The bible says in 1Corinthians 13th chapter, that loves covers a multitude of sins. I'm not sure if habitually cheating on me would be covered under the multitude. Carlita, you have my sympathies and my respect.
Therefore with no further ado Carlita Kilpatrick, First Lady of Detroit-I'm giving you your props:
Carlita Kilpatrick-YOU ARE
Kilpatrick Apologizes, Won't Quit
source, watch video
DETROIT (AP) — A humble and emotional Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded for the forgiveness of city residents and family members during a prime-time televised speech Wednesday that ended a week of seclusion for the one-time "Hip-Hop Mayor," whose racy text messages to a top aide recently came to light and threaten his political future.
"I truly apologize to you," Kilpatrick said, turning to his wife, Carlita, who sat by her husband's side, holding his hand, at their family church.
He vowed to remain mayor. A prosecutor is investigating whether Kilpatrick and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied under oath during a whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship.
"I remain in charge of the city," he said during the speech delivered in front of a lone TV camera from Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ. There was no audience and no reporters or photographers, save for the one video camera.
Carlita Kilpatrick also spoke, describing the pain her husband had caused, but urging the city to remain committed to him.
"I am angry, I am hurt and I am disappointed," she said. "But there is no question I love my husband."
Kilpatrick, 37, is in his second term and could run again next year. He had been in seclusion since a Detroit Free Press report last week of sexually explicit text messages from 2002 and 2003 found on Beatty's city-issued pager.
The mayor's only public response had been a written statement a week ago.
But on Wednesday night, he and his wife broke their silence during the 10-minute TV appearance designed to salvage his career and reputation.
He asked that his family be left alone.
"I am the mayor. I made the mistake," Kilpatrick said, looking into the camera. "I am accountable."
TEXT OF SPEECH:
KWAME KILPATRICK:
Good evening, Detroit. I want to start tonight by saying to the citizens of this great city, I'm sorry.
To all of you who have believed in what we've been doing here since 2002, to all of you who have believed in me and my leadership, to all of you who have stuck with me through very difficult times, to all of you who've prayed for me, I'm sorry.
For the embarrassment and disappointment the events of the past few days have caused you; for what you, as my supporters, many of you, have had to hear as you traveled around the city to beauty shops and barber shops; for what you had to hear when you were in church this past city from people who know that you have supported me; to those of you who have not always been Kwame Kilpatrick supporters but who lift up our city, who live in our city, who support this town in various ways, I truly apologize to each and every one of you individually and to the whole city.
Most of all tonight, I want to make a public apology to my entire family, and specifically to the four people who I love the most in the world. First, I want to apologize to my sons, Jalil and Jelani and son Jonas. For the first time in my life, I had to have a conversation with my 12-year-old twin sons about very grown-up things. It was without a doubt the hardest conversation that I've ever had in my entire life.
Finally, and most important, I want to make a public apology to my wife Carlita, who I fell in love with when I was 19 years old. We decided to build a family together, and we did that. Our marriage has not been perfect, but it has been great. Now I put her in a situation which many couples deal with in the privacy of their own homes. But in our case, it's on the front page of the newspaper.
This dynamic, strong, caring woman has been forced to go through this very difficult experience because of me. I truly apologize to you.
As many of you know, I am not the type of person who displays his emotions in public. But I have to tell you I've felt more emotion in the last week than I have in the last 20 years. I've been truly hurting. I've been hurting because I know that many of you are hurting. And most of all, I've been hurting because I know my family is hurting. And I'm responsible for that.
Over the past few days, there has been some speculation about who is in charge of the city. Make no mistake about it. Since 2002, I have been in charge of the city.
There have been ups and downs, there have been hills and mountains and valleys, but through it all, I remained in charge of the city. I believe we built a team here that understands the mission and focus and the commitment that we must have to serve our citizens. We've done some amazing things, but we have a lot of work left to do.
Over the past few days, there has also been a lot of speculation about me resigning from office. Let me be clear tonight, I would never quit on you, ever. We got a lot of work to do, and with your help I'm going to continue to lead this city in getting the work done.
I am truly blessed and grateful that my wife is beside me tonight. She has some personal remarks of her own to make.
___
CARLITA KILPATRICK:
It is very difficult for me to talk to you at this moment, but I want to let you know what is on my heart tonight.
Like all marriages, ours is not perfect. Like all people, we are not perfect, but through our commitment to God and each other, my husband and I will get through this. Yes, I am angry, I am hurt, and I am disappointed. But there is no question that I love my husband. With the help of our pastor and others, we have been having very difficult, very frank discussions to work through some very painful issues.
