[A]s governor, I have tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that would rebuild New York and create opportunity for all. We sought to bring real change to New York and that will continue.
Today I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong. I apologize….I do not believe that politics in the long run is about individuals. It is about ideas, the public good, and doing what is best for the state of New York.[Eliot Spitzer yesterday, with his wife Silda standing by him, reading a carefully worded response to reports linking him to a prostitution ring]
Alas, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is only the latest politician to get his gonads caught in the vice grip of a sex scandal. Because the tragedy of a seemingly omnipotent man getting laid low by sexual indiscretions is as old, well, as the world’s oldest profession: prostitution.
Of course, given the orgiastic interest in all of the titillating details, you’d think revelations about Spitzer’s assignations were falling on virgin ears….
In short, federal authorities were investigating a “high-end” prostitution ring called the “Emperors Club VIP,” which, according to the Associated Press, has a stable of over 50 girls – with “model good looks” – who cater to wealthy men in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London, and Paris. And, in the course of their investigation, they caught Spitzer on tape haggling with the madam of this enterprise about the balance on his account and about how many thousands of dollars he’d have to pay for the services of a “petite, very pretty brunette.”
I feel constrained to note that if these politicians were not lead vocals in a … chorus of moral crusaders, I would not give their sexual escapades a moment’s thought. For the unadulterated pleasure of afflicting these hypocrites, however, I don’t even mind being bedfellows with a publicity–seeking hustler like Larry Flynt.[DC Madam outs Sen. David Vitter as a faithful “John”…, The iPINIONS Journal, July 17, 2007]
However, this quote explains the only reason why I believe Spitzer’s private tragedy is worthy of public comment. After all, he emulated Sen. Vitter’s self-righteousness by building a career as an anti-corruption (law and order) crusader against everything from white collar to victimless crimes.(Yes, I’m on record declaring my belief that prostitution should be decriminalized.)
In fact, he even waxed heroic after busting up two prostitution rings when he worked in the same capacity as the federal attorneys who now have him in their prosecutorial cross hairs:
“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure. It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”
[Spitzer speaking with contempt after prosecuting a high-end prostitution ring in 2004]
Yet the schadenfreude I feel over Spitzer’s comeuppance must pale in comparison to that which all of the big shots he prosecuted – as NY attorney general – must feel. Because he pissed off almost everyone on Wall Street when he coerced a slew of investment bankers and insurance brokers into copping pleas to all kinds of corruption charges. And, ironically, he did this by threatening to disclose dirt he gathered on them through the same kind of wiretap trap that has now ensnared him.
More to the point, however, the irrefutable evidence of his hypocrisy is sufficient to demand Spitzer’s resignation. Nevertheless, I suspect the rumors of the death of his career have been greatly exaggerated.
After all, I suspect the rumors about the death of Spitzer’s career are premature. Because his brief statement was replete with as many red flags indicating that he has no intention of resigning as the statement Sen. Larry Craig issued after he was caught soliciting gay sex in a public toilet. For example, he said that his heroic work “will continue,” that this is a “private matter,” and that politics is not “about individuals.”
Then, of course, Spitzer could proffer the Clinton / Lewinsky precedent to justify his decision to ignore (partisan) calls for his resignation. (Indeed, I fully expect him to reach out to Bill for advice – especially since Hillary has so much political capital invested in his survival.)
Meanwhile, much is being made of the fact that Spitzer trotted out his wife – the way all political cads do – as a prop to convey the not so subtle message that if she can forgive him then the public should.
I’m a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary…. If he does something like that, I’m walking away with one thing, and it’s not alimony, trust me.[Wendy Vitter, wife of Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), in 2000 expressing the indignation voiced by many liberated women when Hillary Clinton failed to kick her skirt-chasing husband to the curb after his affair with Monica Lewinsky became fodder for international tabloids. Of course, she ended up standing by her man just like Hillary did.More importantly, however, Spitzer might find the fact that Vitter survived calls for his resignation even more instructive than the fact that Clinton survived efforts to impeach him.]
But frankly, I gave up some time ago trying to reason why purportedly liberated women, like Camille Cosby and Hillary Clinton, stand by men who humiliate them.The ardent feminist in me would like to think this simply reflects their evolved understanding that marriage is about a lot more than (sexual) monogamy. But it may be that they are riding so high on the power trip these marriages afford them that they couldn’t care any less how much their husbands betray traditional notions of fidelity (or legality?).
At any rate, most pundits seem to think that Spitzer is sweating bullets about whether political pressure or a criminal indictment might finally force him to resign. But I think he’s just fuming over the fact that when the madam asked his call girl how he was in the sack, all she could muster was “he wasn’t difficult, I mean like whatever, I’m here for a purpose.”
Related Articles:
Senator Vitter outed
Larry Craig’s non-resignation resignation
Bill Cosby: serial rapist?
Affidavit detailing Spitzer’s illicit dealings
Senator Vitter outed
Larry Craig’s non-resignation resignation
Bill Cosby: serial rapist?
Affidavit detailing Spitzer’s illicit dealings
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ptg says
The toothless photoshop is rich. Perhaps you’d like this.