Posted on 09/22/2006 4:48:34 AM PDT by Molly Pitcher
A sure sign of a political movement's maturity is the discretion it shows in picking its leaders. Which is why gay groups could show how grown up they are by excommunicating James McGreevey.
McGreevey, you will recall, was the corrupt governor of New Jersey who was forced to resign when it was revealed that he had appointed Golan Cipel, a poet, to run his state's homeland security department in the hope that Cipel would become the governor's male concubine. McGreevey came out of the closet only after Cipel threatened to sue him for sexual harassment.
McGreevey denies accusations that he plied Cipel with Jagermeister shots and sexually assaulted him. He says it was a real "love affair" first consummated while McGreevey's wife was in the hospital recovering from her Caesarian section delivery of their daughter. Cipel says he and McGreevey never had sex.
Whatever the truth, it's clear that McGreevey only came out because the wheels were coming off his political career. He tried to leap to safety by grabbing on to the guardrail of identity politics, declaring with focus-group clarity: "My truth is that I am a gay American." That formulation - "my truth" - was exquisitely postmodern, implying that truth isn't something we can all lay claim to anymore. It must be personalized, relativized. It's all about me.
By buying into this secular gospel, McGreevey appears to think that he can be cleansed of his sins. But real redemption requires admitting your mistakes, not merely the prurient details. As the Philadelphia Inquirer's Monica Yant Kinney notes: "McGreevey didn't come clean. He just came out."
In his memoir, "The Confession," McGreevey offers any number of revelations, but they don't add up to a confession. "Some things I'd done, or allowed to be done in my name, were morally repugnant to me," he writes, presumably referring to the various aides, mentors and backers facing criminal charges or mired in scandal. But he dealt with that by "forgetting" or never allowing himself to know. "I had my people strike back-room deals I kept myself in the dark about or forced from my mind if I learned too much. Obviously this is one root of my memory problems."
Translation: "I feel so guilty about my corruption I can't remember it. But hey, would you like to hear about my gay trysts at truck stops? I remember those perfectly."
"I'd taken a million ethical shortcuts to climb the ladder," McGreevey admits, "all the time thinking that that was the only way to amass enough power to serve the collective good." Of course, his definition of the "collective good" was narrowly tailored. As a politician, he opposed gay marriage even though he claims he yearned for a healthy gay relationship. If I can't have one, no one can, seems to be the gist of his reasoning.
McGreevey says he didn't support gay marriage for the same reason he was a relentless womanizer: because he didn't want people to think he was gay. Considering how agonizing being in the closet is said to be, that's plausible. But this is McGreevey's answer for everything. He wants to use his seedy personal life as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Problem is, he wasn't just a sleazy man, he was also a very sleazy politician.
In 2004, 77 percent of New Jerseyans polled said McGreevey resigned because he's gay - and that's precisely the sort of damaging misinterpretation McGreevey perpetuates. "He wasn't a gay governor," state Sen. John Adler told Kinney. "He was a bad governor."
Some gay rights groups were initially eager to make McGreevey a homosexual hero-martyr. The Human Rights Campaign celebrated the "courage" of America's "first openly gay governor."
But they seem to be getting cold feet. He's not selling well. His appearance on "Oprah," intended as the first way station toward his beatification, received high ratings, but he generally got poor reviews. McGreevey is posing as a victim of something, but it's not clear what it is. He lives with an Australian tycoon in a lavish manse in New Jersey. He reportedly got half a million dollars to describe how he betrayed everyone he claimed to love in Penthouse Forum detail. He told Matt Lauer on "Today" that he behaved so badly partly because he had straight parents who couldn't teach him to be gay.
Perusing various gay blogs, one can find expressions of sympathy with the no-doubt real anguish of being in the closet. But as for McGreevey the man, there's mostly contempt or prurient fascination. What there isn't is a groundswell to make this guy a hero. Because he isn't one.
He is an amazing example of moral decay combined with a narcisistic pathology. Good thing that the pillars of morality in society (like Hannity) won't give him access to their audience the way that supreme opportunist Oprah did.
Whatever gave Jonah the idea that gay groups are mature. ANY gay groups?
he was on hannity. hannity gave him no quarter,
His interview with Hannity on the radio the other day, was pathetic. Had him/herself a regular little hissy-fit when Sean wanted to delve into the cheatin aspect of it, be it gay or straight.
McGreevy made it clear that this book is and it promotion are nothing more than a "Look at me! I'm Gay! It's ok to be Gay!" statement.
Considering how agonizing being in the closet is said to be....... McGreevey should be locked into one so we don't have to hear anymore of his disgusting deviant
lifestyle. I truly feel sorry for his exwives and children. I don't want to hear anymore of his sordid lifestyle. I just hope there no movie coming out next. Enough is enough.
He was on Larry King Live last night.
At one point they brought in his lover.
They effin kissed each other on the lips.
How many people can say they met the Governor of their State while taking a leak at an Interstate rest room, by letting him watch them pee through a peep hole.
I know he was on hannity....what do you call a ratings-whore who is also a 'great American'?
Imagine what this is doing to McGreevey's wife and kids. This is reminiscent of the gay Episcopal pastor (Robinson) who created deep rifts in his church for his own selfish gains.
Maturity is an understanding that it's "not all about you". Neither McGreevey or Robinson have reached that stage in life yet, despite their numerical ages.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
<< Whatever gave Jonah the idea that gay groups are mature. ANY gay groups? >>
Surely not his 'goy-ish' momma? :)
McGreevey fills his book with prurient and tawdry sexual details to distract the readers' attention from a number of interesting claims:
(1) That he had no specific knowledge of the bribes he was paid by various individuals and companies for political favors, that his aides committed these crimes without his direction and that he only passively acquiesced in them after the fact.
This from a man who was known as a micromanager who kept all his employees on a short leash.
(2) That he did not have a physical relationship with Cipel until after he had named Cipel as his director for Homeland Security.
In other words, he is claiming that he appointed Cipel purely on the merits, believing that Cipel was fully qualified for the post.
Another outrageous claim.
This "confession" abdicates all responsibility for criminal malfeasance.
The facts remain: in his sheer greed he sold the power of his office to the highest bidder and in order to satisfy his sexual appetites he deliberately compromised the security of New Jersey.
He now lives in a palatial home on an enormous plot in Plainfield, NJ. A home that is clearly worth millions.
He took bribes, got away with it and is now enjoying his ill-gotten largesse while Oprah Winfrey, New York magazine and a variety of other media outlets are rehabilitating him for a new career.
Disgusting.
No different than the UN giving Chavez and Imadamnutjob a free podium.
You are KIDDING?? They KISSED on the lips???/ WOW!! That is 4 more points for Bush!!
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