Callista Gingrich

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Callista Louise Gingrich

Callista Gingrich, October 2007
Born Callista Louise Bisek[1]
March 4, 1966 (1966-03-04) (age 46)
Whitehall, Wisconsin, U.S.
Nationality American
Alma mater Luther College (Iowa)
Occupation President of Gingrich Productions
Political party Republican
Religion Roman Catholic[2]
Spouse Newt Gingrich (m. 2000) «start: (2000)»"Marriage: Newt Gingrich to Callista Gingrich" Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callista_Gingrich)
Website
Gingrich Productions

Callista Louise Gingrich (née Bisek[1], born March 4, 1966) is the President of Gingrich Productions, a multimedia production company based in Washington, D.C.[3] She is married to former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.[4]

Contents

[edit] Early life, education and early career

Callista Louise Bisek, known as "Cally Lou" to her family,[3] was born to Alphonse Emil Bisek and Bernita (Krause) Bisek in Whitehall, Wisconsin.[1] Her father worked in a packing plant and her mother was a secretary.[3] She graduated as valedictorian from Whitehall Memorial High School in 1984.[5] A music student from childhood, Bisek attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, majoring in music and joining the Delta Alpha Delta sorority.[3] She graduated cum laude in 1988,[6][7] and considered studying broadcast journalism in graduate school.[3]

She accepted an internship in 1988 in Washington, D.C., in the office of Republican Congressman Steve Gunderson[3] and subsequently moved to the House Committee on Agriculture where she worked until 2007.[3][8][9]

[edit] Multimedia productions

Gingrich and her husband host and produce historical and public policy documentaries, editorials and advocacy films. Recent films include A City Upon a Hill;[10] America at Risk; Nine Days that Changed the World; Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny; Rediscovering God in America; Rediscovering God in America II: Our Heritage and We Have the Power.[11][3]

Gingrich is the voice for several of her husband's audio books, including To Save America; Valley Forge; 5 Principles for a Successful Life; Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less; The Art of Transformation; Real Change; Contract with the Earth; and Rediscovering God in America.[6]

Gingrich's photography has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post and is featured in a photobook, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, which she co-authored with Newt Gingrich and Dave Bossie.[12] Her photography is also featured in Rediscovering God in America and is regularly displayed on Newt.org and GingrichProductions.com.[6]

Gingrich wrote Sweet Land of Liberty, a children’s book about American exceptionalism featuring Ellis the Elephant.[3] It was on the The New York Times Best Seller list of Children's Picture Books.[13]

[edit] Other activities

Gingrich is the president of the Gingrich Foundation, a charitable nonprofit corporation. Among its charitable contributions, the Gingrich Foundation has established the Newt L. and Callista L. Gingrich Scholarship at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, which provides annual scholarships for instrumental music majors.[14] She is a long-time member of the choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.[15] and plays French horn with the City of Fairfax Band in Fairfax, Virginia.[16]

[edit] Personal life

Callista Bisek met Newt Gingrich when he was House Minority Whip and she was working in the office of Congressman Gunderson. Callista testified in 1999 as part of Gingrich's divorce proceedings that the couple began an affair in 1993 while Newt was married to his second wife, Marianne.[17][18] On August 18, 2000, after Newt divorced Marianne, Callista and Newt were married in a private ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia.[4] In 2002, Newt Gingrich asked the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta to annul his 19-year marriage to Marianne on the basis that she had been previously married.[19] Callista, a lifelong Catholic, was instrumental in her husband's conversion to that faith.[2] The Gingriches live in McLean, Virginia.[3]

[edit] Participation in the 2012 Republican primaries

As part of her husband's bid to become the Republican nominee in the 2012 Presidential election, Callista has appeared at rallies by his side but has not been as personally vocal as other candidates' wives. CBS News-supplied quotes of Newt and Callista suggested that her role in the campaign would be determined by R.C. Hammond, one of the campaign staff responsible for messaging. "We're waiting for R.C. to unleash her and he's being very measured and paced," said the candidate.[20] In early 2012, Gingrich began to take a more active role in the campaign, and undertook her first campaign speaking appearances without her husband.[21] On February 10, Callista Gingrich appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference, giving an introduction to Newt Gingrich prior to his speech.[22][23] In addition, she has supported the campaign through speaking appearances at Republican women's groups,[24][25] meetings of Gingrich supporters[26] and various rallies.[27]

[edit] See also

Conservatism portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Buffalo County Biographical History: Celebrating 150 Years, 1853-2003 from Google Books
  2. ^ a b Sullivan, Amy (August 24, 2009). "Why Newt Gingrich Converted to Catholicism". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1916297,00.html. Retrieved October 10, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Levy, Ariel (January 23, 2012). "The Good Wife". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/23/120123fa_fact_levy?currentPage=all. Retrieved January 28, 2012. 
  4. ^ a b "National News Briefs; Gingrich Is Married In Alexandria Ceremony". The New York Times. August 20, 2000. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/20/us/national-news-briefs-gingrich-is-married-in-alexandria-ceremony.html. Retrieved August 14, 2010. 
  5. ^ Whitehall Times, May 16, 1984
  6. ^ a b c "About Us" Gingrich Productions Website
  7. ^ "Callista Gingrich". 2011 Catholic Radio Conference. http://www.catholicradioconference.com/cGingrich.html. Retrieved January 27, 2012. 
  8. ^ Mark Benjamin (November 24, 2011). "With Newt Back in the Spotlight, Callista Gingrich Follows". Time.com. http://swampland.time.com/2011/11/24/with-newt-back-in-the-spotlight-callista-gingrich-follows/. Retrieved January 26, 2012. 
  9. ^ Callista Louise Gingrich, Congressional Staffer - Salary Data at legistorm.com. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  10. ^ Lucy Madison (April 26, 2011). "Newt Gingrich to star in Citizens United movie about "American exceptionalism"". CBSNews.com. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20057495-503544.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
  11. ^ "Video" Gingrich Productions Website
  12. ^ "Newt Gingrich and Callista Gingrich honor the legacy of President Ronald Reagan with Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny" (Press release). PRWEB. February 3, 2011. http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/02/prweb5031284.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-03. 
  13. ^ NYTimes Best Sellers: Children's Picture Books , October 30, 2011
  14. ^ "Directory of Endowed Scholarships: Music". Luther College. 2012. http://www.luther.edu/giving/choices/scholarship/directory/music/. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  15. ^ Mrs. Gingrich Will Sing At Cathedral Today, The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register, Casey Junkins, October 16, 2009.
  16. ^ "City of Fairfax Band presents Bravo Broadway benefiting the Alzheimer's Association, National Capital Area Chapter". weta.org. WETA. http://www.weta.org/local/calendar/event/287402. Retrieved 28 September 2010. 
  17. ^ "Gingrich Friend Dates Affair To '93". Chicago Tribune. November 11, 1999. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-11-11/news/9911110139_1_callista-bisek-georgia-republican-house-speaker-newt-gingrich. Retrieved July 12, 2011. 
  18. ^ Barron, James; David Rohde, Adam Nagourney (4 May 2000). "PUBLIC LIVES". The New York Times: p. 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/04/nyregion/public-lives.html. Retrieved 31 January 2012. 
  19. ^ Associated Press (12 May 2002). "Newt Gingrich Requests Annulment In Atlanta". The Free Lance-Star: p. D4. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=20020512&id=_PAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pggGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6711,3257251. Retrieved 7 February 2012. 
  20. ^ Matthew Shelly (February 7, 2012). "Callista Gingrich: The quiet wife". CBSNews.com. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57372829-503544/callista-gingrich-the-quiet-wife/. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  21. ^ Callista Gingrich makes her debut as a solo campaigner Atlanta Journal Constitution, February 15, 2012
  22. ^ CPAC: Callista Gingrich makes rare speaking appearance CBS News, February 10, 2012
  23. ^ Callista Gingrich talks up Newt at CPAC The Washington Post, February 11, 2012
  24. ^ Callista Gingrich tests herself in public speaking role The Washington Post, February 14, 2012
  25. ^ Newt Gingrich courts Tennessee voters Politico, February 27, 2012
  26. ^ Callista Gingrich Rallies Newt's Supporters Patch.com, February 18, 2012
  27. ^ At Everett rally, Newt Gingrich says his energy policies would push gas down to $2.50 a gallon The Herald (Everett, Washington), February 25, 2012

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