Since I'm the resident Jersey boy in ASZ's stable, I suppose it's my duty to write a little blurb about today's resignation by Governor Jim McGreevey. In case you've been living in a cave, here's a link to the news story.
If you don't want to be troubled with clicking over to the news story, here's the Cliff Notes: Gov. McGreevey is a married man, with a couple of young children. He's gay (it's been rumored for years, but he just acknowledged it today). A year or so ago, he hired his gay lover, an Israeli, as New Jersey's homeland security director. Now, the guy is apparently ready to file a sexual harrasment suit, and McGreevey was left with no choice but to lay his soul bare in public today, come out of the closet, and resign his Governorship (effective Nov. 15).
There's a whole lot more to this story, but you now know the basics.
My commentary: anyone who knows Jim McGreevey knows he's a fighter. On the whole, he's been a fairly good governor, and seems like a decent sort of guy. Certainly, he was a quantum improvement over Stepford Governor Christie Todd Whitman (since deposed in disgrace as head of Bush's EPA). So, you know there had to be a lot going on behind the scenes, and someone made some serious threats.
I feel sorry for the guv. I'd say I feel sorry for his wife, but you could tell at the news conference that this wasn't news to her. My only immediate reaction about this whole thing is that his resignation should be effective immediately. I know, I know, the legal / political bullshit. After Nov. 15, no special election, and the Senate Majority Leader (a democrat) takes the helm until regular elections in 2006.
Sorry, folks, I'm not thinking that far ahead. This needs to get off the front page after the requisite week's worth of tut-tutting. Whether a special election results in a GOP governor for NJ or not is completely moot.
Frankly, I don't care that he's gay. If his wife was not aware that he was gay (which I seriously doubt), then I feel badly that she had to find out about it in this manner. His children are still his children, and will love him regardless of whatever comes in the future.
My concern is the national perspective. The longer that D E M O C R A T Jim McGreevey's name remains on the marquee in New Jersey, the longer the time that the RNC is afforded to paint the entire Democratic Party with the brush that McGreevey handed them. You know the brush I'm talking about. We're all a bunch of homo-loving, pot smoking, abortionist-pacifist-yellowbellies of the communist persuasion. And Jim McGreevey becomes GOP Exhibit A.
Damn. Look, I love you Jimmy, but you've gotta head out the side door of Drumthwacket as quietly as possible. Leave the key under the door mat. We can discuss details later.
[Start tin foil communique:: Israeli lover. Mossad. Sharon plant. BushCo was set to detonate the gay bomb on a Democratic governor in a state with 15 electoral votes that's leaning, but not commited, to Kerry. McGreevey decided to make it a controlled explosion. ::End tin foil communique.]
