Open thread
March 10th, 2008. Filed under: Asides.You know why.
Central New York
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March 10th, 2008
Can you believe this? Wonder if he used his steamroller line on the escort?
March 10th, 2008
Maybe he can blame trace amounts of Cialis in Albany’s water supply.
March 10th, 2008
You know, back in the old days, if governors and presidents couldn’t stay faithful to their wives, there was such a thing as “mistresses.” Intelligent, mature, discreet women who did not have to be directly paid. Where are these women, and why is it all about interns and $5000 whores now?
Sorry, that’s the sort of thing that’s crossing my mind right now…
Except to say, and I know it seems too cruel and blunt, but maybe the people of this state are better off than waiting and waiting and hoping and hoping for the guy to finally get his act together. Question answered. No more waiting necessary.
March 10th, 2008
What do we know about the Lt Gov? I know he is from NYC as well.
Shocking. He will have to resign, the public outcry will be too great, and he has completely lost leverage against GOP counterparts in the legislature.
Amazing this was held in confidence and didn’t leak out prior to the election. I guess THAT is what you pay the 5 G’s for.
I had such hope for Spitzer.
March 10th, 2008
What do we know about Paterson? I know that it will be a relief to see him sworn in at 7 pm this evening.
At least he knows the Senate, and the business of state. Paterson was SUPPOSED to be the next Senate Majority leader. Then Spitzer grabbed him - another decision I never liked.
Who didn’t have high hopes for Spitzer? He certainly knew the rhetoric that pushed our buttons. I think he TRIED to make stabs at what he needed to do. Always too little, too late. I think back on everything I’ve written about him since mid-2006 and all I can remember is much hoping, and always disappointment, on many many things.
Our state has a huge ego and this is quite a blow. Have to hope there’s a silver lining in that. Best to do it sharp and clean BEFORE the recession really hits.
March 10th, 2008
Am really worried that this will focus energy in NYS government on the very worst aspects of human idiocy, celebrity-misbehavior-type news, and there will be no discussion of much of real policy significance. So, again, nothing of importance in the way of governing will get in the way of personal, 3-men-in-room, court drama.
We should be relieved that David Paterson is there. I always had much more respect for him– esp. his kind of intellect– than Eliot.
March 10th, 2008
If Spitzer gets this over with quickly, the news cycle will move on quickly as well.
I just feel deeply sorry for his wife and girls, to have to be put through this - at their age.
I know I was really disappointed when Spitzer tapped Paterson for Lt Gov - not just because it was 2 downstaters. Paterson (and was it Schneiderman?) had been planning to take the Senate for years, and Paterson was going to be majority leader. When Spitzer did that, I was like… “WHY??”
March 10th, 2008
Does this mean we’ll be voting for both a Prez and a Gov this fall? Joy!
March 10th, 2008
No, whoever replaces Spitzer would serve out the rest of his term.
March 10th, 2008
The news just keeps getting worse!
March 10th, 2008
Reform can’t be a person.
I’ve been thinking that for a while, in my disappointment about Spitzer, but I’m afraid this demonstrates it in a way I couldn’t have imagined until a few hours ago.
March 10th, 2008
This is the most recent link I’ve been able to find on anything about resignation.
http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/spitzer.prostitution.ring.2.673848.html
48 hour process? How typically New York.
March 10th, 2008
I never liked Spitzer. He was way too heavy handed as a prosecutor. He liked to bully people and you know what they say about bullies. They like to be spanked by their $5000 an hour call girls.
March 10th, 2008
The best explanation I read about why resignation may take awhile was an unnamed aide’s statement that you have to stay in office in order to have something to barter with to keep yourself out of prison.
Long way from the Sheriff of Wall St., eh? One report stated that cheers broke out on the Stock Exchange trading floor when the news broke.
The worst thing about this whole affair is that the people’s business will take a back seat for a long while.
March 10th, 2008
Oh, interesting. So let me get this straight… New York’s recovery (what little of it there is) grinds to a halt while we have a politically crippled governor hanging on to his seat just so HE won’t go to jail?
Just lovely.
I can’t bear to see any pictures of either him or his wife, it’s just too SAD.
March 11th, 2008
Dear Eliot ‘Great Pumpkin’ Spitzer,
I would have f***ed you for free if it meant you could have saved New York State government from itself. You steamrolled my heart.
Sincerely,
Disappointed York Stater
March 11th, 2008
Q: What’s the difference between Eliot Spitzer and a prostitute?
A: Nothing these days.
March 11th, 2008
i never liked Spitzer as a politician, but I don’t “hate” him and I am dismayed at the lascivious and snide remarks about a horribly personal matter. This is not a time for political enemies to gloat. It brings shame on all of us.
Ellen, a person’s sexual activities betrays his character. If a husband cannot control his urges, how can he control a state or a nation or his own lust for power or control? Back in the old days, if governors and presidents couldn’t stay faithful to their wives, there was such a thing as divorce, disgrace, and removal from office. It isn’t like our country is suddenly prudish since Pat Robertson was born. The “it’s only sex” argument is a lame one and has always been lame, especially for the devoted and devastated women on the other side.
The issue is that faithlessness harms others. It destroys the family which breaks down the structure of society. Men in higher positions of power should be all the more self-controlled, prudent, and faithful, not only as “role models” but because this makes them better leaders as well as better persons.
Additionally, the question also begs to be asked: why weren’t the FBI investigators concerned about the prostitution ring until Spitzer was eyed. What the?!
March 11th, 2008
Agree, Mrs. Mecomber. As far as the prostitution ring not being “of interest” until Spitzer was found to be involved, if I am reading things right, it went like this: there were some suspicious money transfers found by auditors looking at the governor’s finances– investigators followed up with the shell accounts into which the funds were transferred– the shell accounts were found to be associated with this escort service– and, then, the case against the prostitution ring was begun. So, basically, he led them to it.
March 11th, 2008
There is now a State Police internal investigator to figure out what Spitzer’s security detail was doing during all this.
This is even more of why this is so disturbing: the gray areas about how state troopers, assigned to protect the governor, could be put in the difficult situation of possibly having to “put up and shut up” about any illegal activities he might have been involved with — either that, or being forced or enticed to leave him alone and not be doing their duty of protecting him. It boggles the mind.
Don’t our troopers deserve better than to be put in this position?