Here we go
Marianne Gingrich has said she could end her ex-husband’s career with a single interview.
Earlier this week, she sat before ABCNEWS cameras, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
She spoke to ABCNEWS reporter Brian Ross for two hours, and her explosive revelations are set to rock the trail.
But now a “civil war” has erupted inside of the network, an insider claims, on exactly when the confession will air!
ABCNEWS suits determined it would be “unethical” to run the Marianne Gingrich interview so close to the South Carolina Primary, a curious decision, one insider argued, since the network has aggressively been reporting on other candidates.
A decision was tentatively made to air the interview next Monday, after all votes have been counted.
Well now that this is out there, and we have no idea what the revelations are, isn’t the damage done?
Updates: Marianne has spoken out before, so I wonder what she was holding back, or if it’s just going to be more of the same about how she was wronged: Esquire 2010, WaPo 1999.
Via HotAir, NYT and Politico reporters think the segment will air tomorrow night, just a couple of hours before the debate. (added) AP reports it will run on Nightline Thursday night. (added) NYT reporter confirms, but adds excerpts will be released before debate.
Howard Kurtz, who is pretty keyed in on media stuff, tweets:
I’m told Gingrich’s ex-wife says nothing to ABC she hasn’t said before — but simply saying it on camera makes it a big television story
If Kurtz is right and the ex-wife has nothing new to say, I predict a backlash in favor of Newt.
More: Robert Costa of NRO tweets: “Newt World tells me ABC intvu is “retread” of Esquire piece. Negotiations have been going on since Tues. Leak to Drudge sped up airing”
Something to think about – If Drudge doesn’t report this, it sits until after S.C. and is less of a big deal. Drudge is tight with Romney advisor (Matthew Rhoades)and has helped Romney with coverage in 2007 as McCain surging (as reported by Jim Geraghty) and 2011 (as reported by Ben Smith). Not saying Romney campaign involved, but fits Drudge pattern.
Now it all makes sense: Insider Advantage – Newt up 3 pts in SC (h/t Dynamism in Tip Line)






Comments
I think the interview will make it quite apparent why Newt left this woman. She didn’t become this vindicative because he left her. He likely left her because she was vindicative. I just donated again to the cause. I abhor the MSM and the left media with a passion.
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Getting this tripe out before the primary will probably be better for Newt than having the sword of Damocles dangling until Monday. The reality of the interview will no doubt be less titillating than what many would be imagining.
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Interesting update…I didn’t know that about Drudge. That is kind of sleazy, being tight with the Romney faction.
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Yeah, I’ve seen a good deal of that sort of thing from several ‘conservative’ blog sites. It’s very disappointing. If a blogger wants to be a cheerleader, that’s fine – have the integrity to be very upfront about it (this site is a great example of that). Too many sites this cycle have been acting as defacto campaign sites for ‘their’ candidate while trying to present themselves as being ‘neutral’ in their analysis. That goes for some big name pundits this time around as well. I’ve lost a lot of respect for some people and sites I’ve previously admired. Very sad and disappointing.
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Just so you guys know: not one Democrat or centrist cares about Newt Gingrich’s prior marriage. All the concern is with the cultural conservatives. If he gets the nomination, it will be a non-issue.
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Really? The fact that his wife is a homewrecker isn’t going to bother women?
Newt may be our best man to beat Obama, but the history of cheating will create challenges, as this ABC story illustrates.
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The irony is that Marianne is herself a “home wrecker”. She was Newt’s second wife, presumably the reason he left the first (the one he had the girls with).
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Here’s a thought. Whatever Marianne Gingrich says about her private life with Newt is either old news or something everyone already assumes (he’s a philanderer, etc.).
But Marianne and Newt were together for 19 years, spanning all of the Reagan, Bush 41 and Clinton administrations and the years if Newt’s power and leadership in Congress. That’s a lot of time for pillow talk about what Newt really thought privately about the events, issues and people of those two decades.
Marianne may have talked to ABC about stuff far more important than sex and marriage.
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Newt’s up 32% in SC, Romney at 29%:
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/gingrich-leads-romney-south-carolina/2012/01/18/id/424661
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Reminds me of my ex-husband’s 2nd wife, standing on my doorstep, complaining to me about his behavior with another woman when she was the one he was cheating with when he was married to me! It was surreal – hey, woman, remember me? The FIRST wife???!!
Go away, Marianne! You’ve had your fifteen minutes!
