Gay Democratic New Jersey Governor Resigns

[Waluigi]

link (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/12/mcgreevey.nj/index.html)

My truth is that I am a gay American

--Waluigi

[rainman::|:|]

Yeah, uh, wow. Didn't expect this. Something about corruption and blackmail, maybe, but not gay...

Initial thoughts: Wow, this makes gay people look bad, on a particularly hurtful day (the SF gay marriages being voided). Interesting that his wife was by his side. Wonder if she's his fag hag now.

It was really nice of him to resign and all, since he had an affair, but I firmly believe a politician's personal life should not impact his professional career. However, if he would have tried to remain in power, he would have been ripped to shreds (and then some).

So, we have America's first openly gay governor, tho he will only be governor for another couple of months... I think it's very sad for him and his family that it took this long for him to come to terms with himself. I feel that way about all gay people who initially formed heterosexual couplings. And their families.

paul

[Leo Hubbard]

The way I understand it, that instead of resigning now which under New Jersey Law means they will vote on a replacement this November. He is going to wait till he is within 60 days, which means the people of New Jersey won't have a choice who their next governor is.

[radhak]

Wow! Hollywood in real life : top politician with a skeleton, a blatant gimme-money blackmail, a face-saving public announcement...

I always thought he was better than many others; at least he has proved (if anybody needed proof) that sexual orientation does not define good/bad showing in top level administration.

btw, should not the blackmailer be under arrest now, blackmail being a crime?

[IJ Reilly]

So, will Arnold be next, if he ever admits that he groped a lot of women who are not his wife?

[Leo Hubbard]

So, will Arnold be next, if he ever admits that he groped a lot of women who are not his wife?
The guy is resigning voluntarily, not being force out, so they say.
I personal don't think that having an affair is necessarily a good reason to force a person to resign. I also don't think that hiding the fact that you are gay or simply being gay is a reason to force a person to resign. I think he has announced his future resignation because of a sexual harassment lawsuit against him by a male aid.

The way I understand it though, is that nobody at this time is forcing him out other than himself.

[jsw]

I think it's very unfortunate that the personal details of someone's life - details which in no way affect their ability to perform their jobs - are held against them. I don't care what people do with their private time, assuming it isn't abusive or illegal (and, no, I don't consider consenting sexual acts of any sort as belonging in that category). I'm appalled by the reality that the public seems to think it's their business.

If someone is piloting an aircraft I'm in, if they're arriving to help when my house is burning down, if they're governing a state, whatever - all I care about is how they do their jobs. In fact, that's true of any other profession - except those that attempt to tell others how to live, like TV evangelists. Those people, I expect to live up to their own standards.

[stoid]

I think it's very unfortunate that the personal details of someone's life - details which in no way affect their ability to perform their jobs - are held against them. I don't care what people do with their private time, assuming it isn't abusive or illegal (and, no, I don't consider consenting sexual acts of any sort as belonging in that category). I'm appalled by the reality that the public seems to think it's their business.

If someone is piloting an aircraft I'm in, if they're arriving to help when my house is burning down, if they're governing a state, whatever - all I care about is how they do their jobs. In fact, that's true of any other profession - except those that attempt to tell others how to live, like TV evangelists. Those people, I expect to live up to their own standards.

It was affecting how he did his job. He's being sued for sexual harassment by a male staff member. He brought his private life into the public realm and is paying the consequences for his actions. This has little or nothing to do with his sexual orientation.

[Phobophobia]

The biggest gay bashers are often the most gay. :)

[skunk]

He is resigning because he was corrupt and he got caught.
Well, I suppose that's something: it would be good if it became a normal thing to do among politicians.

[SuperChuck]

Well, I suppose that's something: it would be good if it became a normal thing to do among politicians.

Yes, but what would America do if the entire Executive Branch resigned, along with half the Congress?

Wait a sec...I see your point. :p

[pseudobrit]

Well, I suppose that's something: it would be good if it became a normal thing to do among politicians.

I'm waiting for Bush to tender his "I'm gay!" resignation.

Watching the desperate conservative backspin vacuum would be hilarious.

[Sneeper]

I'm waiting for Bush to tender his "I'm gay!" resignation.

Watching the desperate conservative backspin vacuum would be hilarious.

That would be deliciously funny, but I don't think a gay man could be as stupid as he seems.

[Thomas Veil]

I'm waiting for Bush to tender his "I'm gay!" resignation.

Watching the desperate conservative backspin vacuum would be hilarious.
"It's all Clinton's fault!!!" :D

[Leo Hubbard]

Reading Drudge it seems the aid claims that even though he is straight, the Governor kept making sexual advances. I would not at all be surprised that the aid discovered the Governor was gay, and his own homophobia stretch truth a bit. A touch on the shoulder, because he's gay, must mean he wants me. Stuff like that. He quit to get away from it, but his anger stayed with him, and tried to blackmail the Governor. The Governor did the only honorable thing left he could do, and had a news conference. Are you sure he aint a Republican? :confused:

I can also see how staying on after the announcement was a means to try to not hurt his own party with his own problems. Quitting now would almost guarantee a Republican take his place due to voters sympathies in his state. Still it would be more honorable to quit now, and let the voters have their say. I know, he is in a tough place.

[Sneeper]

I can also see how staying on after the announcement was a means to try to not hurt his own party with his own problems. Quitting now would almost guarantee a Republican take his place due to voters sympathies in his state. Still it would be more honorable to quit now, and let the voters have their say. I know, he is in a tough place.

