“600
Words by Esther J. Cepeda”
I was innocently
flipping through Esquire Magazine’s May “How to be a Man” edition when I
spotted…him.
There, on pg 65,
among such notables as Bob Dylan, Rep. Barney Frank, Chris Rock and James Caan
is our very own U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, one of the many manlys who
made Esquire Magazine’s 2009 List of Men (“because just being male doesn’t make
you a man”).
Described as
someone who “does his job” and “tells the truth,” there he was – stone-faced
Patrick, lovingly etched in this century’s computerized version of pen and ink,
with this lovely caption: “When
Fitzgerald serves you, consider yourself served. He brought down Scooter Libby,
Conrad Black, and then Blago. Whither thou goest, Alberto Gonzalez, we all hope
Fitz goes with thee.”
I gushed – what
can I say, I’m a fan and he has many. Here’s the New York Times on
December 9, in an article which described Fitzgerald as a "folk hero"
in "prosecutorial spurs": "It has become a cliché to compare him
to Eliot Ness, the Chicago Prohibition agent whom television and movies made
into a symbol of incorruptible law enforcement."
Thank goodness I was so wrong – we all now know his first true love is putting away bad guys.
For your
enjoyment here are a few quotes I’m ripping off from Time Magazine, who was kind enough to put them all together in
their post-Blagojevich-bust issue, December 2008:
What Fitzgerald Says:
• "One day
I read I was a Republican hack. One day I read I was a Democratic hack. The
only thing I did between those two nights was sleep."
— During his investigation into the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's
identity (TIME, October 30, 2005)
• "I've
played a lot of practical jokes on people for a lot of years and they all got
even at once. OK, new topic!"
— On being named one of PEOPLE magazine's "Sexiest Men of 2005"
(Chicago Tribune, November 18, 2005)
• "You're
reading tea leaves. Don't. I don't draw a very good tea leaf."
— Dismissing reporters' questions after announcing his first indictment in the
Plame scandal (San Francisco Chronicle, October 29, 2005)
• "Do I
have zeal? Yes. I don't pretend I don't. If you're not zealous, you shouldn't
have the job. Now, sometimes zealous becomes a code word for overzealous, and I
don't want to be overzealous. I hope I'm not."
— On his enthusiasm for the job (Washington Post, February 2, 2005)
If you’re not
getting enough Patrick Fitzgerald in your life, I beg you to go to “From the
Desk of Patrick J. Fitzgerald” http://patrickjfitzgerald.blogspot.com/ I
promise you won’t be disappointed!
Esther J. Cepeda writes the "600 Words" & "Pregunta del Dia" columns, and is also the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Her views and reporting do not necessarily reflect those of ISAC. "600 words" is a registered trademark of EeJayCee, Inc., Copyright 2008. May be reprinted with permission, contact eejaycee@600words.com
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