"If the public is fine," Spitzer'll stay

by fairleft, Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:01:32 PM EST

Democrats privately floated another option, telling The Associated Press that Spitzer was considering what was almost unthinkable immediately after Monday's bombshell apology: hanging on.

"If the public is fine, he'll stay," said a Democrat who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_o n_re_us/spitzer_prostitution;_ylt=AubV4U wBC.zZ25BzZ38P7O6s0NUE

Sounds like a plan! C'mon Democrats and democrats, we have a democracy to defend: don't buckle under to the prudes!

Right now the people are being bullrushed by the media scandalmongers, and feel 'weird' to say they "don't get" why this should mean anulling the 2006 gubernatorial election. But if Spitzer waits this out a few weeks, like Bill Clinton did when the 'stained' dress evidence came out, the feeding frenzy will pass. The media will move on to another sex scandal, and average people will recover their common sense.

I hope Spitzer does wait out the b.s. storm, it would be good for the democratic system. The people of New York elected him governor not very long ago. That should count for a lot, and definitely a lot more than his private indiscretions. Yes, his hypocrisy and ego aren't pretty but name me a politician without a big ego and who isn't a hypocrite? Governors (and Presidents) should be booted for high crimes, not for hypocrisy and victimless 'misdemeanors'.


Poll
Eliot Spitzer:
Go.
Wait it out, the storm will blow over.

Votes: 13
Results : Vote Link : Polls


Tags: Eliot Spitzer (all tags)

Display:
Permalink :: 43 Comments :: Post a Comment


Re: "If the public is fine, he'll stay" (2.00 / 1)

I'm not sure what the right thing to do is, but I do think that it's okay to take a week or so to think it over.


by OrangeFur on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:06:10 PM EST

dont buckle under the prudes! (none / 0)

GREAT LINE!


vote blue in 2008
by sepulvedaj3 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:06:21 PM EST

Re: dont buckle under the prudes! (none / 0)

yer missing a preposition (almost said 'proposition') there


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:12:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

he needs to go (none / 0)

He's only serving his own ego and lust for power by staying. The people voted for him, and if something happened, for his successor.

This guy was paying money to an prostitution ring that apparently had connections to the Gambino crime family. Even worse, he was doing this while he was supposed to be the highest ranked law enforcement figure (Att'y General) in the state.


by highgrade on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:07:20 PM EST

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

Don't you want to confirm that and other 'apparentlys' before throwing the elected governor overboard? Things need to slow down, and then we can see what we really have in a couple weeks.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:16:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

Our state government cannot be thrown up in the air and sit in limbo for a couple weeks just to "make sure" Then, the people WILL DEFINITELY turn against him.

He all but confessed already...he needs to go before the end of the week.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:25:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

Well then, don't let the media scandalmongers and the Republicans throw it up in the air. Fight for your 2006 democratic election to be honored rather than revoked.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:29:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

There are situations in which our election needs to be revoked, this is one of those times. I am not going to support a hypocritcal criminal for the mere reason not supporting him will be a victory for the Republicans.

The Republicans won the second the Governor dropped his pants.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:33:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

I put more weight on elections than on sex scandals.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:53:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

when sex scandals cancel out the reason we elected you, the election results are tainted. We elected a lie.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:55:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: he needs to go (none / 0)

Democracy isn't pretty and it isn't a given, we have to fight for it. You and the mainstream media don't value it very highly if misdemeanors (when they involve SEX!) cancel it.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:58:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

The people of New York would never had elected him governor in hindsight.

He has to go, this is not a time to wait out a storm. He has to do, he cannot govern effectively anymore and he has lost the people's trust, something he has been gradually losing since taking office.

I'm not defending him just because he's a Democrat...the Democrat who will replace him is much much better


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:09:06 PM EST

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

I'd like to wait a few weeks and base a decision on how the people really feel rather than on the media's sex-soaked frenzy. Because he was elected governor, not the other guy, and nothing happened other than misdemeanor victimless crimes.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:14:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

What he did was a felony. Since he took a prostitute across state lines.

Also I want him gone cause he is a disgusting vile human being. Did anyone see that sad face of his wife? If I ever saw Spitzer I'd like to slug him in the face.


by Cheebs on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:17:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

What state line? I thought he met her in a hotel in D.C. In any case, his crimes are obviously not high crimes. We need to wake up and not prudishly but common-sensically think about what actually happened here. A guy paid someone for sex. NOT high crime or even close.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:20:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

Word he paid to have her come from NY. Even if it's not a felony who cares?

He ran on reform and ethics. He showed himself to be a horrible horrible man.

Why should we let corrupt vile people like Spitzer be elected officials? He needs to go because he has shown himself to have no morals.


by Cheebs on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:24:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

So he didn't take her across state lines?

I agree he paid for sex with someone. I don't think that makes him "vile" and I don't think it shows he has "no morals." But if you feel that way, I understand why you'd want him to resign.

I don't think most Democrats feel that way, as they showed overwhelmingly during the Lewinsky scandal.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:32:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

Most Democrats in NY

at leas the ones I talk to want Spitzer gone. I know not one person still supporting him right now.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:34:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

NYers are letting a media feeding frenzy kill (none / 0)

off the 2006 election.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:41:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NYers are letting a media feeding frenzy kill (none / 0)

Yes, because they no longer what Spitzer as their Governor. Are you here in New York? Are you talking about this with fellow New Yorkers? They want to take back the 2006 election.

Before this, they had already thrown in the towel on him. He hasn't be 1/10 of the governor he said he'd be...and this is the straw that broke the camel's back.

