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.)

[PetroniusMaximus]

Very, very foolish on his part.

This will sink him. (Actually, he’s already sunk.)

[Tennessee Nana]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

In Its a Wonderful Life the Conservative hero George Bailey gave a girl sho was down on her luck and “out of work and had trouble paying her bills” and helped her leave town for a fresh start elsewhere..

and he was considered a nice guy for doing that...

But that was the 40s..

and George wasnt running for office...

[writer33]

Where’s the crime, Mac Daddy?

[wolfman23601]

I no longer believe him... at least in this case. You don’t hide the friendship + financial assistance from your wife unless there is more to it.

[Gator113]

But wait, this can’t be.

Heck, over the past 2 days, several of the Cain’s FR people have been insisting she knew... so all was well.

I am sooo confused.

[mockingbyrd]

That’s not OK. I don’t care what his intentions were, spouses are supposed to share this kind of information. It reflects badly upon Mr. Cain.

Doesn’t disqualify him from being president in my opinion, but it does reflect poorly on him.

[writer33]

Where’s the crime?

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Jeez Lahwheeze! Listening to the Cain interview with Cavuto yesterday was Cain trying to get the patent on Denial.

This guy is completely finished. No doubts.

[magritte]

I assume if there was an affair of some kind and she was travelling on and off with him, she would be able to produce some kind of evidence. To date she has not.

---

Evidence? Like what? It could easily have been the occasional hookup, where he paid for everything (no receipts) and all she really has is dates and the like. Or she was just a “companion” he liked to hang out with more than his wife. Either are easily understood and explain why his wife had no knowledge of it.

Regardless, Cain’s other glaring political faults are the source of his demise...this just sheds a few social conservatives.

[Sacajaweau]

Not telling his wife amounts to "a lie"....13 years of "lies".

Even the idea that he needs his wife's approval to go on is an absurdity. She didn't know. He deceived her...and he wants her blessing?? He'll be lucky if he gets bread with his supper. He can always buy a pizza for $9.99.

[GlockThe Vote]

Had cain told his wife of this, what do you think her reaction would have been?

[GlockThe Vote]

Had cain told his wife of this, what do you think her reaction would have been?

[HereInTheHeartland]

At best he's a moron.
I was holding out hope for him; assuming he was a good hearted guy helping a down on their luck person. But of course his wife would be looped in in that scenario. A man doesn't hang with, and give money to a woman on a long term basis.

Any amount of common sense would know that would look bad; unless the mans wife was looped in.

[PetroniusMaximus]

“I no longer believe him... at least in this case. You don’t hide the friendship + financial assistance from your wife unless there is more to it.”

He’s an associate Pastor. He’s not going to be helping someone and not praying for them (with his wife). The fact that the wife knew nothing of her is the “smoking gun”.

We’ve been duped by Cain.

Time to dump him and move on.

[jagusafr]

Rule #1 in marriage: If you think your wife would get mad hearing it from somebody else, TELL HER YOURSELF. Happy Wife, Happy Life.

My thoughts are that Cain’s either 1)foolish, 2)lying, or 3)naive. None of these choices gives me warm fuzzies about voting for him.

[Responsibility2nd]

Where’s the crime?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ask your wife.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Du, du, du, du,.....du, du,....Can’t Touch Dis!.......

[Tennessee Nana]

If the “good deed” involves helping another woman financially without the knowledge of one’s wife,
____________________________________________________

Herman Cain is a multi millionaire

If he gave a person in need a $20 or even a $100 I doubt if he would miss it or think he had to report it to Momma...

Mrs Cain probably gives money here and there to good causes to that Herman doesnt demand to know about..

Its called trust...

He knows Gloria wont give money to Planned Parenthood behind his back..

She trusts him to not be sponsoring “girlfriends”

[GloriaJane]

"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."

This was a set up. That woman set him up so they could take him down

[Sacajaweau]

It's not innocent. He's been deceiving his wife for 13 years.

He signed two books for Ginger. One says "Friendships are forever. Everything else is a bonus".