xtcian

Another obvious point to make - last I checked prostitution is illegal in NY. An affair with someone of legal age in your office is disgusting and suggests pitiful ethics and judgment but isn't illegal.
I hope this guy is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and learns what the legal system is like from the other viewpoint, perhaps even from a jail cell. Maybe he and Jim Black from NC can share time? Corrupt politicians are the worst of the worst in my book.

Also, Ian, I think you are letting him off easy with the "addiction" label. Addicted to power maybe, but I don't believe they have a rehab for that.
Seems everyone wants to hide behind the addiction label at times rather than take responsibility for making dumb choices.

I'm struggling with why Spitzer's dalliances offend me much more than the Clinton transgressions. I think it boils down to Spitzer's hypocrisy. Spitzer railed against immoral crimes so much and claimed the moral high ground while Clinton always struck me as the guy winking at you while he called your wife Darling. There is (was?) no question as to which of the two you'd be more likely to spot at Hooters asking the waitresses when their shift was over. I think both should have learned to keep their pants on, but with Bill, you knew it was a problem from the start.

I do however disagree with the legal distinction Neva makes, because hooking up with an intern when you have any power in an organization (let alone President of the whole country) absolutely would create a hostile environment for sexual harassment that would allow them to sue the bejesus out of you.

2 minor things: Spitzer proscecuted prostitution 'rings' when he was attorney general, not governor. Second, if you want more poetic irony, Spitzer was involved in the moves to require banks to install software to flag suspicious money transfers. So he was (quite aptly, if you look on Wikipedia) hoist on his own petard.

As for hypocrisy all I can tell people is what the Baby Gee said -- let him who is without sin cast the first stone. I think he should resign -- coincidentally, creating New York State's first African American governor -- but Spitzers thing with prostitutes is nothing if not a pathology.

I don't know where I read it but some evolutionary biologists and anthropologists think that the will to power, the reason men (and it's always men) strive to be the top man in the tribe is to get their choice of the finest females to breed with.

So in a sense, guys like Spitzer and Hillbilly Clinton can't help it -- they kicked and clawed their way to the top on the heads of lesser alpha males and their dicks tell them a little salad on the side is their rightful perquisite. People may pooh pooh France, but they at least have a more realistic attitude towards sex. I doubt there was a single person in France who was SHOCKED about Spitzer's debacle.

Qu'est-ce que vous attendez?

I'm with Kent. This is pretty much the male biological imperative, and you see a lot of this impulsive (if not compulsive) sexual behavior particularly in alpha males like Spitzer. Maybe they have more testosterone whuppin' their brains? Who knows.

There was an interesting discussion on our local talk radio yesterday about Spitzer's wife appearing next to him during his mea culpa announcement. Was she strong? weak?

To me, that's the wrong question; it misses the point. Clearly she had to be strong simply to put herself out there in the spotlight at a moment of personal catastrophe. But was she right to do so? What does her presence signal?

In her place, I believe I would decline to do the solidarity thing. Let the guy face the music on his own, just as he alley-catted around on his own. If she chooses to try to rebuild the relationship, which is a perfectly valid choice IMO, that can happen later. She shouldn't have to be a prop in his political posturing.

So, wronged wives everywhere, stop the charade -- just say "NO" to being trotted out for the press in your suits and pearls. Your marriage is private, but your betrayal has become very public... and it's not your fault.

I'm going to bypass the reasonable discussion and call this guy out for what he is.....A huge Dick.

His press conference was a joke. He is sorry he got caught and that is it. His wife looked like she had been drugged. I can't figure out which one is more pathetic.

Face it....hypocrites, jerks and crooks rule politics and each party has their share of them (thank you Neva for pointing out Jim Black- what a sorry waste of talent).

Nothing surprises me anymore and this validates my mantra about politicians....sooner or later they will disappoint you. Pretty sad huh?

Spitzer is an jerk, a bully, and a cheat. He was a shameless abuser of power as AG. He tried more of the same as governor and promptly fell flat on his face.

More people, including those who cheered his abuses, would have understood his true nature had certain members of the press not betrayed the public trust by secretly collaborating in them.

