Gawker
With Eliot Spitzer's announcement today that he was a client of a recently busted prostitution ring, and the speculation on his resignation flying, it's probably safe to say that his Governorship will not, in the end, be remembered as the glorious flowering of a new and reformed Albany. How the hell did it ever come to this? And, uh, are we the only ones who think he shouldn't resign?
Back when Spitzer was a crusading Attorney General, he was maybe the most respected and beloved man in New York politics, especially by the sort of New York City residents who both ignore Albany politics and are exhaustingly cynical about New York politicians (this is the Bloomberg electorate). But how could we not love our tough-talking liberal fighter? He seemed as happy in a scrap as mean old Giuliani, but unlike Giuliani, he went after the fucking banks, not modern artists and ferret-owners.
Spitzer waged high-profile campaigns against AIG and investment banks and even anti-abortion "crisis pregnancy centers." He was the great hope of reform in Albany and he won his gubernatorial election in a landslide. With his reputation the way it is today, it's hard to remember how much he was beloved back then. The Daily News even wrote a story on how to deal with your straight man-crush on him.
Then he was suddenly the Governor of New York and everything went to hell for him. He immediately came up against a state assembly full of life-long gridlock enthusiasts who refused to change the way they did business and hated newcomers. They frustrated him, and the real Spitzer emerged. He's an angry asshole, it turns out, who doesn't play well with others. The fact that starry-eyed New Yorkers hadn't noticed this when he was "crusading" (i.e. expanding the purview of his former office to take on high-profile cases that endeared him to said starry-eyed New Yorkers) says more about them than him.
30 days into his Governorship, Spitzer said to Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, "I'm a fucking steamroller, and I'll roll over you and anybody else." That remark, immediately and widely reported in the tabloids, proved to be as utterly untrue as it was impolitic. Spitzer has accomplished nothing but the creation of bullshit scandals (gold star to the first commenter who can succinctly explain STATE TROOPERGATE, in a way that actually makes it seem worthy of a "-gate" suffix). All of these things, from the Steamroller comment to the flap over his plan to give licenses to illegal immigrants, were the mark of a man who, it turned out, was not actually all that good at politics. But this? The hooker thing? The mark of a man who's a fucking idiot.
As AG, Spitzer had prosecuted prostitution rings. He knows, especially with the classy ones, that the client lists are well-maintained, and they get out, eventually. So to head down to DC and hook up with a whore the night before a CNBC appearance (at 7 a.m.!) and a Congressional appearance is the height of abject stupidity. D.C. is quite boring, in Eliot's defense, but still.
Now he's maybe retiring, and everything in Albany will return to normal, and the Democrats probably won't pick up that Senate seat they need to secure a majority and force reform bills through. But you know what? We think he should stick around. Not even just to piss off Joe Bruno.
2010 is a long, long, long ways away, especially in politics, and especially in New York politics. If he doesn't resign, he can redeem himself (after the storm of boring moralizing bullshit that is sure to follow). How long could it be before the golden boy long since brought down to size would be able to recast himself as a changed, meeker man, human as everyone else, and enjoy a quiet resurgence in the polls? And Jesus, what better way is there to get everyone to forget the bullshit of his first year in office than this? Doesn't he see? Getting caught up in a high-class prostitution ring could've saved Spitzer's legacy!
Comments
So much for Albany's new tourism campaign, "What happens in Albany stays in Albany".
He should just walk over to U-Albany. I hear those girls are easy.
Ironically also a line he used with the "ladies":
"I'm a fucking steamroller, and I'll roll over you and anybody else."
Was the trim worth it? I mean, granted, it was $5,500/hr trim. But seriously?
And, Pareene, my first thought when I heard of the allegations is that I didn't care. Yet, if he's resigning so quickly then there is definitely more to this which is actually scary. Damned shame. Yeah, it wasn't worth it, yo.
I really think it is time for someone to call bullshit on this american hypocrisy thing re: fucking others and just say, I fucked others than my wife. So? No one's business but ours. Move on. I do wish that he hadn't done so illegally, that just made it easier to be a target. Plus, $5000k a pop? Jesus.
I, for one, am hoping the sordid details of his tryst(s) emerge and another charming new phrase, such as "a Lewinsky" will enter the vernacular.
He'd better hire Ronn Torrossiann for damage control, since cunts are involved. He can recast Spitzer as the new Bill Clinton and make him the Comeback Kid of New York politics.
Hey, anything that would make him seem vaguely human and not some robot monster.
He didn't just "hook up with a whore" -- he violated the Mann Act (otherwise known as the "White Slavery Act") and will be indicted on federal criminal charges for chrissakes. Should he keep the governor's office running from his prison cell?
