1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Euphemism Watch: Callista And Newt Gingrich ‘Had A Nontraditional Start’

» 50 comments

This week, The New York Times delved into the life – and the potential future role – of Callista Gingrich, wife to Newt Gingrich and president of Gingrich Productions. The article immediately mentions the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Gingrich began dating while he was still married to his second wife, Marianne Ginther. The paper does not mince words when it comes to describing the impact the affair had on Gingrich’s political career:

Still in her 20s when they met, Ms. Bisek had been raised in a town of 1,500, the only child of a meat packer and a secretary. A churchgoing Roman Catholic, she had attended a Lutheran college where she practiced piano five hours a day. “Is this the wisest course for you to be taking?” Karen Olson, her best friend, recalled asking.

Today, Ms. Bisek is Mrs. Gingrich, married for 11 years, but perhaps best remembered for the six-year affair that contributed to her husband’s political downfall. His critics cast Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker, as a hypocrite who sought to impeach a president over infidelity while engaging in it himself with Ms. Bisek, who was a Congressional aide.

Nonetheless, Gingrich has made his wife an integral and highly visible component of his career thusfar, despite what the paper describes as some reticence, on her part, to place herself before a refreshed wave of public scrutiny that campaigning alongside her husband would inevitably bring.

While neither Gingrich agreed to be interviewed for the NYT article, the couple’s friends had quite a lot to say. To wit:

“They would say they wished they had met in a different time in their lives under different circumstances,” said Jackie Cottrell, a friend who worked with Mrs. Gingrich as a staff member on Capitol Hill. “But it’s important to note that they brought their family together in a loving way.”

…And:

Still, they worry aloud that her “physical presence,” in the words of Matt Gunderson, a childhood friend, makes her seem distant or stuffy. They see a woman who, caricatured as a “blond bombshell” in the press years ago, guards her public image.

…Not to mention:

The same friends who tried to talk her out of out of dating him more than a decade ago have concluded that she knew what she was doing, and are banking that voters will forgive and forget. Ms. Olson summed up their history in what might just become a campaign catchphrase.

“They’re a great couple,” she said, “that had a nontraditional start.”

This “translucency” when discussing the couple’s affair – masked as the details of their relationship are by these neat little euphemisms – is very likely the best way to acknowledge that, yes, the two made egregious and hurtful mistakes, especially in light of the GOP’s traditional stance as the “family values” party, but they, nonetheless, strive to present a unified front. It’ll be interesting to see if and when Callista herself chooses to speak about the affair and, if not, what narrative she and her husband’s team will choose to present her to the public as a possible future First Lady.

h/t NYT

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • JasonMays

    This seems awfully personal, mediaite. Using your own standards for the gropetastic adventures of libtard icon, Bill Clinton, surely you will leave such matters to those most intimately involved, am I right?

  • Mosesdinoark

    Ususal Rebubtard pablum,,,”do as I say, not as I do…”

  • Mosesdinoark

    JasonMays said:
    This seems awfully personal, mediaite. Using your own standards for the gropetastic adventures of libtard icon, Bill Clinton, surely you will leave such matters to those most intimately involved, am I right?

    Isn’t following a religion blindy for idiots?

  • http://politicallyincorrectlibertarian.wordpress.com PoliticallyIncorrectLibertarian

    Hey Mediaite, why don’t you focus on Barney Frank? I hear he’s still hiring hookers.

    DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLAYBOOK 101.
    http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2011/05/10-commandments-in-democrat-party.html

  • skyfet

    Tell us what we don’t know Newt.

  • Fokker News

    Newt is your typical family-values conservative.

  • Tony the Fist

    How much does Newt tip his baggage handlers? As the vampire said over leftovers, “New blood, please.”

  • The Lantern of Truth

    Euphesim Watch: Callista And Newt Gingrich ‘Had A Nontraditional Start’

    Euphesim .

    Wasn’t that the name of George and Sapphire Stevens’ beagle puppy ?

  • Rgentum

    the two made egregious and hurtful mistakes, especially in light of the GOP’s traditional stance as the “family values” party, but they, nonetheless, strive to present a unified front.

    You know who else made egregious mistakes, and strove to present a unified front?

    Clearly Newt Gingrich is Hitler, is what I’m saying.

