When you read as much news as I do, you quickly have to institute your own filtering devices to set aside the stuff that isn’t interesting or relevant. Generally speaking, I ignore the politics of states where I don’t live, haven’t lived and never expect to live, with exceptions made for good stories, amusing characters and whoppin good yarns (hello, Texas!).
So I don’t really know what to think of the governor of New Jersey declaring himself a poofter, other than a few general impressions, among them:
1) While I’m pleased he came out, even just a few steps ahead of a process server, I’m never fooled by these guys who claim to have just, oops, “discovered” they’re gay. I guess all people are different, but gentlemen, please. Give us some credit.
2) I’m really glad I’m not his wife, but I guess that’s a rock/hard place situation for anyone. You have to sit there and look supportive. Think of Mrs. Kobe; at least she got a big rock on her finger for that duty. All Mrs. New Jersey will get is a divorce settlement that will leave her feeling like the world’s biggest fool.
Or maybe not: As I’ve said approximately a million times, the only people qualified to judge a marriage are the people in it, and sometimes not even them. Mine’s fine, but maybe tomorrow it won’t be. It happens.
OK, then.
Bloggage: Jon Carroll got linked to by Romenesko for today’s column, which if you read it you’ll see is filled with nostalgia for a certain journalistic good old days. But I liked its conclusion:
This wallow in nostalgia was fun, but I do have an actual point to make: If you get a chance to be where stuff seems to be happening, take it. Someone told me last night that Berlin is the new Paris; go to Berlin. Go to Shanghai. Collect a whole lot of memories — you can’t sell them on EBay, but they do sustain you through the harder times to come.
And it doesn’t matter how old you are. Adventure is an equal-opportunity employer. Bangalore is waiting for you, brothers and sisters. Or, of course, you can stay here, because we, too, walk among giants; you have only to open your eyes.
True. Latuh.
Bob said on August 13, 2004 at 10:41 am
First off, let me acknowledge that seldom watch television and I almost never listen to commercial radio. I listen to NPR and read newspapers.
In the clip I heard, the governor expressed regret at having been unfaithful to his wife and seemed not to think that being gay was such a big deal. I go along with that perspective.
When the commentators got hold of it, though, even the ones on NPR, their interpretation seemed to be that it was the revelation of his sexual orientation that caused him to resign. That wasn’t what I heard, at all.
Then again, maybe there was behind-the-scenes pressure from the party at the national level, wary of any impact a state scandal might have on the campaign and election.
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Mary said on August 13, 2004 at 12:49 pm
Bob
I heard the same thing. I get the impression that being gay is not the problem, the affair was the problem. I guess the man he had the affair with was demanding hush money and the governor decided to go public before he did. The governor won’t be leaving office until November 15, after the general election. I’m sure there will be some interesting wrangling going on among politicians until then.
Mary
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Bob said on August 13, 2004 at 4:59 pm
The governor apparently lived in a closet for quite a while, but he’s not the first public figure to have done that. I think it’s to his credit that when faced with blackmail, he took the high road and went public instead of paying off. So far as that part of his character is concerned, I think he’s still a good candidate for public service, once he’s dealt with the family issues. I don’t know if there’s any merit about the improper fund-raising allegations in the past. That’s a whole ‘nother area.
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jcburns said on August 15, 2004 at 11:51 am
Jeez, Carroll misspelled design god Milton Glaser’s name in that otherwise fun column. Don’t worry, though, I corrected him. I’m becoming my mother, the sender of fiesty emails, correcting and upbraiding, to various media outlets.
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deb said on August 15, 2004 at 3:12 pm
well, john, you’ve got your work cut out for you. if i read another book with “flair” spelled “flare,” and vice versa, i’m gonna scream. (source: “cold tea on a hot day.” it’s my own damn fault, reading romance fiction pressed on me by a friend with otherwise impeccable taste.)
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