Most couples who work through problems in their marriage are able to do so privately. Unfortunately, that option is not available to us. Our family has endured the most painful and intrusive week of our lives. Our most intimate issues have been laid out for all to see, for all to comment on, for all to dissect and analyze. However, this private matter is between me, my husband and God.
We are deeply committed to working through these issues together as a family. As his wife, I know how committed my husband is to the city of Detroit. I am asking the citizens of this city to be committed to him, and our family, and to the continued growth of our city.
Allow our family the space and the privacy that is essential to anyone when they work through these very personal issues. Lastly, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all of your prayers and your uplifting words. Thank you.
___
KWAME KILPATRICK:
This has been a very difficult time for my wife and my family. I would ask from this point forward that if you have to attack someone, attack me. I would ask that you don't follow my wife, you don't film my kids going to school. I ask you not to have helicopters flying around our home. I ask that you leave them alone.
I am the mayor, I made the mistake, I am accountable.
Because there are legal matters pending at this moment, unfortunately, I am unable to discuss any of those issues at this time. But I do have some personal words I want to share with you tonight.
Over the past week, our marriage has been opened up for public view. This has been a situation where, yes, it's been embarrassing, yes, it's been painful, but through all of that, through the grace of God, we've also had a feeling of thankfulness and freedom.
We have committed to moving forward together, to make our marriage better and stronger. Last week was the first weekend since I took office in January 2002 that I just put everything aside and focused only on my family.
I know people have been wanting to hear from me, but I needed to do that first. I want to thank the people of Detroit for their patience in allowing us to have that time. We as a family needed to do that. I told my sons this past weekend that when you make a mistake, you learn from it, you get up, you dust yourself off, and you keep moving forward.
Detroit, I am determined that we will keep moving forward. I am determined to continue the tremendous progress we are making in this city.
In the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, Detroit together, we have managed to do great things. We have paved more streets than ever, we have built more new houses than ever. We have balanced our budget and wiped out a $300 million dollar deficit.
We have developed 75 buildings downtown, large and small, we have built seven new hotels, we have built three new rec centers in neighborhoods that have not seen rec centers in 20 years. We are building out our riverfront, and we are not stopping now.
Detroit, please continue to pray for our family, for our city and for our continued progress.
God bless you, Detroit. I love you, and I'll see you at work tomorrow.
source
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DETROIT (AP) — A humble and emotional Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded for the forgiveness of city residents and family members during a prime-time televised speech Wednesday that ended a week of seclusion for the one-time "Hip-Hop Mayor," whose racy text messages to a top aide recently came to light and threaten his political future.
"I truly apologize to you," Kilpatrick said, turning to his wife, Carlita, who sat by her husband's side, holding his hand, at their family church.
He vowed to remain mayor. A prosecutor is investigating whether Kilpatrick and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied under oath during a whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship.
"I remain in charge of the city," he said during the speech delivered in front of a lone TV camera from Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ. There was no audience and no reporters or photographers, save for the one video camera.
Carlita Kilpatrick also spoke, describing the pain her husband had caused, but urging the city to remain committed to him.
"I am angry, I am hurt and I am disappointed," she said. "But there is no question I love my husband."
Kilpatrick, 37, is in his second term and could run again next year. He had been in seclusion since a Detroit Free Press report last week of sexually explicit text messages from 2002 and 2003 found on Beatty's city-issued pager.
The mayor's only public response had been a written statement a week ago.
But on Wednesday night, he and his wife broke their silence during the 10-minute TV appearance designed to salvage his career and reputation.
He asked that his family be left alone.
"I am the mayor. I made the mistake," Kilpatrick said, looking into the camera. "I am accountable."
TEXT OF SPEECH:
KWAME KILPATRICK:
Good evening, Detroit. I want to start tonight by saying to the citizens of this great city, I'm sorry.
To all of you who have believed in what we've been doing here since 2002, to all of you who have believed in me and my leadership, to all of you who have stuck with me through very difficult times, to all of you who've prayed for me, I'm sorry.
For the embarrassment and disappointment the events of the past few days have caused you; for what you, as my supporters, many of you, have had to hear as you traveled around the city to beauty shops and barber shops; for what you had to hear when you were in church this past city from people who know that you have supported me; to those of you who have not always been Kwame Kilpatrick supporters but who lift up our city, who live in our city, who support this town in various ways, I truly apologize to each and every one of you individually and to the whole city.