  • Rgentum

    Fokker News said:
    Newt is your typical family-values conservative.

    All that’s missing is the meth-fueled man-on-man action, deep in the closet. Really deep.

  • dummy123

    Was Sheryl Gay Stolberg born female.
    She looks kind of like a dude??

  • Mosesdinoark

    Rgentum said:
    All that’s missing is the meth-fueled man-on-man action, deep in the closet. Really deep.

    Like Santorum…..you just know that guy is doin some freaky stuff….theres no other explainations as to why hes so anti-everything.

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    And so, it begins…Mitt is too Mormon and boring because he has his original wife, lots of children and grandchildren; Huckabee is too chubby and too Christian; Herman Cain is an “Uncle Tom”; Santorum is too Christian, has too many kids and is boring; Mitch Daniels is too bald and too short; Pawlenty is too boring; Newt has had affairs; Guiliani has had an affair; McCain has had an affair, with his wife while his first wife was recovering from an automobile wreck: Trump wears a fox on his head and is a “racist” and on and on……… Oh, and, btw, they’re ALL “racists,” “misogynists,” and “homophobes.” Now, have we gotten all of the rat gap out of the way?

    Obama, however, is, for the Left-wing media, “practically perfect in every way!” I voted for Clinton, against George H.W. Bush (even though I actually know GHWB) and IN SPITE OF Clinton’s draft-dodging, marijuana use, and well-known (to my friend who’s a political consultant and has known Clinton since their McGovern days together) womanizer. GHWB was and is a far superior human being than Clinton. He is an honorable man whose experience (c.v.) had everything on it you could possibly want in a President and whose family life was impeccable, but I didn’t want him for a second term as President, in spite of his success in the first Gulf War.

    So, Left-wing media, there you have it. Take a lesson from the re-election failure of George H. W. Bush, Clinton’s peccadillos did not matter.

  • Azarkhan

    Mosesdinoark said:
    Isn’t following a religion blindy for idiots?

    I agree, but I prefer that you be the one to tell that to Muslims.

  • lane

    Such an old story, seems like the NY Times might want to be more relevant. Or recent. Or newsworthy.

    I love the idea that reporters once dreamed of being the next Bob Woodward, now work for the NY Times digging into everyone’s personal life all National-Enquirer style.

    Mediaite is an appropriate place for a story like this. The NY Times just seems so unsubstantial nowadays….

  • TfT

    So,, mediaite tells us that the NYTimes doesn’t mince words, but what mediaite doesn’t tell us is that the NYTimes is FLAT OUT LYING.

    The impeachment was not for infedility, but for lying to the courts. Of course, facts don’t seem to ever matter to the NYTimes, but please mediaite, at least you should step up to the plate and offer some honesty, doncha think?

    Or is it simply asking too much for this baord and it’s owner/writers to offer up truth and fact when they are writing.

    Lying to the court, not infedlity, was the reason, and anyone with a brain knows that. Come on Alex, issue a correction to your article and tell the NYTimes to start reporting factnot fiction, it might do wonders for their bottom line.

  • Gasket

    JasonMays said:
    This seems awfully personal, mediaite. Using your own standards for the gropetastic adventures of libtard icon, Bill Clinton, surely you will leave such matters to those most intimately involved, am I right?

    Hey, moron, Clinton was IMPEACHED (only the 2nd potus ever) following his little shenanigans by you miscreants. Unless you are 12, there was extensive wall to wall coverage of Clinton’s affairs.

    Fokker News said:
    Newt is your typical family-values conservative.

    Absolutely.

  • Contessa

    So sorry to see this troll back on scene….

  • Pickles McKay

    Please stop reffering to people as tards. On either side. It is really hateful. And not exactly fair to people with special needs who often can’t exactly log on here and defend themselves.

    Thank you.

  • kvon

    JasonMays said:
    This seems awfully personal, mediaite. Using your own standards for the gropetastic adventures of libtard icon, Bill Clinton, surely you will leave such matters to those most intimately involved, am I right?

    hahahahahahahaha, and your cheerleadering of a possible Al Gore affair wasn’t personal at all.

  • Resistance Is Futile

    Gingrich is the lowest type of sleaze, he divorced his wife while she was dying with cancer and having an affair with another woman. Conservatives will defend him and throw bombs at others because he is their type of sleaze bag.

