Gingrich campaign admits error
(CNN) - Newt Gingrich's campaign admitted Wednesday night the former House speaker was inaccurate when he claimed his team offered several witnesses to ABC News to refute statements made by Gingrich's second wife in a controversial interview aired last week.
CNN Chief National Correspondent John King reported the campaign said it only recommended Gingrich's two daughters from his first marriage, who wrote a letter discouraging ABC to release the interview.
CNN LIVE: Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Republican Party of Florida Debate hosted by Wolf Blitzer and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the Florida primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @politicalticker
Marianne Gingrich claimed in the ABC interview that her husband asked for an open marriage while he was having an extramarital affair with his current wife, Callista Gingrich.
"The story was false. 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. They weren't interested," Gingrich said at a CNN debate last week.
In an interview on Tuesday, King pressed Gingrich on those claims, saying ABC News insisted no such witnesses were put forward.
Gingrich said ABC's defense was "just plain baloney."
"If they're saying that, then they're not being honest," Gingrich said. "We had several people prepared to be very clear and very aggressive in their dispute about that, and (ABC News) wasn't interested."
On Wednesday, however, the campaign conceded the candidate was wrong, both in his debate answer and in his interview with CNN on Tuesday.
R.C. Hammond, the campaign's press secretary, told CNN the only people the campaign offered to ABC were the speaker's two daughters, Jackie Cushman and Kathy Gingrich Lubbers, who make regular appearances for their father on the campaign trail.
Also see:
From CNN Politics
- DeSantis proposes banning diversity and inclusion initiatives at Florida universities
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Joe Biden and Kevin McCarthy put their brand new relationship to the test with debt ceiling crisis looming
- Inside Democrats' strategy to try to undercut GOP investigations and protect Biden
- GOP holds first in a series of border hearings
- Why the US economy could fall prey to McCarthy's ambition
As I have said multiple times his only defense is "You are a liar" and never has any proof. Of course his own daughters are going to back him above their former step mother.
there is a difference between a mistake and a LIE
With Clinton and Obama, and the public is worried about finding an honest politician...
People should start calling the republicans the party of the "DoubleSpeak". George Orwell coined the right term for the republicans. "Doublespeak–a lie is the truth and the truth is a lie." You can see it in almost every sentence that comes out of their mouth. Romney–the president is dividing the country (lie), (truth) the republicans are dividing the country. I could go on, but maybe other people can come up with some good lies, that the republicans try to turn into the truth.
This guy is a serial liar and a serial philanderer... not to mention a bellicose gasbag...
Wow- what a liar. If he had the names of the people he was going to trot out in his defense, he had the right there. But no, I'll check with my people. Aren't you the one to supply the names of the people? What a slim ball.
Tonight's first debate question: How do you justify your aggressive prosecution of impeachment proceedings against President Clinton when you were Speaker of the House, married, and having an affair with another woman? Or, maybe: If the media had the obligation to report on President Clinton's improper conduct, isn't it proper for that same media to report on your improper extra-marital conduct?
Let's make a list of everyone who lies through their teeth – every day – to the American People: Everyone in Congress, our Teleprompter in Chief, Mitt Romney, AG Eric Holder, Treasury Sec. Tim Geitner, Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Boehner, Newt Gingrich...the list just goes on and on with no end...NEWS FLASH: ALL POLITICIANS LIE...how is this even news nowadays?
Breaking News: Newt claims his pants are on fire, blames Romney..
This goes right along with the "it doesn't matter what I do, all that matters is what I say" allegation by his ex-wife. Really makes me believe what she said is true.
He knows he's good at talking and thinks he can talk himself into an alternate reality. He has no moral compass.
The only reason Newt is doing so well in the primary elections is because CNN has shown polls that he could not win against Obama. The Dems are all going out to vote for this clown so they can get another 4 years.
How does a habitual liar cover his lies? Blame them on their support staff making a "mistake" has always works for the GOP.
Sometimes, motivated by his love for this country, Newt says things he shouldn't have. For that I'm sure he's profoundly sorry, and he has asked forgiveness and made amends.
Either that, or it's the liberal media's fault.
So Newt is a liar – I'm shocked – shocked. Who would have thought a God forgiven serial adulterer like Newt would lie about about something like that.
So Newt is a liar – I'm shocked – shocked. Who would have thought a God forgiven serial adulterer like Newt would lie about about something like that.
If this goofy truth twisting liar is the best that the GOP has to offer then I hope Newt wins the campaign and the presidency. He is exactly what this country needs to finish what GW Bush srarted. To use Newt's own words ... ARMAGEDDON! God help us. You'll see B-Shelters poping up in every neighborhood.
Another Newt error? SHOCKED I say! SHOCKED!
Gingrich really does have problems with reality and truth and the accurate recall of past events. Boy, that must be a problem for a "historian."
Newt didn't lie. He simply "mispoke". (Everyone: Remember this if you ever get into politics.)
And he said that Nancy Pelosi lives in fantasy land. Anybody that thinks like him and his moon colony idea. This man is very dangerous and scary.
you can only lie to yourself so Newt must really hate himself to be able to not only lie to himself but to believe the very lie he is telling
Newt.. 'ooops' ... newt you called Romney a moderate, then you said he was liberal to moderate, now you're saying he's just liberal by republican standards.. which is it? And isn't that your one play in the playbook? accuse someone of being a liberal and then sacrifice them before the public? Interestingly enough Mr. Historian, did you know Jesus was considered a 'liberal' ?
It was no mistake. It was just a big fat LIE.
And by the way don't mention Newt and President Obama's name in the same sentence when you are talking about lying and family values. Some people may not think the President is some things but he is no where near as terrible as Newt.
Gingrich need to apologize to John King on National tv during thr debate