Foley Attempts a McGreevey

Former Congressman Mark Foley's representative capped off a brief statement with this, "Mark Foley wants you to know that he is a gay man." (As if you couldn't figure that out.)

This transparently lame attempt to garner some victimology points (i.e. "give me a pass because I identify myself with the politically correct nobility of a putatively persecuted minority group.") rings, um, a bit hollow but you can't blame him for trying.

Former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey not only attempted this ruse but, by most accounts, got away with it. With charges of corruption mounting against his administration (beyond the acceptable threshold of normal Jersey-style corruption), only part of which was a clearly nepotistic appointment to a high-profile government job, McGreevey announces that he is a "Gay American." Well, indeed he is a Gay American. But he is also a Horribly Corrupt Politician American. And a Guy Who Humps Strangers at Truckstops American.

All told, McGreevey's gambit worked, the damage was pretty limited and the Dems suffered not one iota in the Garden state. So why wouldn't Foley attempt to imitate this strategy? It is clearly the rational thing to do. Except that it doesn't work for Republicans. Mark Foley may want you to know that he is a Gay Man, but the media want you to know that he is a Sick Pederast Abusing His Position Man (which he is).

Geez, this whole thing is enough to give you the impression that it is not our best and brightest that are going into politics.