The Donald Trump VP candidate thread
07-06-2016, 03:18 AM
"Gingrich has married three times. In 1962, he married Jacqueline May "Jackie" Battley (February 21, 1936 – August 7, 2013), his former high school geometry teacher, when he was 19 years old and she was 26.[174][175] They have two daughters from their marriage: Kathy Gingrich Lubbers, married to Paul Lubbers, is president of Gingrich Communications,[176] and Jackie Gingrich Cushman, the wife of Jimmy Cushman, Jr., is an author, conservative columnist, and political commentator,[177] whose books include 5 Principles for a Successful Life, co-authored with Newt Gingrich.[178]
In the spring of 1980, Gingrich left his wife after beginning an affair with Marianne Ginther.[179][180] In 1984, Jackie Battley Gingrich told The Washington Post that the divorce was a "complete surprise" to her. According to Jackie, in September 1980, Gingrich and their children visited her while she was in the hospital, recovering from surgery, and Gingrich wanted to discuss the terms of their divorce.[181] Gingrich has disputed that account.[182] In 2011, their daughter, Jackie Gingrich Cushman, remembers that it was her mother who requested the divorce, that it happened prior to the hospital stay, and that Gingrich's visit was for the purpose of bringing the couple's children to see their mother, not to discuss the divorce.[183] Although Gingrich's presidential campaign staff continued to insist in 2011 that his wife requested the divorce, court documents obtained by CNN from Carroll County, Georgia, indicated that Jackie had asked a judge to block the process stating that although "she has adequate and ample grounds for divorce ... she does not desire one at this time [and] does not admit that this marriage is irretrievably broken."[184] The daughter of the former Linda May Clay and Wilbur Allen Battley, Jackie Gingrich was a native of Columbus, Georgia. She was a deacon and active volunteer in the First Baptist Church of Carrollton, Georgia. She died in Atlanta at the age of 77.[185]
Gingrich alongside wife Callista at a townhall in Derry, New Hampshire
According to L. H. Carter, Gingrich's campaign treasurer, Gingrich said of his first wife: "She's not young enough or pretty enough to be the wife of the President. And besides, she has cancer."[186][187] Gingrich has denied saying it. His supporters dismiss Carter as a disgruntled former aide who was miffed at not being asked to accompany Gingrich to Washington.[188]
In 1981, six months after his divorce from his first wife was final, Gingrich wed Marianne Ginther.[189][190][191][192] Marianne helped control their finances to get them out of debt. She was also coauthor of his 1984 book Window of Opportunity: A Blueprint for the Future.[193] She did not, however, want to have the public life of a politician's wife.[194] Gingrich's daughter Kathy Lubbers described the marriage as "difficult".[195]
In 1993, while still married to Marianne, Gingrich began an affair with House of Representatives staffer Callista Bisek, who is 23 years his junior.[196] Gingrich and his second wife were divorced in 2000. The marriage produced no children. On January 19, 2012, Marianne Ginther Gingrich alleged in an interview on ABC's Nightline that she had declined to accept Gingrich's suggestion of an open marriage.[197] Asked about the allegations at the beginning of the televised South Carolina primary debate, Gingrich said the story was false and told the co-ordinator that making an ex-wife a significant question in a presidential campaign was "close to despicable".[198]
In August 2000, Gingrich married Callista Bisek four months after his divorce from Marianne was finalized.[199] He and Callista live in McLean, Virginia.[200] In a 2011 interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Gingrich addressed his past infidelities by saying, "There's no question at times in my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate."[191][192] In December 2011, after the group Iowans for Christian Leaders in Government requested that he sign their so-called "Marriage Vow", Gingrich sent a lengthy written response. It included his pledge to "uphold personal fidelity to my spouse".
Well we already know how the media will frame all of this. Trump will be going straight for the white male vote only if he picks Newt. Newt won't bring any women over.
Newt is really more of a hand to the establishment than a grab for voters. If they wanted more voters they'd get a young, handsome male who makes good TV skits, or a female like Joni Ernst.