  • Resistance Is Futile

    JasonMays said:
    This seems awfully personal, mediaite. Using your own standards for the gropetastic adventures of libtard icon, Bill Clinton, surely you will leave such matters to those most intimately involved, am I right?

    Gingrich makes Bill Clinton look like a church alter boy.

  • sydowwoman

    Gee, I can’t even follow those first few comments! Why is it that Republicans want us to ignore all their sexual exploits, but they want to crucify Democrats for any perceived violation from the religious rights agenda. Saying sex was not what Clinton was impeached on is like saying the Civil War was about states rights, not slavery. Gimme a break!

  • justanotherconservative

    TillieGlockenspiel said:
    Take a lesson from the re-election failure of George H. W. Bush, Clinton’s peccadillos did not matter.

    very well said. thank you.

  • Resistance Is Futile

    TillieGlockenspiel said:
    And so, it begins…Mitt is too Mormon and boring because he has his original wife, lots of children and grandchildren; Huckabee is too chubby and too Christian; Herman Cain is an “Uncle Tom”; Santorum is too Christian, has too many kids and is boring; Mitch Daniels is too bald and too short; Pawlenty is too boring; Newt has had affairs; Guiliani has had an affair; McCain has had an affair, with his wife while his first wife was recovering from an automobile wreck: Trump wears a fox on his head and is a “racist” and on and on……… Oh, and, btw, they’re ALL “racists,” “misogynists,” and “homophobes.” Now, have we gotten all of the rat gap out of the way?

    Obama, however, is, for the Left-wing media, “practically perfect in every way!” I voted for Clinton, against George H.W. Bush (even though I actually know GHWB) and IN SPITE OF Clinton’s draft-dodging, marijuana use, and well-known (to my friend who’s a political consultant and has known Clinton since their McGovern days together) womanizer. GHWB was and is a far superior human being than Clinton. He is an honorable man whose experience (c.v.) had everything on it you could possibly want in a President and whose family life was impeccable, but I didn’t want him for a second term as President, in spite of his success in the first Gulf War.

    So, Left-wing media, there you have it. Take a lesson from the re-election failure of George H. W. Bush, Clinton’s peccadillos did not matter.

    If GHWB is so honorable why did he repeatedly lie about having any knowledge of the Iran contra affair in spite of white house records to the contrary. You either have a short memory or you are short on knowledge of American history. Either way your characterization of Bush is discredited.

  • felixw

    The same media outlets who refused to look into John Edwards’ tawdry affair — and let the National Enquirer break the story — dig up stale old news on Newt Gingrich.

    By all means, scrutinize Newt and ask tough questions about his character. I support that 100%. But when the media only investigates Republican candidates — for example, Associated Press assigning 11 reporters to fact-check Palin’s book line-by-line — and then refuses to look at widely publicized allegation on Democrat candidates, they leave the world of journalism and become partisan hit-men for the DNC. And THAT is why even independents and moderates are abandoning the mainstream media.

  • eyemjustsayin

    So, Newt was an adulterer, and she was his mistress for 6 years. Now they are “happily” married, and all is forgotten. I don’t think so. No use trying to groom her into the next First Lady. He has no morals, and she went along with the program. If that’s the best the GOP has got, I almost feel sorry for them.

  • TfT

    But slick willey, an intern and a cigar….well, that’s just peachy with you dems eyemjustsaying…..

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    We all know that the Professional Left (sometimes called “the media” or “the Fourth Estate”) has no standards whatsoever when it comes to Democrat candidates- unless they are running in opposition to 0bama, in which case, the “race card” may be played against him/her (Clinton). They so overplayed their hand for the past three years that they have become a joke to the public. Ergo, newspaper sales are in the tank and MSM ratings have declined.

    So, every Republican candidate should just say, in advance, all of the outrageous things that “the media” will, in its not-so-subtle way try to use to tarnish their candidacies. “Racist, misogynist, homophobe, Uncle Tom, adulterer, pedophile, pornographer, draft-dodger, rapist, murderer, drug addict, alcoholic, Christian, boring, liar, short, tall, stupid, bigoted,” or whatever other slur they can try to manufacture.

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    BTW, Clinton’s impeachment was for the act of PERJURY. He was disbarred for it.

