"In the heat of the moment for political figures like this, especially one who enjoyed as meteoric a rise as Rowland, it is impossible to put everything in a realistic context," said Mark Gearan, former director of communications in the Clinton White House, now president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Critics Detect Lawyerly Edit In Speech
June 23, 2004
By RINKER BUCK, Courant Staff Writer
He first ran for office 24 years ago, Gov. John Rowland said in his resignation speech Monday, because he had learned at the kitchen table of his boyhood home about the importance of giving back to your community. The governor and his wife - who, by the way, is the love of his life - are looking forward to turning over a new chapter now. And Rowland is proud that there is new life in Connecticut cities.
These were but three of the platitudes in a speech that was long on emotional farewells, but noticeably short on the specifics of why he was resigning now, on insight into the corruption scandal that chased him from office or on apologies to the people of Connecticut.
But veteran speechwriters who have been in the trenches with politicians at their lowest moments say the citizens of Connecticut probably should not have expected more. The truth, they say, is the first victim during the emotion of a political meltdown.
"In the heat of the moment for political figures like this, especially one who enjoyed as meteoric a rise as Rowland, it is impossible to put everything in a realistic context," said Mark Gearan, former director of communications in the Clinton White House, now president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. "And if this speech was lawyered by attorneys worried about future investigations, this is what you get. At best it's a guarded commentary."
Gearan was not the only former speechwriter who detected heavy editing by lawyers in Rowland's speech. With a federal investigation still looming and perhaps more revelations to come, Rowland's only choice may have been to rely on vagueness and predictable sentiments to avoid stating anything specific that might be used against him during a trial.
"I was looking for an apology, but didn't really expect one," said Tom McFeeley, who was press secretary and speechwriter for Democratic gubernatorial candidate George Jepsen in 2002. "But like everyone else, I assume that [Rowland] has far greater problems with federal prosecutors than he had with the legislative impeachment inquiry."
