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McGreevey’s upbeat humiliation
The most striking thing about the McGreevey scandal was his weirdly upbeat, almost celebratory manner during his retirement announcement. Here’s a man who clawed his way to the top of the greasy pole of New Jersey politics over a period of years, fulfilling his fierce ambition to be governor, and now his achievements and hopes were being shattered in what to any normal person would be a humiliating dénouement. But instead of shooting himself (remember the tragic young senator Brigham Anderson in Advise and Consent?), or instead of crawling away and hiding, or instead of being grief-stricken and ashamed, or instead of simply being a little sad and chagrined, he was smiling, self-congratulatory. His tone suggested a politician who is announcing some exciting new state initiative. And he maintained the positive attitude throughout. Even after he and his wife exited the State House following the announcement they were still jaunty and smiling, as though he was heading to his inauguration ball instead of into political oblivion.
What was this cheerfulness all about? Was it the mark of a sociopath? Or was it the Oprah-fied attitude of today, in which we are always “up,” we are always supposed to feel “blessed,” no matter how much we have screwed up our lives? Email entry |