Cain: Wife didn't know about friendship, ‘financial assistance' to Ginger White

Union-Leader ^ | 12-1-2011 | John DiStaso

[smoothsailing]

Cain: Wife didn't know about friendship, ‘financial assistance' to Ginger White

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is questioned by New Hampshire Union Leader publisher Joe McQuaid in Manchester Thursday. David Lane

MANCHESTER - In his most candid interview since the latest allegations emerged, Herman Cain adamantly maintains that he and Ginger White were no more than friends. He told the New Hampshire Union Leader that in about 70 text messages she sent him between Oct. 22 and Nov. 18, she was "asking for financial assistance. She was out of work and had trouble paying her bills and I had known her as a friend."
By JOHN DiSTASO
Senior Political Reporter
MANCHESTER - Herman Cain acknowledged Thursday that he repeatedly gave Ginger White money to help her with "month-to-month bills and expenses" without telling his wife.

In fact, the embattled presidential candidate said, his wife, Gloria, "did not know that we were friends until she (White) came out with this story."

In his most candid interview since the latest allegations emerged, Cain adamantly maintained that he and White were no more than friends.

He told the New Hampshire Union Leader that in about 70 text messages she sent him between Oct. 22 and Nov. 18, she was "asking for financial assistance. She was out of work and had trouble paying her bills and I had known her as a friend.

"She wasn't the only friend who I had helped in these tough economic times, and so her messages to me were relating to ‘need money for rent' or whatever the case may be. I don't remember all the specifics."

Cain said White, who has alleged that she and Cain had a 13-year extramarital affair, told him that she did not have a job and was unable to get financial help from her family, "and that quite frankly, I was the only person who was a friend at the time - and I underscore ‘friend' - that was in a position to help her.


"I'm a soft-hearted person when it comes to that stuff. I have helped members of my church. I have helped members of my family.


"And I know a lot of other people who had done the same thing, and sometimes, quite frankly, it was desperation," Cain said.


Cain said that in 17 reported text messages back to her, he would respond with messages such as, "What are you doing to get a job?"


Cain said he did give Ginger White money, although he would not say how much on the advice of counsel.


And, he acknowledged, "My wife did not know about it, and that was the revelation. My wife found out about it when she went public with it.


"My wife now knows," Cain said. "My wife and I have talked about it and I have explained it to her. My wife understands that I'm a soft-hearted giving person."


He said his wife "is comfortable with the explanation that I told her."


He said he told his wife about White only after White went public.


Cain said that in retrospect he should have told his wife about his friendship with White, "but retrospect doesn't necessarily change what's going on now."


He also said his wife "did not know we were friends until she (White) came out with this story."


He said White did not threaten to go public with the allegation of an affair if Cain did not give her money, "nor was there any indication that there might be blackmail or anything like that.


"I thought I was helping a friend, end of story," he said.


Cain said the two "struck up a friendship" many years ago when she attended a conference in Louisville, Ky., where he was the keynote speaker.


Cain said he does not know why White has gone public with the allegation.


"But I have very strong speculation that someone offered her a lot of money," Cain said. "I was helping her with month-to-month bills and expenses and somebody _ this is speculation only _ offered her a lot of money.


"And one of my objectives is to clear my name and my reputation," Cain said.


(This story will be updated throughout the evening.)

[usconservative]

Busted. I don't care how "innocent" the situation is. If your wife ain't in the loop on something like this....

I've been on the "Cain Train" for awhile now, I really like the guy and want to believe him but statements like his wife "didn't know" I have a real problem with.

The situation may be exactly as Herman Cain says it is (friendship, not sexual) the fact he kept this "friendship" from his wife and gave this woman money many times is troubling.

It's the lack of judgement part here that I have the most difficulty with.

[mick]

You are a wise woman. You have clearly put forward the position I was trying to make much better than I was able to. Trust and love trump transparency in solid marriages. Frankly, I could care less how many people my wife has "relationships" with. If I need to know she will tell me.

What is disturbing in this thread is the high level of pretension and holier than thou posturing of these people who are attacking Cain.

[EDINVA]

Of course you’re done ... you can’t grasp the difference between a person who, on the one hand, has had a long, successful, 40+ year career, maintained a sterling reputation throughout that 40+year career, and who then chooses to pursue a career of elective public service, and a person who, on the other hand, is unknown, and has built neither a sterling career or reputation. They’re so easily confused. Be on your way.

[jcsjcm]

Sorry.... I guess I feel that unless something can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, then it is just hearsay! I hate the guilty until proven innocent mentality!

I didn’t mean to blow up on you! :)

[EDINVA]

Thank you. Obviously, I’m taking it from some who seem to disagree, which is their right. I trust my husband with my life. He may make me crazy from time to time (and I him) but we both knew fully well WHO we were marrying, and why.

I think Gloria Cain understands her husband as well. Tho, because they are in the spotlight, it has to be very, very hard on her and their family to be reading this stuff. Glad I’m not there.

And people wonder why folks don’t want to run for office? Why candidates choose not to run for the sake of their families? Why we have a ‘lacking’ cast of candidates? God bless those who are willing to put themselves in that position. I know I couldn’t handle it.

[devolve]

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Both parties need to fully check out and vet any person that wants to declare themselves as a candidate

This for any seat in Congress - or in the elected or appointed offices in the administration

But with Congress and the President passing laws that exempt themselves from a insider trading or prosecution for exempting themselves from laws they write and pass that the public is subject to - that is never going to happen

The media is now a full lobbyist and campaigner for the democrats

I need a waiver.....