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    Resistance Is Futile said:
    If GHWB is so honorable why did he repeatedly lie about having any knowledge of the Iran contra affair in spite of white house records to the contrary. You either have a short memory or you are short on knowledge of American history. Either way your characterization of Bush is discredited.

    I cannot say that I remember proof of GHWB having lied over Iran-Contra. I have always found him to be an honorable man.

  • J Baustian

    lane said:
    I love the idea that reporters once dreamed of being the next Bob Woodward, now work for the NY Times digging into everyone’s personal life all National-Enquirer style.

    The National Enquirer dug up the story on John Edwards, the man whose cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth did not want invited to her funeral. The New York Times and the rest of the mainstream media ignored that story. (I do not know if they are covering the grand jury investigation currently underway.)

    The New York Times’ new banner: “All the News That Fits the Spin”

  • J Baustian

    There was a time when I liked and even admired Newt Gingrich.

    But when he signed a contract to write a book, and took an advance against future sales, the Democrat machine went all-out to destroy him. He should have fought this out to his last breath, but instead he consented to the equivalent of a plea bargain with the House Ethics Committee, and paid a penalty of $300,000 as I recall.

    This was when I lost all respect for him. He should have fought those bastards to the very end, and never given them the satisfaction of letting them see him squirm.

    But he caved in to them, and then resigned, and he showed me that he lacks the character to hold any public office, ever again. And he most certainly should not be the candidate of the Republican Party. He is not in my Top Ten list, or Top 50 or Top 100 preferred candidates for president.

  • my dogs gone

    “NEWT”
    Whose gonna vote for someone named after a cold blooded reptile? (Who also cheats on his wife.)

  • avoidswork

    J Baustian said:
    There was a time when I liked and even admired Newt Gingrich. But when he signed a contract to write a book, and took an advance against future sales, the Democrat machine went all-out to destroy him. He should have fought this out to his last breath, but instead he consented to the equivalent of a plea bargain with the House Ethics Committee, and paid a penalty of $300,000 as I recall. This was when I lost all respect for him. He should have fought those bastards to the very end, and never given them the satisfaction of letting them see him squirm. But he caved in to them, and then resigned, and he showed me that he lacks the character to hold any public office, ever again. And he most certainly should not be the candidate of the Republican Party. He is not in my Top Ten list, or Top 50 or Top 100 preferred candidates for president.

    Nice to know that his leaving Sick Wife #1 for wife #2, then leaving Sick Wife #2 for Mistress of 6+ years isn’t your standard for diminishing his character. Oh, and boffing Mistress/nowWife #3 while conducting impeachment hearings for BlowJob Bill.

    Family values? Not needed for determining Republican “character”.

  • avoidswork

    felixw said:
    The same media outlets who refused to look into John Edwards’ tawdry affair — and let the National Enquirer break the story — dig up stale old news on Newt Gingrich. By all means, scrutinize Newt and ask tough questions about his character. I support that 100%. But when the media only investigates Republican candidates — for example, Associated Press assigning 11 reporters to fact-check Palin’s book line-by-line — and then refuses to look at widely publicized allegation on Democrat candidates, they leave the world of journalism and become partisan hit-men for the DNC. And THAT is why even independents and moderates are abandoning the mainstream media.

    I rarely ever agree with you, but the ignoring of the Edwards issue was appalling. I have issues with Elizabeth’s behavior during that time, too. And that SOB’s denial of paternity to his young daughter. Thank goodness that sordid tale came out.

    I do disagree about your assertion that the media gives Dems a pass (I think Edwards was more about cancer-stricken Elizabeth than him being a Dem).

    One problem some GOPers have is that Family Values Platform they stand on. It’s not Dems screeching about Family Values, it’s the GOP. And then they have Vitters and Ensigns and Gingriches and the like standing on it shouting.

    THAT is the problem. They roll out the platform and put hypocrites on it all the time.

    And like it or not, Guiliani and Gingrich will have a serious divorce problem. Let us not forget Rudy dumped his wife while giving a public speech.

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    J Baustian said:
    There was a time when I liked and even admired Newt Gingrich.

    But when he signed a contract to write a book, and took an advance against future sales, the Democrat machine went all-out to destroy him. He should have fought this out to his last breath, but instead he consented to the equivalent of a plea bargain with the House Ethics Committee, and paid a penalty of $300,000 as I recall.

