Review by John on 10/15/2006 - 
Living in Philadelphia and now New Jersey, I have been interested in
Jim McGreevey's career in politics -- rising quickly, well educated and
very well-spoken, clearly light-years ahead of his right-wing (or at
least very conservative predecessor: Christy Todd Whitman). His victory
over her was miraculous; many people thought she was the next bext
invention since sliced bread, but I thought she was trying, along with
the national Republican majority to return New Jersey to the 1900s. In
the south (SNJ), road projects did not happen, bridges decayed, funding
for the most basic of helpful social programs disappeard, as she
slashed the State budget relentlessly, and seemed unable to speak with
her lips more than barely open: as though she was "old money" from
Connecticut. Finally, McGreevey, the upstart, narrowly defeated her,
and she went off to the Bush White House, where she seemed 'too
progressive'! All the time, there was a clear sense that I and many of
my friends sensed about McGreevey: a secret was hiding, and the obvious
was that he loved men, probably for a long time. It did not take much
'digging' (by me) into some of his scholarly writings and thesis topics
to believe that he was a Gay man, carrying out the usual charade: wife
and kids. [Decades ago, I had done that myself, albeit without the same
National spotlight.] Finally, much younger than McGreevey, I stopped
living the double life. Now, McGreevey has shown the guts to publically
be proud, happy, ability to find love, write a book, go on Oprah, and
explain his path. A wonderful, warm , caring, young (well, I am rather
older!) man, he has, god willing, decades to offer in any of many
areas. All Americans should be proud of him. Have we lost the capacity
to admire accomplishment and capacity without demanding political
agreement? Oh, and BTW, Ms. Whitman's only significant political act
was to leave the Cabinet prematurely. McGreevey can look forward to
long years of happiness, love, and helping others. Good for him.
John L. Turner, MD Deptford, New Jersey