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This is the same old standard attack theme from either the far left, or the Romney RINO right, which is- go after Newt with gossip trash tabloid personal attacks, when they can’t defeat him on the issues, facts, conservatism, and especially on the debate stage. This is the way they sank Herman Cain, and is now the way they are trying to sink Newt.
Not going to work, as the people are seeing a very disturbing political attack trend to what they are doing.. They are not fooled, and are even teed off by it.
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As a Rick Perry supporter, I don’t have to worry what my candidate’s 2nd ex-wife will say. =)
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True… but if you did, should it really matter? My view is that it’s just one piece of the mosaic that makes up a candidate. Is it the most important piece? That’s for the individual voter to decide. For me personally, its not a deal breaker. He’s been upfront about it and appears to be contrite about his mistake. IMHO, anyhoo…
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As a Rick Perry supporter, will you endorse Gingrich as your candidate did?
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If this wifey-exposé-number-999-thingy is going to air on Nightline, we can expect that less than 2 million viewers will see it. After all, this is ABC news, for god’s sake – and ABC’s viewers in that time spot average about 7.5 million per week.
I am amused that the network would be concerned about Newt favoritism charges if it is not aired before Saturday. Who believes that such a story would even make it to the interview if a Dem candidate was involved?
I wonder how much the ex-Mrs G gets for this BS. Someone needs to follow the money.
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Meanwhile the L.A. Times has STILL not released the tape of Obama’ speech at the big sendoff for terrorist Rashid Khalidi.
Think there’s any chance anyone will see it before election day? Yeah, me neither.
I’d say the L.A. Times burying this tape is a contribution in kind to Obama’s 2007 election campaign worth about half a billion dollars. Now, they’re about to do it again.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/226104/i-l-times-i-suppresses-obamas-khalidi-bash-tape/andrew-c-mccarthy
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This woman broke up a marriage with children, and was the poison in the middle between the other two, the mistake.
If she had information worth anything, she’s had years to put it into a tell-all book and sell it. Plus all of 2011. I’m sure some Democrat publisher would have been happy to give her an advance in preparation for the upcoming election. To “interview” her at this late date is odd. Of course Romney and co. are behind it. I’ll say it, so the professor doesn’t have to.
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Before the last couple of months, nobody cared about Newt or his wives. Hardly a best seller.
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I suspect that if she had anything relevant, it would include information on other political insiders. If it’s not enough for a book it’s not much.
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You seem to forget that it takes two to tango. Even if this woman stripped down to her skivvies and sat on his lap, Newt was given free will by the Good Lord and he could have said “No, thanks, I’m married.”
But he didn’t did he, and the whole femme fatal excuse is a bit, well, absurd.
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I’m not saying she was such a femme fatale, but Gingrich started dating his geometry teacher in high school at age 16. And he was no jock. That possibly made him susceptible to the “missed out” thing.
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Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond…released a letter to ABC News execs from Gingrich’s daughters, Kathy Lubbers and Jackie Cushman, who have become his biggest surrogates in answering questions about their family. The letter is below:
“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.”
(h/t Politico)
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“Our father is running for President because of his grandchildren”
Oh, how Democrat of him. Remember, it’s for the kids.
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Take it up with his daughters.
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They are the daughters by his first [ex] wife, not the second [ex]wife.
Perhaps you can place your trust in a man who has no problem cheating on his wife and breaking his marriage vows, that’s your choice. But I guess we can compare Newt Gingrich to George Washington and tell ourselves “We’ve come a long way, baby.”
Cheating on one wife, OK, a mistake. Cheating on two wives, a pattern. And what happened to the American idea that the president should represent the very best in all of us, not the worst? Are we past that point?
And how are you any different defending Newt than the Democrats were when they defended Clinton?
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They didn’t know the woman?
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I’m sorry, I didn’t know Gingrich lied to a grand jury to prevent an American citizen from having her day in court.
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Maybe we can talk about the media’s lack of coverage of Vera Baker and Larry Sinclair.
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Newt was a molestation victim of the first wife. He was sixteen when she, his high school geometry teacher, started meeting him secretly. He was age 16, she seven (nine from some sources)years older when they s t a r t e d dating, which could mean she was flirting/preying on him even earlier. His sneaking around and then “coming out” upon graduation, alienated him from his family and many friends, which gave the “bride” a leadership role similiar to a cult leader or a — molester. Cheating and getting caught is a typical psychological response in an attempt to get kicked out of the relationship. I do not count Newt’s ending the first marriage as a broken promise or broken wedding vow. Today that biology teacher would have been arrested and on a sexual offenders list.
