Eliot Spitzer -- Mr. Rectitude himself, who was going to clean up Albany – unmasked as a clandestine patron of a high-priced prostitution ring!
The governor of New York, married and the father of three daughters, forking over $4,300 for an assignation with “Kristen” in an unnamed Washington hotel. Dickering over the telephone with “Rachelle” over how much extra to give “Kristen” so he would have something on account and wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of being short the next time, as he was this time. All of this recorded by the FBI and now appearing in an affidavit concerning “Client 9,” who has been identified by The New York Times as Gov. Spitzer himself.
Oh, mercy me.
The governor didn’t flat out admit it, but he did solemnly apologize and say, “I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong.”
Which raises the question, how firm a sense of right and wrong does he have if he can violate it in such a calculated fashion, making cash withdrawals from a bank, arranging for “Kristen” to pick up his room key, negotiating the amount of credit he had left over from a previous date, and so forth.
Meaning, we are talking not about succumbing to temptation in a moment of weakness, like maybe catching the eye of a good-looking hooker while sitting alone in a cocktail lounge. We’re talking about very careful scheming over a period of time.
And knowing better than anyone else that he was dealing with a criminal enterprise, since he himself had busted a prostitution ring as attorney general of our great state.
What kind of man is this?
Well, his hubris has been widely noted, but this does beat all, and if I were to continue with the classical Greek reference I would say it even qualifies as a tragic flaw, in the Aristotelian sense.
It is not a tragedy, strictly speaking, when some random misfortune occurs, like a tree falling and killing a good person. It is a tragedy when a person’s own character causes his downfall, and I believe that’s what we have with Eliot Spitzer, played out right in front of us.
August 22, 2008
8:21 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I swear that all politicians has something or someone to hide. And why does all the wives come out and stand right next to the politician? To 'stand by their man', so to speak? What kind of message is that sending??? I would have been in my lawyer's office after visiting the doctor's office!
I have been reading your articles for quite some time and enjoy each and every one even if I don't quite agree (which isn't often). Looking forward to more!
8:57 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
[sigh] This prostitution ring was not catering to Joe 6-pack, but to wealthy people - bankers, lawyers, politicians, ambassadors, born-rich, whatever. Governor Spitzer got caught doing something stupid. And yes, illegal, but that's a 1910 law and goes to another debate on whether or not prostitution should be legalized. I won't go there right now. The governor also got caught doing something for which he previously showed public distaste when prosecuting prostitution rings as Attorney General. OK, so he's not only an occasional idiot, but a hypocrit. So, this makes him different from most other politicians how? Oh, right, he got caught. Publically. Spectacularly. Right when the Republican majority in the state Senate was being seriously threatened by the Democrats. Hmmmmmm.
Well, he's going to have to resign, as he'll never be able to get anything more done as governor. Moral considerations? It's not my place to judge anyone's morality other than my own, as long as they keep it away from children and the non-consenting. Oh, and Senator Bruno? When making stamements such as, "The important thing for the people of New York State is that people in office do the right thing," (Daily Gazette, 3/11/08, A1) it might be a good thing to remember that old adage about people in glass houses throwing stones.
Finally, please leave Mrs. Spitzer out of this. Her reasons for standing by her husband are her own. Maybe she loves him. Maybe she thinks that one's marriage vows are not instantly nullified when one's partener breaks his own. But she has done nothing wrong, and deserves to be let alone.
12:24 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
This incident with Spitzer supports the notion that all aspects of an individual are fair game when you run for office. The concept that you vote for the total person because there is a congruity between personal and professional life is valid.
3:19 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Hello, Carl. Congratulations on your new weblog -- and on the great timing for its launch. Commentor "tad" makes a great point.
Speaking of points, I've been musing over the fact that the German word "spitze" means not just point and pinnacle, but also "sting" and "prick." See my posting at http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/... , where I argue in an Open Letter to Politicians that responsible leaders know when to keep their spitzer in their pants, for the sake of their families, supporters, and good-government goals.
9:17 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It's been pointed out that the main reason Mrs. Spitzer appeared at the news conference was to get it over with. If she didn't, reporters would have hounded her for days. By being there, she doesn't have to answer questions.
I find it interesting that the two NY governors who were kicked out of office are Sulzer and Spitzer (probably). People whose name starts with "S" and ends in "zer" might want to stay away from running.
9:29 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It's very sad. He had such strong support and was elected by a wide margin. I voted for him, thinking he might make the serious changes needed to make NY State government more responsive and responsible. Then we had "troopergate," and now this. I don't think he has any choice but to resign. What a disappointment.
And I really have to wonder what the heck he got for his $4300?! I hope it was worth it.
Did his security folks know what was going on, and if they knew he was involved in criminal activity, were they obligated to report it?
Will
9:29 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
They're all the same, they think that they are above the law. I just feel sorry for Mrs. Spitzer and their daughters.
5:23 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It should be of no surprise that a politician or the average person should not commit such a sin of adultry, for it is normal but wrong. Yes, what he did is wrong, point blank, but should a man or women at any job be fired or asked to resign because he or she does this type of immoral activity or sin ? If that was the case no one would be working, for as it is written " All have sinned and come short of the glory of God", It would be proper for him to step down since he apologised for this incident and showed guilt of some sort. Looking at it in the big picture, parents are not the role models they used to be and that is why children end up the way they do, but then when a child gets to the age of of being an adult it is then there decision to do right or wrong then the parent is not held accountable for there childrens actions.
6:03 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
(Congrats, Carl on your brave new venture!) None of us is perfect but when we set high standards for others, our own imperfections, if brought to the light, really shine. Especially on 'public' figures. There's a lot of Biblical (& other) texts that deal with such issues... This above is a meaty discussion for those of us growing up close to government. The NYTimes editorial (yesterday) rather struck me with its reference to 'Pompeii' which preserves an old culture rather amazingly - with all those 'graphic' murals as to what could be obtained (for a price)- for those literate in another language. Or none... The whole denouement re: Eliot S., our governor, is sad. But also the basis of much world literature, philosophy, psychology, etc. Enuf said!
12:53 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
While I agree with some of what "coachmike" says about "adultry" and being "accountable for there childrens actions" (Word Watch, Carl?), I disagree with his citation about what is "written" by way of "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" I would put it: all have erred and come short of the glory of man (unisex) at his best.
1:32 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It's a shame that some reporter didn't get to Bill Clinton before Gov. Spitzer announced his retirement to ask Bill what he thought Spitzer should do. After what he sleazed by, Billy might have given a memorable dancing performance.
3:46 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Coachmike, he (Spitzer) allegedly has done something illegal, the moral issues are moot. Carl, my husband and I have enjoyed your column for years, you are the best thing about the Gazette. That's down with Spitzer and up with Strock!