- The idea of Eliot Spitzer some day running for President Of The United States: it is over. It probably never was there to begin with, but now it is certainly over. But he should not resign.
- Nothing changes the fact that Spitzer is an extremely talented man.
- He had an extremely rough first year. A load of it can be attributed to anti-Semitism. He got more votes than Hillary. But Albany did not respect that.
- It is not easy to be Jewish, and be talented, and be a first, and be a fighter. You can end up alone.
- The personal attack on his father, he took it hard.
- At some level I was always uncomfortable about the fact that Spitzer made his wife quit her career. A job is not just about bringing in the dough to pay the bills. Silda is a wronged woman.
- Minority men tend to be more sexist in family settings. The pain the world inflicts on them, they in turn inflict on their families. That is the psychological explanation, but that is not an excuse.
- It was hard being Eliot Spitzer during his first year in office. And it was hard being his wife. It probably was harder being the wife. It is not easy to not be Jewish and still be able to relate to a man for whom the Holocaust - crime number one in the history of humanity - is heritage.
- He should have sought counseling instead of prostitution. I think his wife would have accompanied him. But it takes guts to seek counseling. Spitzer is gutsy, but maybe not gutsy enough.
- This is a Greek tragedy situation.
Processing The Holocaust Pain
The Jewish Identity In New York City
Working on my online autobiography has felt like Rambo taking bullets out of his arm digging with his own knife. I have been seeking to be cured. I relate to someone like Spitzer. The scale is not the same at all, but Eliot's first year reminds me of when I became a record breaking student body president at the number one liberal arts college in the South. I had much more dignity as a human being before than after I had just made myself technically the most powerful student on campus. My propensity to compromise was nil, my isolation was total and lasted years. My attitude was, I thought racist people like you were dead and gone, but if you are not dead and gone, time is on my side. You are at the pinnacle of your career, I have not even started yet, and I am already sitting across the table from you. Fuck, you just cost Berea a few buildings.
My heart goes out to Dave Pollak. He will have to be part of the damage control now. Pollak I got to know after I moved to the city. He is the founder of the most amazing political organization in the city: DL21C. He chairs the state party. Spitzer appointed him. In December I sent him a Facebook email saying you are such an "unpolitician politician." I like him personally. I respect his political instincts. And the dude just throws good parties.
When the Monica thing erupted, I was online at the Computer Center at Berea after dinner. I stayed up almost all night trying to get the latest. That hug video I watched so many times.
My first reaction was political. Ken Starr is the reason why this happened. Bill Clinton is not Jewish, but he is from Arkansas. You are not exactly the establishment when you are from Arkansas. Bill Clinton did Monica to protect his wife. He got sick and tired of his wife getting hounded by Starr. That was my political reaction.
But he punished Hillary for a mistake he made, that Hillary strongly advised against. He had the option to not authorize Ken Starr to do the investigations. He authorized him against Hillary's advice and then took him on a tour of the White House. That was naive.
But you can not imagine Hillary doing it to Bill Clinton, you can not imagine Silda doing it to Spitzer. That's what makes it sexist. Jews might have had the Holocaust, but women got Global Trafficking Of Women. Today. Don't get holy on me now.
Plan Of Action
- Seek serious counseling, wife by the side. It is okay to bring up anti-Semitism during counseling.
- The first year was always going to be hard. That is what happens to activist progressives. You are trying to get a sitting Titanic to move. It is not easy. And it sure takes time.
- Do not resign. Fuck Bruno.
- Pace yourself. You got eight years. Year three and beyond will be much better. You are on schedule to taking the Senate.
- Take extra pride in your Jewish heritage. Secular JFK started going to church every Sunday.
Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring New York Times, United States
NY governor apologises in scandal BBC News, UK
NY Assembly Minority leader says Gov should resign Reuters
New York's Spitzer Apologizes to Public for Conduct (Update2) Bloomberg
Gov. Spitzer apologizes to family, public CNN International
Spitzer Apologizes, Does Not Resign Washington Post, United States
Report: Spitzer Linked to Prostitution Ring WCAX, VT
ELECTION NOTEBOOK Spitzer sex scandal rocks Democrats MarketWatch
NY Gov. Spitzer Tied to Prostitution Bust Smartmoney.com
NY Governor Apologizes After Link to Prostitution Ring People Magazine
Eliot Spitzer: Breathtaking Recklessness? Kansas City Star, MO the crusading New York prosecutor who left no stones unturned tracking down suspected malfeasance, whether it be Wall Street wrongdoing or questionable contracts by a local school board. His resume includes the arrests of persons connected with at least two prostitution rings. ...... breathtaking recklessness on a par with Bill Clinton's White House dalliance.
What’s next for New York Governor Spitzer? Reuters He said nothing about possibly resigning.
New York governor acknowledges wrongdoing Monsters and Critics.com
NY Gov. Spitzer to resign-Fox News Reuters
NY governor Eliot Spitzer 'linked to prostitution' Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom a father of three ..... the ring operated in cities across the United States and in London and Paris, employing more than 50 prostitutes who charged clients fees ranging from US$1,000 to more than US$5,500 per hour. ..... Since his election in November 2006, he has emerged as one of the highest-profile figures on the national stage outside Washington. ..... He combines classic Democrat positions on illegal immigration and same-sex marriage with a tough approach to reforming the state’s governance and New York City’s financial services industry.
Spitzer's path to the governorship of New York Guardian, UK He did not win his cases every time and he made many enemies among the state's financial elite, but Spitzer's populist fervour made him a rising star in the national Democratic party. ..... By the time he polled 69% of the vote in the governor's race against Republican John Faso, US political analysts already had down as a future presidential hopeful. Like fellow Democratic prodigy Barack Obama, Spitzer was an editor of the law review at Harvard University; like former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, he earned crime-fighting credentials by taking on the state's organised crime networks. ..... He displayed a penchant for stubbornness that unnerved even his closest allies, campaigning against legislators from his own party when Democrats voted for a new state comptroller of whom Spitzer did not approve.
New York governor keeps job, despite prostitution link AFP
Spitzer's fall: The prosecutor and the prostitutes Baltimore Sun, United States There is nothing quite like a sex scandal to stop a successful politician in his tracks. ..... the Emperors Club collected more than $1 million in its international prostitution ring, charging $3,100 an hour for a "seven-diamond prostitute.'' For some, two- and three-day rates ran $35,000 and $55,000, federal court filings allege. ...... a ring ranging from Vienna to Miami ... Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, arrested in an airport men’s room, has resisted calls for his resignation. .... Soon, people may becoming a lot more familiar with another name. David Paterson.
1 comment:
Obama Spitzer does not look like such a good ticket any more, eh? Oh how quickly they fall. Obama will also tarnish quickly given enough power. No one should be above the law but so many think they are.
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