JM plays to the gallery. He likes to be controversial, and he likes to say and do the "unexpected". His displays of magnanimity are nothing more than an attempt to undercut any internalisation of the reality of defeat. By extending such gestures, he is attempting to elevate himself, psychologically, above the situation. He is setting himself up to be the big man, desperately trying to salvage some sort of mythical high ground from a bad situation; Look at me, how gracious I am, nobody else behaves like this, I really am a cut above the rest, even in "defeat" (although he can't accept the he has been defeated.. there is always some other factor to mitigate his involvement, to take it out of his hands, to deny his fallibility). In short, JM's actions were not a result of a genuine gracious impulse, but merely a facet of his own peculiar psyche. Of course, this is all conjecture on my part, though it is certainly consistent with a particular psychological profile.
There is every reason to doubt his sincerity. When judging someone's character, you examine the entire picture, taking into account their past actions. JM's display of overstated congratulation cannot be seen in isolation. His past tells us something about the motivation behind present and future actions.
-- Dan
