Newt Gingrich Newt Gingrich Asked Ex Wife to Share Him in Open Marriage

[Dr.3D]

Marriage is between a man and a woman and another woman.

The anti-gay marriage zealots continue to cut themselves off at the knees.

More like, marriage is just a contract to get benefits from the government.

 

[cindy25]

isn't the word for open marriage "Polygamy"

 

[Dr.3D]

isn't the word for open marriage "Polygamy"

Well, maybe the woman wants to have more than one husband.

 

[Pyruuub]

Sounds more like he had a mistress. Not really anything that will hurt Newt. This is what the sirens were about?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

His appeal to religion and "family values" conservatism is pure hypocrisy, although personal matters like this (an ex-wife being given an attack platform) is less than dignified for all involved. More importantly, many of his relevant policy positions are not conservative either, and all of his positions are highly suspect as nothing more than catering to the issue of the minute. He's a rusty, noisy, unlubricated old weather-vane.

 

[kylejack]

Sounds more like he had a mistress. Not really anything that will hurt Newt. This is what the sirens were about?

Well, there is a difference between having an affair (which could be a lapse of judgement) and asking your wife for an open marriage. Asking for the open marriage means you don't believe that marriage necessarily has to be monogamous. Many voters will forgive the former, but find the latter really terrible.

In other words, the former is a moral lapse whereas the latter is a philosophic problem.

 

[Bruno]

Sounds more like he had a mistress. Not really anything that will hurt Newt. This is what the sirens were about?

No. If they gave the best as a preview, they would have no bombshell for the full interview.

 

[thoughtomator]

Hey funny, Newt asked the GOP for an open marriage too... it seems his personal life is a mirror to his professional one.

 

[moostraks]

That's not to say that Ron Paul would ever do anything like that. The point is that if Ron Paul has any little bit of dirt on record, no matter how far-fetched, you know the media will play it over and over and trash him to bits for it. Gingrich is slime, yet something like this probably won't be played 24/7 by the media. I hope I'm wrong in that regard.

Local media is on this today. The storyline seems to be floating that we are electing a President not a parent, therefore his family issues need to remain outside of the argument as to how effective he will be as a leader of the country. Funny, they didn't feel that way about the newsletters and they didn't feel that way about Clinton's indiscretions (which they STILL bring up). Someone with the sexual appetite of an unfixed alley cat can be easily manipulated. Someone who cheats on their spouse and ditches them in the face of hardship lacks the personal moral character necessary for the position of President,imo.

 

[cindy25]

the Mormon cultists with multiple wives = Newt/Maryanne/Callista

sounds like a scene from Big Love

I see no difference (seriously, I see no difference)

 

[shrugged0106]

Per Drudge


SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST prepares own Marianne Gingrich bombshell, based on separate interview... Developing...

 

[Created4]

Yes, I wonder if Washington Post is trying to scoop ABC. This will be an interesting day of political news!

 

[Dianne]

Here's the Huffington Post article on it: The bold part cracks me up:

So, it seems that one part of that juicy ABC News "bombshell" interview with Marianne Gingrich concerns one of the "big ideas" that Newt Gingrich, hive of constant innovation, had during the period of time the former House Speaker was out of office: he wanted Marianne, his second wife, to enter into an "open marriage" arrangement, so that he could continue to consort with Callista Bisek. (You know, the third wife that introduced him to Catholicism.)

ABC's Brian Ross interviewed Gingrich about the matter:

GINGRICH: I said to him, we've been married a long time. And he said, yes, but you want me all to yourself. Callista doesn't care what I do.
ROSS: What was he saying to you, do you think?

GINGRICH: He was asking to have an open marriage, and I refused.

ROSS: He wanted an open marriage.

GINGRICH: Yeah, that I accept the fact that he has somebody else in his life.

ROSS: And you said?

GINGRICH: No. No. That is not a marriage.


Of course, to a certain extent, this is something we've already basically known. Let's recall that in the August 2010 Esquire profile of Gingrich, Marianne offered this account of their marriage's last days:

Early in May, she went out to Ohio for her mother's birthday. A day and a half went by and Newt didn't return her calls, which was strange. They always talked every day, often ten times a day, so she was frantic by the time he called to say he needed to talk to her.
"About what?"

He wanted to talk in person, he said.