He will resign not only because of his audacious hypocracy, but also because so many people in both parties hate him with a passion.

On a separate but not unrelated topic, David Mamet, too, has grown up:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0811,374064,374064,1.html/full

poor grammar ("an jerk") is what happens when you try to be civilized by changing "asshole" to the less offensive "jerk." I should have stuck with asshole.

Yes, I second Neva: the difference between Spitzer and Clinton is clearly that what Spitzer did is ILLEGAL.

If Spitzer had had an affair, there might be some outrage, but he wouldn't have to resign. What he did was against the law in so many ways, and who could trust him on anything after he busts prostitution rings and then patronizes them with thousands of bucks?

It IS a real shame.

However, I don't understand the outrage against his wife - geez, you can love someone who screws up, especially a spouse to whom you are committed. If she makes that choice - like Hillary did - that's her business. People who criticize that should work on their own marriages, not worry about hers. She didn't do anything illegal; she has the right to stick with the man who helped raise their kids if she so desires. Marriage is for better or for worse, and she has to figure out what she wants.

transporting his ladies across state lines is also a federal crime. why he delayed resignation until today? to save his rear end/law license trying to plead out to a misdemeanor and stay out of jail. it remains to be seen how well he did in those negotiations. he could still be charged with money laundering, solicitation, crimes under the Mann Act. God knows what.

having worked around him in several different capacities, i can give you my personal, humble assessment. he is an arrogant prick whose sense of entitlement is -- I don't have polite words. he won his first AG race (after trying several times beforehand) by illegally financing his campaign. he violated campaign finance law running for the Top Lawyer in the state and he got away with it. (He later admitted, this, by the way.)

i am not totally surprised that he acted, once again, as if he was above the law.

but it is absolutely sad. not only for his family, but for this state. what a mess.

Spitzer is a typical Democrat, breaks the law, drives around in an SUV, owns multiple homes, loves taking airplane rides all over the country to meet up with these call girls... seems he is on the Al Gore Environmentalist Routine and is on the John Edwards Luxury Routine.

I say this is a Republican hatchet job against one of our rockstar Democrats, and we should give him a vote of confidence, help Spitzer ride out the mess for the next two years and get re-elected in 2010.

The Republicans are desperate to have a foot in the door for the post 2010 re-districting, and lynching Spitzer over a sex scandal is the way to do it. Are we gonna let them?

Me, I support a Governor who FUCKS.

JFK fucked. RFK fucked. Martin Luther King fucked. And Justice William Douglas, the greatest liberal on the Warren Court, got himself a new 20-year old wife every 20 years. They were heroes.

And who had the pristine sexless scandal free sex lives? Nixon, Reagan, Helms, and George W. Bush.

At least our scandals don't involve wiping our asses with the Constitution.

I wish Spitzer a great continued career serving the people of New York, for two full terms as Governor, and then in the next Senate seat that opens.

On the other hand, if sexual scandals are grounds for leaving office, then Spitzer should get in line and wait for Craig and Vitter to leave first.

Does anyone else ever tire of seeing these jilted spouses standing by their man for painfully embarrassing transgressions which cast shame not only on the man's aspirations and public persona, but on his entire family?

Once, just once, I'd like to see one of these spouses grab the microphone after her newly penitent husband steps away from the microphone and say, "is this thing on, is this thing on?"

"I want you all to know that this is the last time you'll see me up here with this sad sack of shit. The only reason I'm here is because my divorce attorney said it could benefit me at the custody hearing. I plan to take half of this idiot's money, retirement, the house, cars and more for alimony. I don't care if any of you forgive his transgressions or not, I'm out of here. As for the whore he slept with, at least she was honest about being a whore. Unlike pinky dick, here, who lied and cheated on me repeatedly. See ya! [as she drops the microphone to the floor a la Eddie Murphy in 'Coming To America']."

Dear JillD, fuck off. Sincerely, Me.

Spitzer is typical of a particular type of politician; someone with great skills brought down by primal appetites and hubris. This was all spelled out a couple thousand years ago by Greek playwrights.