    This was when I lost all respect for him. He should have fought those bastards to the very end, and never given them the satisfaction of letting them see him squirm.

    But he caved in to them, and then resigned, and he showed me that he lacks the character to hold any public office, ever again. And he most certainly should not be the candidate of the Republican Party. He is not in my Top Ten list, or Top 50 or Top 100 preferred candidates for president.

    Wasn’t it the same sort of attack that destroyed John Tower’s career? The media and their partners, the Democrat Party, will try to destroy anyone or anything that gets in their path.

  • TillieGlockenspiel

    Oh, to add to the list of slanders against ANY Republican candidate- “corrupt,” “unstable,” and/or “manic.”

  • King of Scotland

    Article should be titled SCARED LIBERALS WATCH
    Must be really afraid of Gingrich — already starting in with the smear tactics. When in doubt, trot out the “how he cheated” story. Like that’s going to work. Ooooo — the NYT article did not “mince words”. Is Newt the new Sarah?

  • J Baustian

    TillieGlockenspiel said:
    Wasn’t it the same sort of attack that destroyed John Tower’s career? The media and their partners, the Democrat Party, will try to destroy anyone or anything that gets in their path.

    John Tower, by all accounts, did have a drinking problem. But there was no full-court press to destroy his reputation; they just let him quietly withdraw his nomination. So George H.W. Bush nominated Dick Cheney instead, and that turned out extremely well. I do not think Tower would have done such a good job as Secretary of Defense as Cheney.

  • DFW

    A “non-traditional start?” So THAT’S what it’s now called in Republicanese. Back when, we used to call it cheating on your wife, and if it lasted six years, as did Newt and Callista, we used to call it an “affair.”

    But now that 10% becomes 90% when it is convenient in Republicanese, cheating in the form of a 6 year long affair is now a “non-traditional start.”

    I had better get myself a Republicanese-English dictionary before these people gain any further power in Washington, so I can understand what they are saying. And here we thought George W. Bush was incomprehensible!

  • Anonymous

    ODD. THERE IS A COMMANDMENT AGAINST ADULTERY AND NONE AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT. WHAT WAS GOD THINKING?

  • Anonymous

    PERHAPS GOD WAS THINKING THE SANCTIMONIOUS PRESS WOULD MAKE SEXUAL HARASSMENT HELL ON EARTH FOR ANY ACCUSED BY ANY WOMAN. A MERCIFUL GOD WOULD BE GLAD HE DIDN’T  PILE ON A BROKEN COMMANDMENT.

    WE HAD A WOMAN IN OUR OFFICE WHO ALWAYS WORE THE TWO TOP BUTTONS OF HER BLOUSE UNBUTTONED AND COMPLAINED INCESSANTLY THAT MEN LOOKED DOWN HER “FRONT” AS SHE CALLED IT. I SUGGESTED SHE BUTTON UP HER BLOUSE AND SIT UP STRAIGHT AND LEAN BACK A LITTLE. IF A MALE CO-=WORKER  WALKS UP TO YOUR DESK AND YOU ARE SITTING WITH YOUR SHOULDERS BOWED FORWARD AND YOUR BLOUSE IS OPEN. . . SHOULD HE LOOK AT THE CEILING WHILE YOU TALK?

  • http://www.facebook.com/hehilljr Howard Hill Jr.

    Since FOX NEWS claims to be the highest rated news channel, as constantly boasted by Bill O”Reilly…then I would say they must be the MAINSTREAM-MEDIA.

  • http://www.facebook.com/hehilljr Howard Hill Jr.

    Thanks for listing them all.  I agree with you!

  • http://www.facebook.com/hehilljr Howard Hill Jr.

    C’mon Man…Your memory must be gone…….   could be Alzheimers!

  • Anonymous

    “Nontraditional”??  Is that what they are calling it nowadays??

  • Чёрт Возьми

    Got to admit. Gingrich has the audacity to do just about anything. Question: If Gingrich did win the nomination and the presidency, would the social conservatives rejoice?

  • 12voltman1

    He’s not running for president.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_34VQ3NDNOFFUF6R7ALXY6O33S4 Cal

    Cheney was a disaster as Secretary of Defense, and an even bigger disaster as VP.

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram