A misty-eyed Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) spoke honestly about her grief during her first TV interview since the death of her husband, former Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), who was the longest serving member of Congress.
“Oh it’s hard, I’m not going to lie to you and I’m trying not to cry,” she told CNN’s Kate Bolduan on Tuesday. “He is the man that I love, we had a love affair that most people never had. … We were a team in every sense of the word. We’re still a team. I know his spirit is in me. I miss him. It’s really hard. I’m not going to lie, but I’m going to be honest about it. I think sometimes everybody tries to be tough and pretend everything’s okay. Everything isn’t okay. I have a new normal and I’m working into that new normal.”
Debbie Dingell gets honest in first interview since John's death: "I think sometimes everybody tries to be tough and pretend everything's okay. Everything isn't okay. I have a new normal and I'm working into that new normal." pic.twitter.com/SCdFxGMfOR
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) February 26, 2019
John Dingell died earlier this month at the age of 92, but maintained his quick wit, which he famously displayed on Twitter, up until the end.
The Lovely Deborah is insisting I rest and stay off here, but after long negotiations we've worked out a deal where she'll keep up with Twitter for me as I dictate the messages. I want to thank you all for your incredibly kind words and prayers. You're not done with me just yet.
— John Dingell (@JohnDingell) February 6, 2019