I’d imagine Pesutto, the politician, knows how to play the long game in the interests of his ambitions. It would be highly self-controlled and politic to publicly show grace in defeat. Certainly if he was ambitious to playing the long game in a political career. He obviously knew he would run again. And, it worked - he then went even went on to become the leader of his party. Maybe helped with people apparently giving him kudos for his apparent self-control, which was in his self-interest, on public television. I imagine sang froid is a very handy attribute in a politician. Able to carry out more calculating moves without emotions getting in the way. Well, only the emotions they want the public to admire, and will lend to furthering their career.
Indeed, that makes the ease with which he went on to try to ruin Moira Deeming's reputation and career all the more cynical. In a man of such cool headed, controlled behaviour. Any possible impediment to his ambitions thrown overboard without any apparent thought, or concern, to due process or fair hearing. Obviously not even the excuse of being a ‘in the heat of the moment’ type of chappie. Although that wouldn’t excuse it either.
It is a while since the judgement, but it was not flattering of Pesutto. Rather disparaging I thought. Even the evidence he provided to the court.
So, he tried to destroy a woman’s reputation and career on a false premise. That he did such a dishonest and deplorable thing because he thought it would help further his own political career, with the assumption it would make the party he leads more electable, doesn’t cancel out that deplorable thing. It is not exactly a great endorsement of his character. It rather blows a coach and four to notions of him being a ‘decent’ person. A cold and calculating politician to be sure. He obviously thought he could smear the reputation of multiple women without any consequences. He didn’t seem to consider the women he smeared could, and would, fight back and stand up against his smears.