Posted on 08/17/2004 5:10:58 PM PDT by wagglebee
New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey's outrageous attempt to win sympathy as a confused "gay American" instead of admitting he is a corrupt American will hurt John Kerry and help President Bush, suggests Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
"The governor wrapped himself in the rainbow flag of gay rights to cover up some most unappealing warts. First, his administration has been surrounded by the stench of corruption almost from the beginning – and there is certainly more to come," Sabato writes in his popular e-mail newsletter, Crystal Ball.
"Second, the people of New Jersey seemed to smell a rat virtually from the beginning of his term; McGreevey has been consistently unpopular, so low in the polls that few would have bet that he would even have been nominated by the Democrats for a second term.
"Third and most important, McGreevey has led a governorship of personal sleaze. He has intentionally used two older women – his wives – and two younger women (his daughters) as props to cover up his double life. (Thanks to our correspondent Steve Wells, we were reminded of the ironic New Jersey tourism ads from the past two summers, with McGreevey holding his current wife and their daughter at the Jersey shore, while exclaiming, 'COME OUT – and see what's new in New Jersey.' Folks, you just can't make this stuff up.) As the truth unfolds, it will be abundantly clear that McGreevey's homosexuality was no recent revelation to him, but rather has been his norm in a long political career that could fairly be described as one long deception of the public for his own personal gain. Some details, if revealed, are sure to shock even the cynical among us," Sabato writes.
"McGreevey's corruption, deception, and sleaze are well illustrated in his outrageous decision to appoint his male lover, an Israeli citizen, to a critical, intelligence-sensitive, and extremely well-paid post in homeland security. The taxpayers funded his extramarital relationship – not unlike the infamous 1970s case of Congressman Wayne Hays of Ohio, who put his mistress, Elizabeth Ray, on his payroll as a secretary despite the fact that, as she later revealed, she could not type. (A powerful committee chairman, Hays was forced out of his chairmanship and eventually Congress as a result.)"
Even the people of New Jersey are realizing that the guv has been forced out because of his corruption, not his sexuality.
Sabato doubts if the laughably corrupt Democrat-daffy land of Robert Torricelli will vote for Bush instead of Kerry, "but the Republicans can squeeze some advantage out of the messy McGreevey matter in some of the key battleground states."
Democrats are so terrified of same-sex marriage, a ballot issue on 11 states in November, that in the battleground of Missouri they finagled to move up that question to the August primary to avoid damaging Kerry. Seventy-one percent of voters in the Show Me State supported the proposed constitutional amendment.
The 11 states holding referenda in November include closely fought Ohio (normally a GOP state, but unpopular tax-crazed Gov. Bob Taft has damaged Bush), Arkansas, Louisiana and Oregon.
"We'll bet the referenda pass everywhere, even in liberal states, and by large margins in most places. This helps George W. Bush," Sabato says.
He concludes: "The Crystal Ball's Assessment: Unintentionally, Jim McGreevey's scandal has helped to raise the prominence of gay rights on the Campaign 2004 agenda across the nation. McGreevey has instantaneously become a well recognized albatross for the Democratic Party and John Kerry, and thus a plus for George W. Bush – playing into the ballot initiatives on gay marriage in crucial swing states. Oddly, then, McGreevey's coming-out is proving to be a come-down for John Kerry."
Like how they claw to power and arrogantly hang on when caught red-handed? Yep. This brings back all the nastiness of Monica, but Clinton will be re-evaluated from these eyes - not the media spin of impeachment when it was fresh.
Cipel's lawyer on CNN now - insists "there are witnesses".
we are all wondering what that means, how could that be.
my prediction - group sex.
I'm sure McGreevey would give his left n*t for a "Monica", at least she kept her mouth shut until BJ figured out a way to spin the story and shore up his power base.
EEEuuuuew!
Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd see in this story.
"There are witnesses!"
It should not take McGreevy long to get out of the Statehouse, I hear he already has his sh#t packed.
NJ Patriot
Oh yes, another Dem outsourcing jobs.
Larry Sabato? This guy flip-flopped faster than Kerry! Just last week he predicted a Kerry win! Now he says its Bush's race to lose. This "expert" is all over the place! (laughing)
YES, YES, YES! Does Sabato have a crystal ball or was it cloudy last week? (laughing)
See #5
Don't be silly, his poll numbers have risen since he took the stage. NJ is a snapshot of everything that is wrong with people these days
McGreevey's poll numbers have gone up, Kerry's haven't. There is a reason all of the 'Rats are so eager to have him out immediately.
Ya know..his hair is better than hers..we shold have known..
LOL...actually, he had a biography coming out next yea..the title's being changed as we speak....."How McGreevey got his groove back"
And now Kerry wants to McGreevyize America.
Much of the dirt that can come out on McGreevey, are chips in the game that his closest friends and closest enemies have been holding near to the heart, the situation is fluid, all that's known is the existence of these wildcards.
Bad rumors of McGreevey cruising, a list of previous lovers, and an ex chaffeur, all rumors without any confirmation yet.
The Woodbridge crew rose together, when Omerta is broken the secrets will flow in torrents. They don't want to have to break the silence and move into political survival of the fittest mode. They can look upon the Torch and see what life holds for them after the Fall.
This is a decent Limbacher article. From inside NJ, people are not real interested in the national political implications yet, I don't think 1 in 40 Jerseyites know there are 11 states with gay marriage ban referendums this election. If Kerry's team does and this notion takes hold, watch McGreevey get national pressure from Kerry supporters to step down early. It's all too fluid and hidden yet.
What? Did he start talking about SKerry in mid-sentence?
Woodbridge -- I think that's the town where my father worked for years at the old Curtis-Wright defense plant. Am I right the plant is or was there?
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