@famousauthor: Ronn Torrossian is calling him.
If he was crusing around town that's one thing, but they got him on a wiretap as part of an ongoing investigation...Not good...
Also, anyone esle think that risking your politcal career on a date with a hooker the night before Valentine's Day the total height of stupidity?
Ok, I slogged through the indictment, linked on the NYT story. Around Count 78, we have The Tale Of Client 9, aka, The Steamroller.
Client 9 did some stupid things. He booked a meeting with a fancy ho in a Washington DC hotel room, thinking his wife would never find out. Then, he proceeded to leave a trail you could see from space. The room was booked in his name. The ho was from NYC and he paid for her train tickets. (Can you imagine how she looked after hours on Amtrak?).
Just plain retarded.
Ok, time for some Elliot Spitzer limericks!
I'll go first:
The hooker told Elliot Spitzer,
"No, you can't pay half price for one tit, sir."
When he asked, "Should I guess
That a hand-job is less?"
She said, "Yes — but just watch where you spritz, sir."
Not resign? I am assuming the man will be disbarred in short order.
I agree with the premise that what you do in the bedroom shouldn't implicate your career of public service, but this guy broke the laws he signed and swore to uphold.
Also, I would like to subscribe to the newsletter of this $5,500/hr woman because I'm extremely impressed.
At least may I attend a class of hers at the nearest Babeland? No, really... PLEASE.
While I do agree that he shouldn't have to resign for this sort of thing, he has dug his own grave by being such a self-righteous and zealous prick over the last few years.
Anyway, he was not exactly the most "respected and beloved man in New York politics."
Specifically, his flap with John Whitehead really pissed a lot of people off. (After Whitehead wrote an op ed piece titled "Mr. Spitzer has gone too far," Spitzer called him and allegedly said "Mr. Whitehead, it's now a war between us and you've fired the first shot. I will be coming after you. You will pay the price. This is only the beginning and you will pay dearly for what you have done. You will wish you had never written that letter.")
Whitehead is a well-respected philanthropist and veritable NYC statesman, and I think even people in the NYC community who didn't mind Spitzer going after some of the more unsavory characters really rankled and turned on him after this episode.
Whitehead's description of things was published in the WSJ here: [opinionjournal.com]
I disagree. He's been a total disappointment and a disgrace as a governor. This is just too much. If he had any decency, he would have resigned already.
And how is it that politicians always marry women who stand by their side no matter what? If I were in Silda's position, I'd be tempted to take a page out of Lorena Bobbitt's book, not stand by his side.
Nick slams his four-wheeler into high gear, posting at speeds reaching 90 mp/h
The man is paying more than my over priced Brooklyn condo costs me this month for ONE hour with a hooker who probably looks nothing like Angelina Jolie.
He shouldn't resign. He should be chased out by a steamroller.
@karion: That's pretty much where I am. I'm not even opposed to prostitution. But how can he possibly handle the legislature or have any credibility now? I'd really like to know the full story.
@MisterHippity: Genious! Or, Ingenious! I hate Mondays.
He made is career on "boring moralizing." He's got to go.
Well, it's not a gay scandal, so as far as the American rulebook goes, he could be ok. People are generally more forgiving when it comes to being fucked up towards wominz. But they don't forgive weiner on weiner scandals.
Um, you're totally wrong. This isn't just a moral issue. He BROKE THE LAW. If he had just cheated on his wife, that would be one thing. But he paid thousands of dollars to have sex with a woman who was part of an international prostitution ring. This isn't an intern blowing him in his office.
Besides, I've always wondered what it would be like to have a blind governor.
I'm gonna go ahead and blame the Gawker servers for the missing "h" in "his career."
First thing I would say to my wife would be "I told you so many times that I wanted to do anal honey".
@MisterHippity: Nom. I don't want him to resign, I want him to share.
Didn't he learn anything from Bill? Stick to diddling the interns, it's cheaper too!
My cigar tastes funny.
I'm all for legalizing prostitution, but it seems to me that buffing your resume with anti-prostitution ring busts makes for really bad copy when you are caught frequenting one. Not really Governor material, which he never was to begin with apparently.
@BettyCrocker: $5500 and he doesn't get her a ticket to the shuttle.
Jersey had to resign, and it wasn't even illegal. Hate to say it, but he gotta resign, if only to stand with his brothers getting the gay on the side.
On the other hand, there is Barney Frank and his former roomate. Hmmm...
@Conbon: Succinctly and accurately put.
He won't have to resign, anyway. Fucker'll get impeached anyway.
Can't "steamroll" corrupt politicians in Albany when you are a corrupt politician.
@eastvillageidiot: AND -- he did it with YOUR money.