"I said, 'No, we need to talk now.'"

He went quiet.

"There's somebody else, isn't there?"

She kind of guessed it, of course. Women usually do. But did she know the woman was in her apartment, eating off her plates, sleeping in her bed?

She called a minister they both trusted. He came over to the house the next day and worked with them the whole weekend, but Gingrich just kept saying she was a Jaguar and all he wanted was a Chevrolet. "'I can't handle a Jaguar right now.' He said that many times. 'All I want is a Chevrolet.'"

He asked her to just tolerate the affair, an offer she refused.


So, the new wrinkle here is that Marianne Gingrich is characterizing this as a desire on Newt's part to have an open marriage, rather than just have his wife tolerate his affair on the side. In many ways, this is a distinction without a difference, though I suppose it now makes a lot of his new demonstrations of Catholic conversion to be ... well, I suppose the phrase we're using these days is, "pious bologna."

Newt Gingrich has yet to weigh in on these new allegations from his ex-wife. In the past, he's written off his infidelities as events that occurred while he was too busy loving America.

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not?]

 

[randomname]

Brian Ross said on the View in a preview of his interview this would not be the bombshell people think it is going to be

 

[randomname]

Yes, I wonder if Washington Post is trying to scoop ABC. This will be an interesting day of political news!

WaPo piece:

Marianne Gingrich, Newt’s ex-wife, says he wanted ‘open marriage’
By James V. Grimaldi, Thursday, January 19, 5:38 PM

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in 1999 asked his second wife for an “open marriage” or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values, his former wife, Marianne, told The Washington Post on Thursday.

Marianne Gingrich said she first heard from the former speaker about the divorce request as she was waiting in the home of her mother on May 11, 1999, her mother’s 84th birthday. Over the phone, as she was having dinner with her mother, Newt Gingrich said, “I want a divorce.”

Shocked, Marianne Gingrich replied: “Is there anybody else?” she recalled. “He was quiet. Within two seconds, when he didn’t immediately answer, I knew.”

The next day, Newt Gingrich gave a speech titled “The Demise of American Culture” to the Republican Women Leaders Forum in Erie, Pa., extolling the virtues of the founding fathers and criticizing liberal politicians for supporting tax increases, saying they hurt families and children.

“When a liberal talks about values, will he or she actually like us to teach American history?” Newt Gingrich told the women’s group. “Will they actually like young people to learn that George Washington was an ethical man? A man of standards, a man who earned the right to be father of this country?”

Marianne Gingrich said she was speaking out for the first time this year because she wanted her story told from her point of view, rather than be depicted as the victim or suffer a whisper campaign by supporters of Newt Gingrich’s presidential bid.

“How could he ask me for a divorce on Monday and within 48 hours give a speech on family values and talk about how people treat people?” she said.

Asked about the timing of the revelations, she said she had had so many requests for interviews that “it was unavoidable.” She said that during a campaign season, “I knew I wouldn’t get through this year without” doing the interview.

The Gingrich campaign spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

In the four weeks after that 1999 phone call, Marianne and Newt Gingrich saw a counselor. During that time, he seemed to vacillate about what he wanted to do. Marianne Gingrich had learned the name of his then-paramour, Callista — now his wife — though Newt Gingrich never talked about her by name.

Newt Gingrich asked Marianne for an “open marriage” so that he could continue to see whoever he wanted. Marianne Gingrich, who had attended services in a Baptist church with Newt Gingrich, refused.

She said she decided to go public when she heard someone make derogatory comments about her on a radio program.

“Truthfully, my whole purpose was to get out there about who I was, so Newt couldn’t create me as an evil, awful person, which was starting to happen,” she said.

She talked on video for two hours to ABC investigative reporter Brian Ross, an edited version of which will be broadcast on Thursday night’s “Nightline,” and a transcript of which was released today. She laughed when told that some were reporting that she had a “bombshell,” and emphasized that many of her views of Newt Gingrich and his political positions are positive.

In anticipation of the interview, Newt Gingrich told NBC’s “Today” show that his divorce was a private matter. He said his daughters had written a letter to ABC News asking the network to spike the broadcast.

“Intruding into family things that are more than a decade old is simply wrong,” he told NBC.

Newt Gingrich has said that he has asked God for forgiveness, but Marianne Gingrich said he has not spoken to her since the divorce.

