Thanks for providing a theoretical way that Gingrich might have managed to pull off a legitimate conversion while having multiple marriages……

Peg

It’s a he-said she-said thing, then, as far as who asked for the divorce first. It ‘s the hospital story that is so repulsive.

Well two things:

1. Men, by natural instinct, lie about sex…esp. when their sexual habits make them look bad in the company of women.

2. I think at this point we can conclude Newt has totally lied about his 2nd wife’s divorce. There was no ‘witness’ when he told his wife about his ongoing affair and he almost certainly did request something like an ‘open marriage’. A divorce and remarriage would have raised quite a few eyebrows for a man pushing to impeach Clinton over the same thing.

Let me also toss in a bonus 3rd thing:

3. The girl was 13 at the time. Even if they didn’t tell her, I would guess her parents would have almost certainly had had discussions about divorce before have ‘the conversation’ with their daughters.

3.1 If the mother asked for the divorce, then why did she petition the court not to grant one but instead to ask for an attempt at reconciliation? Why do friends assert she was against a divorce? (see http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/26/politics/gingrich-divorce-file/index.html)

3.11 The hospital story also appeas somewhat true. She claims Gingrich did visit her in the hospital after recovering from surgery and discussed divorce terms with her. Given the fact that she didn’t want a divorce and given the way he shafted her on support after they separated, the intent was almost certainly to ‘blindside’ her when she was recovering. Yes she didn’t have cancer but removing a ‘benign tumor’ is something that’s pretty nerve racking, especially considering that you can’t really be sure that you don’t have cancer until after the tumor is removed and examined!

On a larger note here, I think Gingrich is a sociopath. Does any of this sound familiar?

http://depressiond.org/sociopath-sociopathic-personality-disorder/

Some of the other characteristics that sociopaths may display are stealing, lying, lack of remorse for others and towards living beings, irresponsible behavior, impulsive behavior, drug or alcohol abuse, problems with the law, violating rights of others, aggressive behavior and much more….Sociopaths are often unable to control their behavior and their expressions of annoyance, irritability and threats when faced with situations not appealing to them and they often tend to resort to threats, aggression and verbal abuse.

IMO the man accuses his wife(s) of lying because in his mind they really are. He lives in a world that is really ordered for his own glorification. What really happened in the hospital room or when he broke the news of his affair to wife #2 is irrelevant. All that should happen is whatever works best for Newt. so he almost certainly did ask his wife for an open marriage and, years later, declare that it was a malicious lie made up by his wife because of ‘pain’. Granted he hasn’t gone go jail yet and as far as we know he has no drug or alcohol problems, but the man is IMO a real sociopath and no not in the way that ‘all politicians’ maybe are, this is the real thing.

However, their daughter says her parents separated well before her mother was hospitalized, that Newt and Jackie sat the kids down at home and told them they were separating. The daughter says despite the court document, her mother asked for the divorce. According to the daughter—who was there, in the hospital room—Gingrich did not discuss divorce with his wife during that hospital visit (on her “death bed”, as it is often described).

She did not have cancer. She is not dead.

I really do not like Gingrich, but this story is obnoxious.

Not according to court documents:

Newly recovered court files cast doubt on Gingrich version of first divorce

Carrollton, Georgia (CNN) — Newt Gingrich claims that it was his first wife, not Gingrich himself, who wanted their divorce in 1980, but court documents obtained by CNN appear to show otherwise. . . .

Mr. Gingrich’s first wife is still alive.

They were separated when she had a benign tumor removed. He took his children to visit her in the hospital. He did not ask for a divorce while there.

I had heard and believed this story. I do not like Newt Gingrich, but this falsehood is odious.

And in defense of the second wife, I believe that I have heard that Newt while Newt did take up with her before the divorce from the first wife was final, Newt and the second wife did not meet until after he and the first wife had separated. Therefore, without commenting on any other aspect of her character (on which I have no opinion) I believe she is not technically a “homewrecker”.

Well said. I also agree with what Craig Payne says about Mitt Romney, on the assumption that Romney will at least SAY the right things about wealth inequality, and thus later be subject to being pressured on the issue if he want to be reelected.

I will not vote for Gingrich. Not even to defeat Obama. Period.