State Troopergate: Spitzer's aides--but not the governor, mind you!--instructed the State Police to keep detailed records on State Sen. Joseph Bruno's use of state helicopters and such when he traveled. The idea was to catch the uber-powerful Republican leader of the New York State Senate misusing state resources for personal fundraising golf junkets and the like. For those who aren't in the know, the Republican majority in the New York State Senate is down to one seat, and it was clear that Spitzer's office was hoping to get some kind of dirt on Bruno to bring him down in a corruption scandal. When Bruno found out that the Governor's office had effectively enlisted the State Police to spy on him, State Troopergate was born. State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo later ruled the actions of the Governor's staff were "inapprorpriate" but not illegal. A couple of high-place staffers took the hit for Spitzer and resigned.
Yeah, I went from jumping up and down on the false retirement reports back to quietly morose. I think Spitzer sees his potential for a legacy the same way, which means he and his minions are going to continue to make life a pain in the ass for banks.
High-profilers can survive a shot like this, but only if they IMMEDIATELY wag the dog. Why do I get this horrible sinking feeling that "wagging the dog" means acres of bullshit paperwork and disclosure? Why do I have a feeling that the next two months to two years just became a wasteland for bank productivity?
I think he shouldn't resign. But then again I think that because I get the feeling that if he does it will touch of a set of political musical chairs that will wind up with RFK Jr in the US Senate. Say hello to Shamelot.
According to TSG, it was $4300 for 4 hours. So the real question is why he went so cheap and what the hell he was doing for 4 hours.
@TheHonJudgeSmails: I'm so sucinct I don't need to use all the leters. See?
@TheHonJudgeSmails: We don't quite know that yet, but if he did it with taxpayer money, I expect to get my fair share! 2 seconds of fondling should do.
If he honestly paid $5,500, the hooker should still be in his lap.
Nothing to do with subjective, icky "morality" at all. He broke the law (and a federal one at that), and very sadly, he'll need to resign.
@lawyergay: This doesn't even make Rove's C-list of dirty tricks.
I would agree that he shouldn't resign EXCEPT for the fact that he went after these kinds of rings when he was AG. If he was just a regular guy getting some extracurricular, I'd be completely on board with no-resign argument, but it's too hypocritical, even for a politician. [But even as I write this I'm having second thoughts...I mean, if Larry Craig can hang on, why not Elliott Spitzer?]
@sadclown: Wouldn't it be great if he played this entirely different? Got all tough and boasted it was the best five thousand bucks he ever spent?
This isn't a moral issue at all. It's one thing to screw a lady other than your wife. It's another to slip loads of cash to a hooker.
He'd have to back up his career as a corporate morality finger pointer by resigning.
[I'm sure the folks at Sony/BMG are toasting each other and cutting fresh check for select Top 40 stations. Huzzah!]
the sex part isn't a big deal, alex, but a criminal indictment is. he might be able to slog his way throught that, but at what cost to his political reputation and his ability to run the state? being a governor is hard enough; doing it while being named as criminal defendent is infintely worse. he should resign and rehab himself in the private sector. that's not just for our sake, but for his own.
@ae38: That's the sad part. He was probably weeping about his broken marriage the whole 4 hours.
Aren't there interns and State department employees available for some short term sexual release or is that limited to the President's executive privilege?
@eastvillageidiot: I'm going to use my federal tax rebate to purchase a clothes-on, 4-minute handjob from one of these gals.
Spitzer hired a hooker
At $4300, a looker
NY was fraught
As Spitzer, once caught
Said: "Free me, but book her."
Is there a 10-year-old wannabe Mafioso who doesn't know you don't do business--especially dirty business--over the phone? Unbelievably the Feds caught Spitzer on the line with a hooker enterprise ordering up a hot body to be sent to his hotel room in Washington. Arrogant enough to suppose everything goes? Self-destructive?
My guess is he'll now lash himself to a shrink's couch long enough--he hopes--for this mis-schtup to blow over.
After 12 years of a Bush-caliber chief state executive, we were lucky enough to get a people's fighter into the Governor's Mansion. It's our loss that he proved, Clinton-like, unable to control himself. A steamroller, as he called himself, without a sense of direction.
@thegayrecluse: Because Larry Craig didn't do anything illegal?
@Conbon: I thought you were doing an English thing. 'ello!
WAS HE SET UP?
@thegayrecluse: Larry Craig only committed a misdemeanor. (I'm not a Republican, I swear).
@MisterHippity: So Governor Elliot's really no looker,
And he pays to mash genitals with a hooker,
But say what you will
I'd have him governing still,
unless it was minor who was his pornhusker.
Heaven help him if this paves the way for Governor Giuliani.