In the colorful world of political theater, Senator Cory Booker has recently taken center stage by announcing his engagement to Alexis Lewis. Naturally, the timing of this announcement raises a few eyebrows. Booker, who has been the perennial bachelor at 56, seems to have realized that being single doesn’t quite sell on the campaign trail, even in our supposed era of enlightenment. So, here we are, witnessing an engagement almost tailor-made to fit a political script rather than a rom-com one.

Now, the photos from this joyous occasion are something to behold. The couple appears comedically overjoyed, as if they are performing in a slapstick comedy rather than celebrating a personal milestone. The smiles are plastered on with such fervor, they would make one think of a villain’s exaggerated glee. Perhaps they were auditioning for a role in an unwritten story titled “When Engagements Go Overboard.” If there was ever a dictionary entry under “overcompensation,” it should feature these very snapshots.

Booker’s declarations regarding his fiancée are equally rich with fodder. He describes her as having helped him “ground and center his inner life.” A poetic sentiment perhaps, but it leaves one pondering what precisely it means. Grounding and centering an inner life sounds like something out of a self-help seminar rather than an engagement announcement. The suggestion that his innermost being somehow required structural reinforcement akin to a building needing a foundation is truly puzzling. Does this mean before Alexis, Cory’s inner life was in disarray, maybe floating uncertainly in a room corner until she came along with psychic spackle?

It is intriguing that such statements are rarely questioned. It seems political figures can spew any manner of airy phrases, and they float by unexamined, like leaves on a river. But common sense demands to know: what exactly is meant by having an “inner life” that needs grounding? It conjures up images of a contractor evaluating the spiritual plumbing of one’s soul, declaring repairs are needed. For those of us grounded by reason rather than abstract fluff, such clichés are hard to swallow without a skeptical chuckle.

Thus, Senator Booker embarks on this new chapter, hoping that a shiny ring on his finger will cast a more appealing glow as he continues his political career. Yet, one must wonder if the electorate will buy into this cleverly staged production. Only time will tell whether this engagement is a genuine love story or merely a strategic move to appear more relatable. In the meantime, let us all wish him well, and perhaps, keep an eye on the next act in this unfolding political drama.