To say that Spitzer is a 'typical Democrat' is as fair as saying Mark Foley is a 'typical Republican.' Being undone by thinking with your glands is a bipartisan thing.

he should go to jail and quit trying to use his resignation as a bargaining chip. he's not "addicted", he's a dick.

This whole thing reeks of Wall Street getting back at Spitzer for his prosecutions against them. Why is he the only client being indicted? Why did they wait after they had the wiretap goods on the prostitution ring in early February until Spitzer was recorded on the wiretaps in mid-February? Three days later, this all goes public. The ring wasn't the target -- Spitzer was. Did certain Wall Street interests tip off the feds? This all started with suspicious bank activity (the money laundering is the most egregious part of this, not the pay for sex -- who cares?). Now, I know the bank has to by law report to the govt any transaction over $10,000 but you have to wonder if the feds were working with Spitzer's bank BEFORE the transaction was made. I'm not condoning what he did, but the reality is he made some very, very, very powerful enemies as the attorney general and since he wasn't squeaky clean, some of that is coming home to roost now.

You guys are all forgetting one critical component to this case...these chicks were fkn HOT!!!!

Piglet i feel like you're acting a bit too bi-partisian here. sure the man was talented but he was also a huge hypocrit, and he kept getting busted for it. the kind of f+cking he did was illegal, the exact kind he fought to shut down as attorney general. i agree to a certain extent with the "alpha male imperative," and i've actually been having this discussion a lot recently with male and female friends. but spitzer was preaching one thing and living the exact opposite. i don't care who brought him down; he deserved it. even in his speech today, when he said “Over the course of my public life, I have insisted — I believe correctly — that people regardless of their position or power take responsibility for their conduct,” he added. “I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor.” I was just left thinking, yeah, so you'd still totally be this self-righteous governor spending thousands on prostitutes while taking the moral high ground with others IF YOU HADN'T GOTTEN CAUGHT. the arrogance.

Personally, I wish this country could be a bit more European in its approach to letting leaders govern and leaving their personal lives alone. Because you're right; all the really great ones do f+ck (btw, i'm pretty sure bush senior had a mistress; i'm pretty sure they all do, actually--even prez carter admitted to having "lust" in his heart). But this is not how our country operates, and every time I see a politician preaching morality but not living it, I just get incredibly frustrated.

i meant partisan--sorry was typing passionately and fast

I agree with most comments on here, especially the parts about what drives people to do such stupid things and the reprehensiveness of using your freshly humiliated spouse as a political prop (though there are reports that she encouraged him NOT to resign). Anyway, just a few disagreements....

"Maybe because shameless, hypocritical sex addicts who try to hold onto power is a tactic best left to the Republicans (see Mark Foley, Larry Craig, David Vitter, Rep. Bob Allen, Congressman Ken Calvert, Ed Schrock, etc.)"

Kent is right that this is a bipartisan thing. (See , Gerry Studds, Jim McGreevey, Mel Reynolds, Wilbur Mills, James West, Bill Clinton, Eliot Sptizer, etc.)

"People may pooh pooh France, but they at least have a more realistic attitude towards sex. I doubt there was a single person in France who was SHOCKED about Spitzer's debacle."

Uh, Sarkozy's affair and ultimate marriage to Carla Bruni caused a huge tizzy in France.

Piglet, you never disappoint.

The silver lining to this is that David Patterson gets a well-deserved promotion he otherwise might never have gotten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paterson

let's not hide behind "big 'ole words like mayonnaise". clinton didn't "prevaricate around" the bj in the oval office, he lied about it!

go heels. ping me if ur in charlotte this wknd.

Matt, I see your chips, and I'll raise you Edison Misla Aldarondo, Bob Allen, Randal David Ankeney, Dick Armey, Bob Barr, John Allen Burt, Bob Packwood, Pat McPherson, Sue Myrick, Donald Lukens, Beverly Russell, Jim West, David Swartz, Jeff Miller, Bernard Kerik and Rudy Guiliani.

Man, what a p0ker game that'd be.

Ian, I think you had a recent entry expressing internal confusion, guilt (or something?) about not supporting Hillary.