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Oh come on . Newton Leroy was no victim. The marriage was lengthy by any American standards . Besides producing offspring the marriage fostered the environment for Newt to gain a PHD , university lecturer career & a very influential political legacy.
I am thinking of “oh what a night
It was a night
ooh what a night…..
Every young man’s dream- an older woman . wohoo.
Canusee -sorry you missed out .
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16 is old enough to consent in most places, including Georgia.
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I got news for you, we have BIG f’ing problems in this country. Number 1 on my criteria for a candidate is being able to change the direction of the government. Newt, the cheater, has shown he can do that. Democrat majority in the House? No problem, Newt is here. Budget deficit? No problem, Newt is here. He’s not running for good guy of the United States. We need a ball buster.
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Yes, some of us are still holding on to hope that we can get someone who can say “NO!!!” to the big spenders in DC. I for one am willing to overlook some personal indiscretions to get such a person.
Maybe we can’t trust Newt completely, but I KNOW we can’t trust Mitt AT ALL.
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I can trust and respect a man who screwed up and has the cajones to stand up and say ‘Yes, I made a mistake in my personal life. I shouldn’t have; it was wrong; but I admit my mistakes and have sought forgiveness.’
I’ll take that any day over “That depends on what the definition of ‘is’ is….
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No, it’s very Democrat to spend the kids money.
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Obama must be laughing his butt off. He doesn’t have to worry about doing much opposition research or attacking a republican candidate because the republicans are doing it for him. I just hope whoever comes out on top wants to attack Obama as strongly as he’s gone after his fellow Republicans.
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No, the Obama team is very scared. With the major being levied in January, come September they won’t hit so hard.
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major attacks
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Funny, this Newt hater (Curl: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/15/curl-goodbye-newt-and-good-riddance/ ) who also hates Sarah Palin it seems just for spite, is also on the payroll of a certain Matt Drudge. Curl is just another part of the Drudge Newtron Bomb given that the polling is turning to Newt’s favor in SC.
I say get the snakes out in the parking lot (not the tall grass). They don’t live long on the hot pavement (under Carhartt steel toe boots or better yet served up on spiked heels)!
Remember when Sarah gave the atta-girl to Nikki Haley about Will Folks and his scurrilous acuasations? I predict “Scene II” is when Sarah Palin gives Newt the attaboy about his vindictive and still angry ex-wife.
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What a shame. Also I happened to notice a quick poll at NRO that just about captures how folks feel…some stuff should be off limits.
The more curious thing will be…if we ever find out…who whispered to ABC that a piece like this would be a good idea.
Drudge? I dont damn Drudge. In a way hes done about the same thing Newt has done sofar as Bain….yet of course its different when “our guy” is the target.
When we look and think about all this..I try and find some logic. Logic here points to the less obvious beneficiary. I can make a case that democrats have benefitted the most by eliminating competition. Do we really think its so impossible that the left is somehow behind all this? You know…take out Newt….we want to campaign against Romney.
I hope Newt survives this. Hes as close as well ever get to a “peoples President”
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“Drudge? I dont damn Drudge.”
Ehhh…. sleaze is still sleaze regardless of if its spread by a ‘conservative’ site or a ‘liberal’ site.
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It’s time for the GOP to call “time out.” Or send everyone into the time out corner. If I were a Democrat, I’d be pretty optimistic at this point.
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To MG: Sour grapes don’t make good whine.
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Linked:
Devilish Mitt Romney is ‘DESPERATE’
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This makes his wife look petty, and even manages to make Romney look a bit desperate.
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Ugh. Here it comes
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/288546/brian-ross-previews-robert-costa
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[...] not alone in predicting a pro-Newt backlash. Print PDF Categories: Uncategorized 0 [...]
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[...] “…Newt was a molestation victim of the first wife. He was sixteen when she, his high school geometry teacher, started meeting him secretly. He was age 16, she seven (nine from some sources)years older when they s t a r t e d dating, which could mean she was flirting/preying on him even earlier. His sneaking around and then “coming out” upon graduation, alienated him from his family and many friends, which gave the “bride” a leadership role similiar to a cult leader or a — molester. Cheating and getting caught is a typical psychological response in an attempt to get kicked out of the relationship. I do not count Newt’s ending the first marriage as a broken promise or broken wedding vow. Today that biology teacher would have been arrested and on a sexual offenders list….” [...]
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