Alex G. Tsakumis breaks the story, on Facebook, of the breakdown of the Mayor’s marriage
VanRamblings has wrestled for days as to whether we might comment, on this blog, on the breakdown of Mayor Gregor Robertson’s marriage.
We had thought we might tentatively broach the subject in an upcoming post, but would couch reference to the issue of marital discord within an analysis of the impact unfolding events have had on the Vision Vancouver electoral campaign — we’ll likely post on that subject in the coming week.
Note should be made: the background and details of the breakdown of the marriage are salacious and disturbing — still, there’s not a reporter in town who would print / broadcast what they know. VanRamblings will not, either.
Every reporter in town, and every person who is a member of Vancouver’s political class, was well aware of Mr. Robertson’s separation from his wife some three months ago — some in the political class have known for years about trouble in the Robertson relationship. And yet, up until muckraking reporter Alex G. Tsakumis printed the information on the marital breakdown on his Facebook page Friday night, most in Vancouver were unaware.
For reporters and their editors, there was no contextualizing the story, for those associated with political parties, there was no desire whatsoever to trade on the information for political gain — because there’s no political gain to be had. Everyone goes through rough periods in their lives, many (including VanRamblings) have experienced the pain of bitter divorce, and the consequent fallout from the ending of a once loving relationship.
In Vancouver, the fifth estate does not trade on the vicissitudes of human misery for the content of their publication, or broadcast outlet, and neither do members of the political class — an approach to the practice of politics, experience has shown, that is most unfortunately not shared by those associated with Vision Vancouver, but that’s a story for another day.
For now, there is general consensus on one thing, among the media and the political class: there is a terrible human sadness attendant to the impact on the lives of the many principals involved in this unfolding story.
In the quiet moments of the early morning, one cannot help but weep.