I was raised by a achieving Mother who was a NOW member in the '70's. These interests continued throughout her life. Since I was indoctrinated in this way, I despise Hillary for "being there" for Bill and view it as blatantly opportunist. How fucking humiliated can you get. I'd rather eat shit covered jungle spiders with claws on Fear Factor than voluntarily walk out on stage with my spouse as they proclaimed that they blatantly fucked someone else and ruined their career, and our life. (It didn't ruin Kobe's, however)

The law and the public will effectively deal with Spitzer.

I have to confess that I am hostile toward his wife for taking that walk with him.

Or, she should say, (I don't mean this to be ridiculous, by the way) "Powerful people have stronger desires than others. It has been quite apparent to me that I married a powerful man and he has screwed hookers for a long time. He did this because we agreed that this would be the most private way for him to deal with his testosterone and allow us to function as a household. Unfortunately he got caught and I am simply here to end speculation about the arrangement and sadly let us get on with his potential prosecution. Thank you."

"And who had the pristine sexless scandal free sex lives? Nixon, Reagan, Helms, and George W. Bush."

Eh, sure they did.

Anyway...so you guys are really sick of these wives standing by their husbands? What about the "for better or for worse" part of marriage vows? They married them because they are in love with them, not because they were perfect. I abhor what these cads did, but it is a wife's business whether she stands by her man or not - and being that they know their hubbies best, they have a lot more info than we do. Don't you know couples personally who worked through affairs and other problems? Besides, in private, I'm sure these wives are not as stoic as on the stage. You really think Hillary and Chelsea were okay with what Bill did? Doubtful.

Indeed, Ian. I'd call you with Gary Hart, Gary Condit, Barney Frank, Jesse Jackson, Kwame Kilpatrick, Marvin Mandel, all of the Kennedys, Marion Barry, Paul Morrison, Ted Kulongoski, Neil Goldschmidt, etc.

I haven't heard of half the names you tossed in last round, but you could've easily ponied up Henry Hyde, Bob Livingston, or Newt Gingrich. We could play this game over and over again, which just goes to prove the bipartisan nature of it.

One reason I'm glad to see Spitzer go is that he holds the following view (quoted from the WSJ):

"Mr. Spitzer cloaked his naked devaluation of the rule of law with gauzy rhetoric that was perfectly pitched to make many liberals ignore his strong-arm tactics. He harshly criticized advocates of judicial restraint such as Antonin Scalia as believing in 'a dead piece of paper.' In a Law Day ceremony, Mr. Spitzer was blunt: 'I believe in an evolving Constitution. . . . A flexible Constitution allows us to consider not merely how the world was, but how it ought to be.'"

Another social planner to the dust bin . Good riddance.

oh I don't know, I still think what Clinton did was reprehensible, if only because it tarnished his reputation and gave the crazy right so much ammunition--and for what? Come on, what a frat boy perspective to think he could and should be able to get away with that crap. And I realize no one is perfect, but I expect more of the leader of our country, especially one that I admired so much.

In other news, if anyone wants to be included in my brother's famous March madness pool, send me an email.

It's a family matter and ought not to matter to staying governor--is how I feel. But maybe that's because I've been watching a lot of "the Wire."

oliver, you're OK with him going after prostitution and other moral crimes, while committing at least one of them himself? Interesting.

(Take note: I'm a Libertarian, so I think this stuff ought to be legal anyway. But you can't pontificate and prosecute it while doing it yourself.)

(Oh, and I love "The Wire," too. Especially Season Three and Hamsterdam.)

I didn't say I'd choose him as a commencement speaker, just that he'd be good to go as governor. So far it seems he hasn't committed any crime to any extent worth prosecuting, and he's prosecuted a lot of crime that badly needed it. I don't see this as a behavior that makes him vulnerable to blackmail by people or interests we'd want him to be tough on, given that it's now in the open. Censure by the state legislature would be apt. But I guess that's my West Wing Season 2 talking.

one of the tenants of Buddha:

do not make other's misfortune the limbs of your own happiness.

i wish the former gov'ner and his family peace and serenity in what must be a very very difficult time.