Newt Gingrich Talks Ex-Wives With Chuck Todd (VIDEO)

Newt Gingrich took a quick break from the campaign trail in Iowa on Wednesday to sit down with Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging interview that touched on his negative attacks, his slipping status in the polls and at the tense end, his failed marriages.

"What is your relationship with your ex-wives?" Todd asked.

"With my first wife we have a relationship because we share two daughters and two grandchildren," Gingrich said. "I think it is very respectful on both sides, she has been a very good mother and very good grandmother and I am very concerned for her as a person. And I have tried to deal frankly with a lot of these personal questions without in any way intruding into her personal life."

Todd ventured, "And your second wife--"

"We don't have a relationship," Gingrich interrupted.

Plagued by rumors that he served his first wife, Jackie Battley, with divorce papers while she was hospitalized with cancer, Newt has claimed that it was actually Battley who requested the divorce. Newly uncovered court documents suggest otherwise. Battley is the ex-wife with whom he remains friendly.

Gingrich began a relationship with his second wife, Marianne Ginther, while married to Battley, and took up with his current wife, Callista Gingrich, before divorcing Ginther.

Marital fidelity became a hot-button campaign issue as Gingrich surged to the top of the polls earlier this month. Under pressure from Iowa evangelicals, Gingrich submitted a "signing statement" to a controversial marriage pledge, vowing to remain faithful to Callista.

Comments

[pphhrogg]

10:44 AM on 12/31/2011

LOLOL....I knew that Newtie's past would catch up with him eventually. I'll bet that 2nd wife can be persuaded to talk about Newt even if HE doesn't want to talk about her!

[joecan1]

10:39 AM on 12/31/2011

Newt signed a statement vowing to be faithful to Callista. So is he saying that wedding VOWS mean nothing until you sign a statement? Or is he saying that vows mean nothing? Would he uphold his vow to defend the constitution?

[Bigdaddy Milkman]

10:01 AM on 12/31/2011

Didn't he vow to stay faithful to his first two wives? I guess he doesn't take a vow to his God as seriously as he does a vow to Iowa evangelicals.

[Confused One]

08:06 AM on 12/31/2011

Next up SARA #4

[stephan67]

04:35 AM on 12/31/2011

Gingrich: I always wanted my mistress to become my wife .I'm a conservative guy you know

[fabuloush2s]

02:57 AM on 12/31/2011

There are two things you have, one is your word and the other is your spouse.. both can be controlled if the relationship is wholesome and respected. If Newt did not make his personal life a sham, he may have had the opportunity to become president. Why didn't he make that decision instead of being selfish and deceitful... only he can answer that.. now the people are suppose to take him on his word? And by signing a commitment to be faithful? Plus the fact that he is a grandparent makes it legit for him to be excused from past behavior and pave on to the WH? Not in this life. He has taught school, so how do you explain to your class that it's alright to be an adulter, while speaker of congress it's alright to violate the codes of ethics, it's alright to violate other laws and the country will forgive or forget? The repub party is a scam if this is what their backing against. All the traits to be a leader is not there and never will be for Newt Gingrich!

[Dogvane]

12:17 AM on 12/31/2011

I don't blame Newt. Her hair just isn't perfect enough.

[Jim Fourniadis]

08:55 PM on 12/30/2011

I'll bet he doesn't want to talk about her.

[krazeeinjun]

08:06 PM on 12/30/2011

Todd ventured, "And your second wife--"

"We don't have a relationship," Gingrich interrupted.

Gee wonder if it might have something to do with this devastating interview that Mrs. Gingrich #2 gave to Esquire magazine last year?: http://www.esquire.com/features/newt-gingrich-0910

[Wallysmom]

10:13 PM on 12/30/2011

Thanks for the esquire link. Wow. Gingrich sounds like a real creep.

[e-cat]

08:51 AM on 12/31/2011

That's because he is.

When the current Governor of Georgia (Nathan Deal) was running in 2010, even he distanced himself from Newt.

[Bigdaddy Milkman]

10:03 AM on 12/31/2011

You're just figuring that out?

[champagne charlie]

05:54 AM on 12/31/2011

Great article! Thanks.

[SueEll]

05:36 PM on 12/30/2011

Can anyone imagine if Clinton had left HIS wife to marry HIS congressional aide, Monica, and then showed up years later on the national stage seeking office?

[SF TKF]

03:25 PM on 12/30/2011

I love the idea that evangelicals think Newt will be more loyal to a pledge he made to them than he was to his marriage vows (which are already a pledge not to commit adultery).

[p c r]

04:10 PM on 12/30/2011

The GOP keeps making more and more oaths and pledges to more and more radical special interest groups while not realizing that if elected POTUS all of those pledges and oaths will have to fall by the wayside if they fulfill their pledge to put the Constitution and the US first.

More GOP candidates are putting Norquist over the American people now. It is very sad.

[logic-a-go-go]

11:25 AM on 12/31/2011

Sociopaths cannot commit to any person, let alone any country.

[jonathan6773]

03:22 PM on 12/30/2011

Now we know why Herman Cain looks up to Newt Gingrich for marriage counseling. On a more serious note, who would even want to.. you know... with Newt. Such as bad visual. And what is wrong with Republicans signing these pledges, when they break it the next day.

[french queen13]

12:16 AM on 12/31/2011

I know, it's real vomit-in-your-mouth stuff!

[Geo Bruno]

02:14 PM on 12/30/2011

Maybe Tom Delay will jump into the race and save them

[ILB]

03:08 PM on 12/30/2011

Hilarious!

[Geo Bruno]

02:13 PM on 12/30/2011

But when will they interview little Newt

His organ that makes all of his decisions.

[SeeTheFnords]

06:40 PM on 12/30/2011

Rumour has it that little Newt is a registered Democrat

[headhuntnyc]

01:31 PM on 12/30/2011

I can't stand him but he hasn't done the whole morality thing like the others this go around (Santorum . . . pompous fool) . . . but it begs the question of his stability and emotional decision making. And you can't forget the Clinton impeachment process and what role he played in that. I okay with someone who changes their mind (that at least suggests some kind of personal growth) but I take marriage and relationships seriously. I want leaders who believe in commitment. Times can be rough and you have to stick with things in order to get to next better place. I am NOT saying that divorce is wrong all but his turn to Catholicism and how he is now pure is just gross and such a convenient event.

[JeanPaulSatire]

04:59 PM on 12/30/2011

Newt led the charge to impeach (and convict) President Clinton over his extra-marital dalliances and dishonesty about them -- at the very time Newt was committing adultery himself.

It doesn't get much more hypocritical than that. So his present eschewing of criticizing others over morality issues doesn't impress me in the least.