whole situation.”
A prolonged battle with her over quotes, or with ABC News, is likely not on the horizon. There may be concerns voiced about how certain anecdotes are presented, and about specific claims, but “Gingrich has addressed this time and time again,” says a third source. “He is out there all of the time, in all of these forums, acknowledging that he has made mistakes.”
ABC News wanted Gingrich to come on Nightline to offer a rebuttal of sorts but Gingrich’s advisers declined. “This is a sideshow, a distraction,” the third source says. “Is it helpful? No. But is it a game-changer? No.”
EDITOR’s NOTE: This post has been updated to include new reporting.
Below, Gingrich’s daughters issue a memo to ABC News:
To: ABC News Leadership
From: Kathy Lubbers, Jackie Cushman
Date: January 18, 2012
The failure of a marriage is a terrible and emotional experience for everyone involved. Anyone who has had that experience understands it is a personal tragedy filled with regrets, and sometimes differing memories of events.
We will not say anything negative about our father’s ex-wife. He has said before, privately and publicly, that he regrets any pain he may have caused in the past to people he loves.
ABC News or other campaigns may want to talk about the past, just days before an important primary election. But Newt is going to talk to the people of South Carolina about the future– about job creation, lower taxes, and about who can defeat Barack Obama by providing the sharpest contrast to his damaging, extreme liberalism. We are confident this is the conversation the people of South Carolina are interested in having.
Our father is running for President because of his grandchildren – so they can inherit the America he loves. To do that, President Obama must be defeated. And as the only candidate in the race, including Obama, who has actually helped balance the national budget, create jobs, reform welfare, and cut taxes and spending, Newt felt compelled to run – to serve his country and safeguard his grandchildren’s future.
One thing is for sure, if Palin jumped in there isn’t any need for vetting. If only Hussein had been 1/100th as vetted as she was, he wouldn’t be usurping the WH right now.
Yes, if Gingrich has really repented he is forgiven by God.
However, that does not mean it qualifies him for high office.
Someone with the skill to make a marriage work long-term would be a better choice IMO. Shows a steady character which is what we need. That was why many didn't like Bill Clinton and rightly so.
Sorry is as sorry does (sorry my mom said that all the time). Yes, I remember somewhere her saying she was sorry however she has never changed her actions, just stopped believing her after a time. Sorry with change is a different thing.
It was a pretty slimy move on ABC’s part to try to slander Newt using a angry and bitter old woman. That is nothing but ABC showing their pro-Democrat position. The FCC should remove ABC’s braodcast license for being so terribly partisan.
Newt is a fairly good “attack machine” right now. But I don’t think anyone in the Tea Party was dancing on the day that newt sat on the “climate change” couch wiht Nancy. How about when he took 40K for speaking to an equities conference, all guys he bashed last week and what about Freddie and his lobbing work for them, I bet if time was spent and someone will we will find other lobby work that turns the stomach of every single one of the 100 Tea Party leaders. Let Newt bash food stamp Pres but remember he is going to bash us too. Just wait he did it to his people in congress why will we be unscathed?
Oh I got your message and you can pound sand. This a community and last I looked you are not the owner of FR.
since I have plenty of positive feedback and no less than 3 other FReepers ask if they can use my post, I’ll have to consider your request as supreme and demonstrable idiocy.
Whoever told you to be yourself couldn’t have given you worse advice
Oh I got your message and you can pound sand. This a community and last I looked you are not the owner of FR.
since I have plenty of positive feedback and no less than 3 other FReepers ask if they can use my post, I’ll have to consider your request as supreme and demonstrable idiocy.
Whoever told you to be yourself couldn’t have given you worse advice
Methinks thou dost protest too much.
Only one divorced man, but some presidents who were adulterers. How seriously did THEY take the sanctity of marriage?
This I believe...Romney the flip..not so much. Nice post.
Oh come on, how can the Santorum and Paul mobs attack Newt if you toss logic and truth into the pot? Let them play their deceitful games thinking they’re stealthy and unexposed. The more irrational their posts the more obvious their candidate’s neediness. They resort to deceit because they have no other choice don’tchaknow.
Agreed.
Except for Ronald the Magnificent, I have NEVER voted for anyone in my life. I nAlways have to vote against some one
Well, nobody really cared about the sex, it was the perjury.
Besides, Newt never raped someonr, to my knowledge
Has good ole Newt asked for forgiveness from HER? And how did he atone?
Must not have been very effective.
I can’t answer that, I don’t know. However, I do know a few ex wives whose husbands have crawled on broken glass to beg for forgiveness and it did not matter to the ex wives.
I know he asked God because he has said so, I am not in a position to doubt him.
I know Jane said she’s now a Christian, and only God knows for sure, but frankly I haven’t seen the evidence of it.
Her fruits are very sparse
Well, I don’t know, either. But he IS divorced from her and has married his mistress, so my guess would be he didn’t.
What I mean to say is this: some things can be forgiven with an apology. Others required atonement.
that being said, I don’t know your ex-wife friends, but forgiving an erring spouse does not necessarily mean taking them back. It might mean going on with your life without caring what happens with them in the future.
I have no sympathy with erring spouses, male or female.
I do not have an ex wife.
Newt married his mistress, yes that does not mean he is not repentant or than he has not tried to make atonement.
The ex wife in question is bitter and has not moved on with her life but instead chosen to remain for more than a decade to wallow in her bitterness.
I have no use for bitter angry people who refuse to accept forgiveness when it is offered, regardless of the sinful issue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.