Researcher Alice Crites contributed to this report.

hxtp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/marianne-gingrich-newts-ex-wife-says-he-wanted-open-marriage/2012/01/19/gIQAJzgwAQ_story.html

 

[Dianne]

There is not enough money in the world...

Agreed. The thought makes my skin crawl.

 

[matt0611]

I am sure this will just help him get more Evangelicals voting for him in this parallel universe that we live in.

LOL this. For some reason these so called "evangelical christians" don't give a crap about moral compass. Just promise to kill more brown people than the rest of the candidates and you have their vote.

I swear if Ron came out today and said he thinks we should just preemtively nuke Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria tomorrow he'd surge to 50% in the polls.

 

[Dianne]

WaPo piece:

Marianne Gingrich, Newt’s ex-wife, says he wanted ‘open marriage’
By James V. Grimaldi, Thursday, January 19, 5:38 PM

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in 1999 asked his second wife for an “open marriage” or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values, his former wife, Marianne, told The Washington Post on Thursday.

Marianne Gingrich said she first heard from the former speaker about the divorce request as she was waiting in the home of her mother on May 11, 1999, her mother’s 84th birthday. Over the phone, as she was having dinner with her mother, Newt Gingrich said, “I want a divorce.”

Shocked, Marianne Gingrich replied: “Is there anybody else?” she recalled. “He was quiet. Within two seconds, when he didn’t immediately answer, I knew.”

The next day, Newt Gingrich gave a speech titled “The Demise of American Culture” to the Republican Women Leaders Forum in Erie, Pa., extolling the virtues of the founding fathers and criticizing liberal politicians for supporting tax increases, saying they hurt families and children.

“When a liberal talks about values, will he or she actually like us to teach American history?” Newt Gingrich told the women’s group. “Will they actually like young people to learn that George Washington was an ethical man? A man of standards, a man who earned the right to be father of this country?”

Marianne Gingrich said she was speaking out for the first time this year because she wanted her story told from her point of view, rather than be depicted as the victim or suffer a whisper campaign by supporters of Newt Gingrich’s presidential bid.

“How could he ask me for a divorce on Monday and within 48 hours give a speech on family values and talk about how people treat people?” she said.

Asked about the timing of the revelations, she said she had had so many requests for interviews that “it was unavoidable.” She said that during a campaign season, “I knew I wouldn’t get through this year without” doing the interview.

The Gingrich campaign spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

In the four weeks after that 1999 phone call, Marianne and Newt Gingrich saw a counselor. During that time, he seemed to vacillate about what he wanted to do. Marianne Gingrich had learned the name of his then-paramour, Callista — now his wife — though Newt Gingrich never talked about her by name.

Newt Gingrich asked Marianne for an “open marriage” so that he could continue to see whoever he wanted. Marianne Gingrich, who had attended services in a Baptist church with Newt Gingrich, refused.

She said she decided to go public when she heard someone make derogatory comments about her on a radio program.

“Truthfully, my whole purpose was to get out there about who I was, so Newt couldn’t create me as an evil, awful person, which was starting to happen,” she said.

She talked on video for two hours to ABC investigative reporter Brian Ross, an edited version of which will be broadcast on Thursday night’s “Nightline,” and a transcript of which was released today. She laughed when told that some were reporting that she had a “bombshell,” and emphasized that many of her views of Newt Gingrich and his political positions are positive.

In anticipation of the interview, Newt Gingrich told NBC’s “Today” show that his divorce was a private matter. He said his daughters had written a letter to ABC News asking the network to spike the broadcast.

“Intruding into family things that are more than a decade old is simply wrong,” he told NBC.

Newt Gingrich has said that he has asked God for forgiveness, but Marianne Gingrich said he has not spoken to her since the divorce.

Researcher Alice Crites contributed to this report.

Can you post the link so we can all click it a hundred times; so they see the public is very interested and wants more ?

 

[Jack Bauer]

So when teh ghey marriage questions come up in tonight's debate, will Newt still say that marriage is defined between one man and one woman?

Will Santorum take a shot at Newt about it?

 

[Dianne]

"Newt Gingrich has said that he has asked God for forgiveness, but Marianne Gingrich said he has not spoken to her since the divorce." Talking to yourself in the mirror doesn't work, Newt.