Most of all tonight, I want to make a public apology to my entire family, and specifically to the four people who I love the most in the world. First, I want to apologize to my sons, Jalil and Jelani and son Jonas. For the first time in my life, I had to have a conversation with my 12-year-old twin sons about very grown-up things. It was without a doubt the hardest conversation that I've ever had in my entire life.
Finally, and most important, I want to make a public apology to my wife Carlita, who I fell in love with when I was 19 years old. We decided to build a family together, and we did that. Our marriage has not been perfect, but it has been great. Now I put her in a situation which many couples deal with in the privacy of their own homes. But in our case, it's on the front page of the newspaper.
This dynamic, strong, caring woman has been forced to go through this very difficult experience because of me. I truly apologize to you.
As many of you know, I am not the type of person who displays his emotions in public. But I have to tell you I've felt more emotion in the last week than I have in the last 20 years. I've been truly hurting. I've been hurting because I know that many of you are hurting. And most of all, I've been hurting because I know my family is hurting. And I'm responsible for that.
Over the past few days, there has been some speculation about who is in charge of the city. Make no mistake about it. Since 2002, I have been in charge of the city.
There have been ups and downs, there have been hills and mountains and valleys, but through it all, I remained in charge of the city. I believe we built a team here that understands the mission and focus and the commitment that we must have to serve our citizens. We've done some amazing things, but we have a lot of work left to do.
Over the past few days, there has also been a lot of speculation about me resigning from office. Let me be clear tonight, I would never quit on you, ever. We got a lot of work to do, and with your help I'm going to continue to lead this city in getting the work done.
I am truly blessed and grateful that my wife is beside me tonight. She has some personal remarks of her own to make.
___
CARLITA KILPATRICK:
It is very difficult for me to talk to you at this moment, but I want to let you know what is on my heart tonight.
Like all marriages, ours is not perfect. Like all people, we are not perfect, but through our commitment to God and each other, my husband and I will get through this. Yes, I am angry, I am hurt, and I am disappointed. But there is no question that I love my husband. With the help of our pastor and others, we have been having very difficult, very frank discussions to work through some very painful issues.
Most couples who work through problems in their marriage are able to do so privately. Unfortunately, that option is not available to us. Our family has endured the most painful and intrusive week of our lives. Our most intimate issues have been laid out for all to see, for all to comment on, for all to dissect and analyze. However, this private matter is between me, my husband and God.
We are deeply committed to working through these issues together as a family. As his wife, I know how committed my husband is to the city of Detroit. I am asking the citizens of this city to be committed to him, and our family, and to the continued growth of our city.
Allow our family the space and the privacy that is essential to anyone when they work through these very personal issues. Lastly, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all of your prayers and your uplifting words. Thank you.
___
KWAME KILPATRICK:
This has been a very difficult time for my wife and my family. I would ask from this point forward that if you have to attack someone, attack me. I would ask that you don't follow my wife, you don't film my kids going to school. I ask you not to have helicopters flying around our home. I ask that you leave them alone.
I am the mayor, I made the mistake, I am accountable.
Because there are legal matters pending at this moment, unfortunately, I am unable to discuss any of those issues at this time. But I do have some personal words I want to share with you tonight.
Over the past week, our marriage has been opened up for public view. This has been a situation where, yes, it's been embarrassing, yes, it's been painful, but through all of that, through the grace of God, we've also had a feeling of thankfulness and freedom.
We have committed to moving forward together, to make our marriage better and stronger. Last week was the first weekend since I took office in January 2002 that I just put everything aside and focused only on my family.
I know people have been wanting to hear from me, but I needed to do that first. I want to thank the people of Detroit for their patience in allowing us to have that time. We as a family needed to do that. I told my sons this past weekend that when you make a mistake, you learn from it, you get up, you dust yourself off, and you keep moving forward.
Detroit, I am determined that we will keep moving forward. I am determined to continue the tremendous progress we are making in this city.
In the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, Detroit together, we have managed to do great things. We have paved more streets than ever, we have built more new houses than ever. We have balanced our budget and wiped out a $300 million dollar deficit.
We have developed 75 buildings downtown, large and small, we have built seven new hotels, we have built three new rec centers in neighborhoods that have not seen rec centers in 20 years. We are building out our riverfront, and we are not stopping now.
Detroit, please continue to pray for our family, for our city and for our continued progress.
God bless you, Detroit. I love you, and I'll see you at work tomorrow.
source
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