Staying on? I thought he announced his resignation. Aren't they electing a new governor in November now?

[Leo Hubbard]

Staying on? I thought he announced his resignation. Aren't they electing a new governor in November now?
No, he announced now so he could get it out before the press heard it from the guy who is sueing him. But he doesn't plan on leaving until he is within the 60 day limit which New Jersey law means the voters in New Jersey will have to wait an additional 2 years before they can elect a new governor and get stuck with the Lt. Governor for the duration. I believe it is now 80 days prior to the election which means if he actually got out now the voters could select their next governor but he isn't giving them that option, and is letting it drag out instead to insure a Democrat keeps the office for at least another 2 years.

[MacCoaster]

...but he isn't giving them that option, and is letting it drag out instead to insure a Democrat keeps the office for at least another 2 years.
As if a Republican wouldn't do that either. :rolleyes:

[Leo Hubbard]

Originally Posted by Leo Hubbard
...but he isn't giving them that option, and is letting it drag out instead to insure a Democrat keeps the office for at least another 2 years.

As if a Republican wouldn't do that either. :rolleyes:
Post #16

I can also see how staying on after the announcement was a means to try to not hurt his own party with his own problems. Quitting now would almost guarantee a Republican take his place due to voters sympathies in his state. Still it would be more honorable to quit now, and let the voters have their say. I know, he is in a tough place.

[MacCoaster]

Post #16
You're just repeating what you said. I'm not contesting that the NJ governor wanted to insure a democrat would stay in, but my point was a Republican would do the same, given a similar situation. These days many people don't really care about the candidate, just with which party he or she is affiliated.

How can you be so sure if he allowed an election, a Republican would win? You don't know for sure until the election takes place. Too bad it won't.

[Sneeper]

I wonder what he'll do with his life now. Do you think he'll stay in politics?

[MacCoaster]

I wonder what he'll do with his life now. Do you think he'll stay in politics?
I don't think he should because of his bad political ethics. But that's just me.

[themadchemist]

It more than that, he gave the state's fifth highest paying job to his lover. (Over more qualified people who had already accepted the job.) Link (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1092389750243270.xml) I think he is using the coming out of the closet to keep the people from not focusing on the real issue. He is resigning because he was corrupt and he got caught. If I was gay I would be pissed at him using the fact that he is gay as a diversionary tactic. If his lover was a woman, and he had given her the same jobs, and he was about to be found out, he would have resigned just the same.

I completely agree. This is just a smoke screen for the truly sordid details of a political, as opposed to personal, affair.

[themadchemist]

You're just repeating what you said. I'm not contesting that the NJ governor wanted to insure a democrat would stay in, but my point was a Republican would do the same, given a similar situation. These days many people don't really care about the candidate, just with which party he or she is affiliated.

How can you be so sure if he allowed an election, a Republican would win? You don't know for sure until the election takes place. Too bad it won't.

I don't do this often, but I'm going to defend Leo here. He said that the governor was "trying not to hurt his own party with his own problems." I think a reasonable interpretation is that no matter the party, the individual is trying to preserve his party in the wake of a personal controversy. Moreover, Leo admitted that the governor was in a tough spot, a far cry from saying, "A Republican wouldn't do this."

If the corruption allegations are true, then I do find the governor's actions to be quite reprehensible and definitely worthy of the end of a political career. It would probably be more democratically sound to let the voters make their judgment on the administration in November, but it is clearly more Democratically sound to protect party interests. The same could be said of the Republicans were they in this situation.

[IJ Reilly]

Anybody here from New Jersey? I don't live there anymore, but I did grow up in the state, and one thing I know is, New Jersey has (or had) more political corruption per square inch than any state in the Union (with the possible exception of Louisiana). But I'd also be willing to bet that no matter how bad McGreevy is, he's probably a Boy Scout compared to many past New Jersey politicians. I'd also wager that a lot of long-time Jerseyites are rolling their eyes right now, and asking themselves, "where was all this concern about corruption 30 years ago, when the political machines routinely looted public funds and stole elections?"

[mactastic]

McGreevey's approval rating has apparently not suffered, a new poll showed Sunday. The governor's approval rating was 45 percent, 2 points higher than in a similar poll conducted two weeks earlier, according to the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll.
Link (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/16/governor.resigns.ap/index.html)

Apparently in NJ, corruption makes your approval rating go up...

[Bobcat37]

As if a Republican wouldn't do that either. :rolleyes:

So you're saying that makes it ok? Or are you just playing politics? :rolleyes:

In my opinion, I don't think it would matter who did this or what their party affiliation is, it is wrong (and I'm referring to the scandals and coverup). I think he should resign immediately and let NJ pick a new Governor. But since he is going to stay in another 2 months, McGreevey gets to choose his own replacement (from what I understand). Is that fair? Hmmm, nope.

Perhaps one benefit of him staying in office is the scandals he is involved in will come to light and we'll all know what really was going on before we forget who this McGreevey person even was. Only time will tell I suppose. From what I have heard on the news, his administration has been clouded in controversy from the beginning, can't remember exact details but other staff member's of his have been in trouble before.

Personally I feel tons of sympathy for his wife and children, it would seem to me that if he really is a "gay American" then he has basically been using them to further himself. As for McGreevey, I feel no pity for him, afterall he got himself into this whole mess.

Apparently in NJ, corruption makes your approval rating go up...

LOL, now that is funny and sad all at the same time.