Campaign: Gingrich inaccurate during debate clash over ex-wife

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Campaign 2012

Gingrich slams CNN for asking about ex-wife

GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich slammed CNN host John King for asking about an explosive ABC News report claiming the he asked his former wife for an "open marriage."

Newt Gingrich's campaign is now admitting the candidate made a false claim during a dramatic debate confrontation last week with a moderator who brought up claims by his ex-wife that he had sought an "open marriage."

When Gingrich was asked in the January 19 debate, shortly before he won the South Carolina primary, about his ex-wife Marianne Gingrich's claims, he unloaded on moderator John King of CNN. The former House speaker decried "the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media" and saying the question was "as close to despicable as anything I can imagine."

Gingrich's attack on King was met with a standing ovation from the audience, and exit polls out of South Carolina suggested his debate performance was a significant driver of his double-digit victory there.

"The story was false," Gingrich went on to say. "Every personal friend I have who knew us in that period says the story is false. We offered several of them to ABC to prove it was false." ABC News is the network that aired an interview with Marianne Gingrich in which she made the "open marriage" claim.

After ABC News subsequently said the Gingrich campaign had not, in fact, offered friends of Gingrich to rebut the story, Gingrich on Tuesday told CNN that claim was "baloney."

"If they're saying that, then they're not being honest," Gingrich said, claiming that ABC News "wasn't interested" in talking to the "several people" the campaign had offered to rebut the story.

On Thursday morning, however, CNN reported that Gingrich's claims were false, according to the Gingrich campaign. CNN reported that Gingrich campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond acknowledged that the campaign only offered Gingrich's two daughters to ABC News to rebut the story, not "several" friends of the candidate.

Hammond did not immediately respond to an email requesting a confirmation of the CNN report.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by Judiblueye January 27, 2012 5:25 PM EST: If Newt's daughters were privy to every conversation about sex that he had with his wife, there was more than "open marriage" problems going on in that family!; Reply to this comment


by chs1959 January 27, 2012 2:10 PM EST: Envision this America: a white tie White House formal dinner hosted by President Gingrich (read philanderer, skirt chaser hyprocite) and wife Callista (read husband stealer) stiiting at the front table with Britian's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. NOT.

Would be like Bill Clinton inviting Monika and have her sit between Queenie and Phil.; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti January 26, 2012 9:53 PM EST: This is typical pasty, white, racist, lying, firm father figure Republicon behavior: blame the victim.

Hey Gingrinch, if you are an immoral, cheating, lying hypocrite: "Blame Yoself".; Reply to this comment


by offthefence January 26, 2012 1:33 PM EST: Newt are you being disingenuous again?

Go to your room and pay another $300k fine; Reply to this comment


by b-lark January 26, 2012 1:31 PM EST: Gingrich = Surrender of moral authority on "Family Values" issues to Obama and the Democrats. Imagine in your mind --the image of the first Family --Barack and Michele and their adorable daughters-- juxtaposed against Newt and Calista. All the grandiose ideas and clever debating skills will never wipe away that contrasting image! I cannot understand how we Republicans think for a moment that is a winning hand. Newt would like to talk his way out of a dishonest lack of individual moral character that he acted himself into repeatedly over a sustained period of time (6 years with Calista, and several more with Marianne before that). Newt would have us believe that there is nothing here --just "pain" and "divorce" something common to many and to someone that all of us know. But there is no personal dishonesty in 'pain' or even in 'divorce' --those are not the real issues. The real issue, which Newt would like to hide through smoke and mirrors and angry, crowd-pleasing outbursts, is a core issue of personal honesty and integrity. And on that score, as it relates to the seeking of the position of highest public trust in the land, Newt, and Calista, together should be weighed in the balance and found sorely wanting.; Reply to this comment


by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 January 26, 2012 1:22 PM EST: by Term_Limits_Please January 26, 2012 11:32 AM EST

Santorum, comes from the real world and has stayed "normal" and grounded.

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That's rich! Of course, Santorum is extreme in his position on abortion, which isn't really normal nor grounded. Not to mention his wife carried on quite an affair and lived with an abortion doctor for many years before she met Santorum. Apparently, he was just as non-committal on the issue of his faith before he found out that gimmick could sell. I wonder when he had his revelatory conversion.; Reply to this comment


by offthefence January 26, 2012 1:07 PM EST: What Newt being disingenuous?

No never?; Reply to this comment


by jsf14 January 26, 2012 12:51 PM EST: How in the world could anyone, friend or daughter or anyone, rebut what one person in a private conversation reports was said? She says he asked. Newt says he did not. And NOBODY ELSE WAS PRESENT. Or was his house bugged?; Reply to this comment


by daffy64 January 26, 2012 12:40 PM EST: Gingrich is being given funds to run his "anti-Romney" ads by a millionaire CASINO magnate. I'm willing to forgive the guy for his failed marriages/cheating or whatever. But the continued support from gambling? Sorry. Too much. I question his ethics.; Reply to this comment

by dave08836 January 26, 2012 11:44 AM EST

Why can't the liberal media remain focused on key issues? Because they are trying to manipulate public opinion by constantly focusing on personal attacks instead of key issues. Yet with Obama the liberal media never did due dilligence to vet Obama's character as a socialist with ties to known anti-american extremists like Rev Wright, Bill Aires and nut jobs like the 911 truthers.

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