Welcome to Ruth Madoff Rehabilitation Week

Bernie and Ruth taking a break between ripping off people/not know hubby was ripping off people

ABC News is reporting that the feds have given back Ruth Madoff's passport. This means, and it is a close question, that either the government is being more incompetent than usual or that Ruth Madoff is not going to be charged criminally for being the rather obvious accomplice to her hubby Bernie.

So this seems to be Ruth Madoff Rehabilitation Week. In its latest issue, New York magazine falls just a few inches short of taking her side, in an article with a title that asks the clueless question, "Why does Bernie's better half inspire such vitriol?" Because she's probably guilty, that's why.

The article goes on to quote Gloria Steinem unconvincingly trotting out the gender card:

Ruth’s problem seems to be a particularly female one. “It’s the gender politics of the culture,” says Gloria Steinem. “It’s easier to blame the person with less power.” And, she adds, why aren’t people blaming her sons? “They would be much more likely to be in cahoots, because they were in the same professional field. And the answer is, they’re men, that’s why.”

Why aren't people blaming her sons? Hello? In its current issue, Vanity Fair has an article by David Margolick describing just how much people are blaming her sons. I wouldn't have minded the Steinem quote so much if it weren't preceded by the ridiculous, approving topic sentence that Ruth's problem is a "particularly female one."

Not to worry. Looks like Ruth will be walking off with her $2.5 million, unprosecuted. One can only hope that the lawsuits snatch away from her that outrageous bonanza, and quickly. Then we can get another naively sympathetic article about "poor Ruth."

© 2009 Gary Weiss. All rights reserved.