McGreevey

I didn't want the week to go by without commenting on the resignation of New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, who came out as "a gay American" during his emotional press conference. I agree that it's a shame that the first gay governor in this country had to resign, at least in part, because of his sexuality. And if you don't think his outing was part of the resignation, look at Bill Clinton, who engaged in an adulterous affair and had a sexual harrassment lawsuit slapped against him (which is also a factor in the McGreevey case). However, that does not exonerate McGreevey for his apparent wrongdoing. I don't just mean adultery here, which is so prevalent in our society as to almost be amended from the Ten Commendments (or at least enhanced with an asterisk). I mean putting an inexperienced lover on the state payroll, and as a Homeland Security advisor, no less. That's wrong whether a man does it for a woman or another man. It's another example of a powerful individual using his power to advance his own motives at the expense of everybody else. I agree with Atrios (link's over on the right) that it's a tragedy that McGreevey felt (justifiably) that he had to closet himself in order to seek power in politics. But that doesn't excuse his behavior.

Not to mention the firestorm of criticism McGreevey was taking for accepting money and having corrupt staffers, all of which is par for the course in New Jersey politics. I say this as someone who's worked in the state, and lived 10 minutes from Trenton for the early part of my life. There was always another scandal, another example of mudslinging and dirty play, and this was on the Democrat and Republican side. It can be argued that McGreevey's decision not to resign until after the general election is another example, and the New Jersey GOP's criticism of this decision is hard to dispute. While McGreevey's coming out was the right thing to do (although it took him 47 years to do it), it undoubtedly had a political cast, a means of self-innoculation from the other charges, a misdirection attempt to cast himself as some sort of martyr. The criminal proceedings should be judged on their merits anyway, and any Democrat who denies this is a little too partisan, even for my blood.