Wendy Davis vs. Newt Gingrich

Regarding "Politics twists slight errors into blatant lies" (Wednesday City & State), what is interesting to me is the kid glove treatment of Wendy Davis by the media compared to another prominent political figure accused of precisely the same behavior: Republican icon Newt Gingrich.  At the age of 19, Gingrich married his high school geometry teacher, Jackie Battley, several years his senior.  She worked to put him through school, paid all of the bills, and raised their children while Newt focused on his studies.  And when he was done with her, Gingrich divorced Jackie Battley.

 

Almost without exception, this is exactly the relationship that Wendy Davis had with her second husband Jeff, but there are two important differences: 1) Newt never wove a fictitious "log cabin" bio about raising babies and pursuing an education whilst pulling himself up by his bootstraps as Wendy Davis did; and 2) There was no effort on the part of anybody in the media to make excuses for his selfish behavior and the way he used his first wife.

 

Gingrich deserved the press he got, and so does Davis.  As to whether or not she is guilty of "blatant lies", just consider that to this day, she has taken credit for most everything that Jeff Davis did.  Gingrich at least had the decency to publicly acknowledge his first wife's sacrifices on his behalf.

 

Pete Smith

Cypress, TX