In what may be the most shocking political moment of the decade (and there have been many), New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey announced today that he is gay, and that he is resigning effective in November. Jeff Jarvis, of course, couldn’t resist calling this the political version of the ‘Vito Surprise’ on “The Sopranos.”
As I’ve mentioned before, I worked on McGreevey’s election campaign in 2001; I never met him but did talk to him on the phone once, and never heard any gay rumors before today. I’m guessing those burly, tough Irish guys who made up much of the staff all of sudden don’t like him so much anymore.
Sure, it was wrong for McGreevey to be dishonest for all this time, to both voters and to his own wife- and since a former employee (who may or may not be the same man who was his lover) is allegedly suing him, perhaps he did indeed do something wrong. But I find it in a way admirable that he was able to stand up, tell the truth, and not blame anything on his political opponents.
Is this big enough news to get Sullivan out of the hammock? Not yet, apparently.
At any rate, apparently New Jersey can’t handle the strain of my no longer living there. I’m gone ten days, and the whole government collapses.
Posted by Stephen Silver at August 12, 2004 06:30 PM