It is time to explore the wonderful world of the underground economy

.

[Free Vulcan]

My main thing with Ginger White is he should have been more keen to a set up...

[PghBaldy]

There are more problems with this guy. I am surprised they haven’t come out yet, but if he stays in, I imagine they just might.

[Yaelle]

Respectfully, here’s something for you to consider: a guy who will cheat on his wife will think nothing of cheating on the voters who elected him.

Character matters.

---

But newt and Barack have allegedly cheated as well. At some point it all becomes moot. No allegations of Romney cheating.

[potlatch]

Well, the ‘vetting out’ is what’s going on now, and it isn’t going in a happy direction for many.

Cain does so much talking that he digs himself into bigger messups. Hannity had to correct him earlier tonight when he followed one of his comments with “and I’m guilty” twice. Hannity said, ‘you mean you are guilty of not telling your wife, right?’ Cain said “yes”.

Otherwise people could have misconstrued that!

[BagCamAddict]

You're absolutely right.

However, respectfully, if I thought Cain's philosophies about the economy, national defense, abortion, illegal immigration, entitlement programs, and so forth were DIFFERENT from mine, then I might be worried about him cheating on the voters.

But since his philosophies are the same as mine on the issues that matter to me, I am not worried about him cheating on the voters in those areas. As a voter, I'm not entering into a monogamous relationship with him, I'm entering into a contract for him to execute the duties of the President of the United States.

If he were a proven issues flip-flopper like Romney, then I would DEFINITELY care about his “commitment” issues and whether he would “cheat on the voters who elected him.

I really do agree with you, and character does matter. But since we do NOT have a perfect candidate to elect, we have to choose from what we are given. If we had a morally upstanding person standing up there who was wrong on the issues, that wouldn't make me vote for them. I care about the issues, not what he does in or out of his own bedroom.

But regardless of alllllll of that, Cain hasn't been proven to be guilty of anything yet. Does he not deserve a chance to defend himself here? It's been 2 or 3 (?) days. I'm willing to give Lin Wood a chance to do his job. I'm willing to give Mrs. Cain and Mr. Cain a chance to talk this through. And if Mrs. Cain stands behind him, then I think those of us who want to defeat Obama should also stand behind him.

I still believe Cain is our best shot at beating Obama. But more importantly, for the long term, Cain is a game-changer for the entire Democrat Party, because the monopoly on the Black Vote will be over. And that will change the future of this Country for decades.

[Nervous Tick]

>> But since his philosophies are the same as mine on the issues that matter to me, I am not worried about him cheating on the voters in those areas.

I see your point, and it’s valid in theory. But I disagree with your premise that a politican can be true to his political principles while handling his love life with situational ethics.

“Faithful in little, faithful in much” (IMHO). I don’t believe men operate reliably under situational ethics. You either have integrity, or you do not. Therefore I have no faith that Herman Cain would uphold his vows to the nation regarding the “issues that matter to me” any more than he upheld his marriage vows to his wife.

I realize that this is not “proof” — it’s merely my judgment. However I will cast my vote informed by my judgment.

FRegards

[devolve]

Like Rush said about Newt's statements:

"Less is More."

Voters in primaries will not be as forgiving as many on FR are

And Axelrod & Co. are taking notes and writing campaign ads to shred any and all Republican candidates

[CajunConservative]

Good question. 13 years is a long time for just a regular fling with a twenty-something bimbo. Remember, none of us really know Cain since he has never held public office.

[potlatch]

[Voters in primaries will not be as forgiving as many on FR are ]

We’re just one little pocket of the web. Some have told me ‘you don’t realize ‘so and so’s’ vast popularity’ and I’ve told them ‘so and so’ isn’t popular where I live. It’s obvious that many don’t read on other sites.

The vast majority of Americans go about their daily business and don’t talk about who they will vote for.

[devolve]

.
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What is selling right now with the ignorant voters is the bogus “paycheck deduction holiday” that is “already paid for with a small millionaire’s tax”

People do not listen to or want to hear Newt and his latest “57 Varieties of Sure-Fire Solutions” BS

They bought “Hope & Change” in ‘08

- after all - Idiot John McCain said Hussein Junior could be trusted

They will not listen to Ryan or 9-9-9

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[GOPJ]

Cain wasn't running for 'husband of the year'... Still I'm surprised by his lack of taste in 'women friends'. Nutty and financially irresponsible isn't exactly a class calling card... or their willingness to step forward to trash him.

His wife and daughters are impressive - he should have stayed emotionally true to them...

[potlatch]

[bogus “paycheck deduction holiday”]

I’m not well informed about that topic. I’ve been too engrossed in candidate threads. Little on Perry today. It will be strange to end up with Newt after two years of talking about the most ‘pure’ candidates.

[devolve]

.
.

Newt has no shot at winning the primaries

The polls so far - are all BS

In 2004 I was proven correct when I said those interested should take the difference between Kerry & GS Bush - split the difference - and add that half to each candidate

The LS Times in 2004 was giving Kerry a 17 point lead - and we all know how that turned out

Right now Hussein Junior is well below Jimmuh Cahtah’s lowest numbers

Axelrod and Junior are panicking bigtime - but they can - and - they will do anything - once again - in November 2012

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.

[potlatch]

[but they can - and - they will do anything - once again - in November 2012]

I believe it and pray we’re prepared. I only see polls that they show on Fox News and it does show Newt way up there. What surprises me is that Obama’s polling always looks so good too! I really don’t trust polls.

Heading off for bed devolve, enjoyed it and still laughing at the Amazon business, lol.