New Yorkers, myself included, made a huge mistake when we voted for this guy. He needs to go.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:44:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NYers are letting a media feeding frenzy kill (none / 0)

I'm saying wait a couple weeks till the sex/media frenzy has cooled down. Then calmly decide whether his indiscretions justify canceling his 2006 election by the people of New York.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:46:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NYers are letting a media feeding frenzy kill (none / 0)

We need a Governor.

We have important issues to tackle right now. We have a budget to work on that we'd like to get in on time or at least close to one time for once, we have a property tax commission that is meeting around the state, we don't have a couple weeks to sit down and decide. Spitzer will be a completely ineffective Governor because of this.

We need a Governor, we'll have one in Paterson.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:50:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

Did you at all see why I said it isnt the same as Bill? Bill didnt run a campaign about how he is against sleeping with interns.

Spitzer did what he campaigned against. He had campaign commericals about how he cracked down on prostitution rings.

He is a hypocrite.


by Cheebs on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:37:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

The diary states that Spitzer has, in fact, revealed himself as a hypocrite. It's not exactly a surprise that another politician has so exposed himself. And definitely not impeachable or grounds for anulling the 2006 election.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:39:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

The guy was on the rocks with the people before this. This won't blow over. He can not get the confidence of the people of this state back. He cannot govern effectively. He will be an albatross around the neck of New York Democrats for three more years tops.

He needs to go...victimless crimes or not, he was Attorney General for eight years, top law enforcer. It doesn't make it ok the crime was victimless...maybe it shouldn't be a crime, but as long as it is, and he did it, he cannot be Governor. I will not support him.

and I worked on his campaign.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:23:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

Bowing down to the right-wing media just makes Democrats weaker.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:33:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The public is NOT fine (none / 0)

Defending a hypocrite who committed a crime only makes Democrats look like Republicans. No one is going to care that we didn't cave to the Republicans, they're going to care that we defended a hypocrite who committed a crime and broke the trust of the people.

This isn't about bowing to the right wing. This is about right and wrong and this time, we're on the wrong side and we have to accept it.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:40:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Defending democracy against sex scandalmongers (none / 0)

Is a worthwhile thing to do. There's no need to defend Spitzer.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:47:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This isn't about the sex (none / 0)

it's about the hypocracy and the former top law enforcer breaking the law. He is, in my mind and in the mind of most New Yorkers, disqualified himself from holding his office. I would feel the same way if Nelson Rockefeller turned out to be using drugs.

When you run for Governor bragging about how you shut down prostitution rings while you, yourself, are screwing prostitutes, that means to me your campaign was a lie. It's as if we hired you for a job and found out your resume was false. You have disqualified yourself from holding your job.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:53:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"If the public is fine," Spitzer'll stay (2.00 / 1)

Heh, I don't think the public is fine though.

There's been a certain hardening of opinion in the blogosphere today, people wanting him to hang in there to send a message that the Republicans can't take one of us out that easily.

However, that's not the sentiment I'm sensing on the ground in New York, even among Democratic activists.  The sense is that Spitzer simply hasn't been effective in enacting the reform agenda, for whatever reason, and that everyone may be better off if we get a fresh start with Lt. Gov. Paterson.

I really think Spitzer is just trying to leverage his way out of criminal charges at this point.


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:17:47 PM EST

Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

'Everyone' thinks he must resign because everyone thinks he must resign. Do you see ANYBODY in the blogosphere other than me advocating my pretty damn common-sense position? And so conventional thinking 'pressure' for resignation becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Until many more common-sense people speak out that it's b.s.

I don't see a lot of difference from the Lewinsky scandal: no high crime here, so go home scandalmongers. Let's let Spitzer himself go home and make amends with his wife.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:25:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

Why do you see so many liberals calling for Spitzer to step down but so few did for Clinton?

There was a major difference. Spitzer is a hypocrite. He RAN on taking down prostitution rings. He had a commerical about it! His campaign message was how he was so tough on crime and proud of his ethics.

This destroys his entire image. It's far different than what happened with Bill.

Bill didn't run a campaign on how he wont sleep around with interns. Spitzer ran a campaign about stopping what he did himself.


by Cheebs on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:29:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

Yes, he's a hypocrite, as I mentioned in the diary. NEWS: politicians are hypocrites. As for me, I think "taking down prostitution rings" should be a very low priority in the great scheme of things, so if this scandal forces a pull back on that, fine.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:38:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

if it was such a low thing why did he run multiple campaign commericals on it?


by Cheebs on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:39:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

What if I'm right that the Lt. Gov. would simply be a more effective progressive than Spitzer?


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:32:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

It's not your call, the people of New York elected Spitzer.

Unless there's a 'high crime' or a 'serious crime' elected officials should not be forced to resign. What kind of country are we becoming when a minor misdemeanor cancels an election?


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:35:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

Well then, the people of New York can call for his resignation.  He is not being "forced" to resign, it's his decision, but the electorate is definitely allowed to express its opinion.


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:45:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

As it is.

I am one of those people, I am here among the people of New York...we are calling overwhelmingly for his resignation.


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:46:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wait 48-72 hours (none / 0)

And I'm saying I hope Spitzer waits till the sex scandal dies down. I think that will show respect for the democratic election, when New Yorkers calmly and overwhelmingly decided, in the privacy of their voting booths, to make Eliot Spitzer governor.

I hope Spitzer delays his decision to see whether public opinion will come back to its senses. I think it will, as it did for Bill Clinton more than once.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:50:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Here's a deal. (none / 0)

Maybe he should offer to resign if and only if David Vitter also resigns. I give Larry Craig a pass, since I don't think he did anything illegal.


by OrangeFur on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:20:13 PM EST

Re: Here's a deal. (none / 0)

It is sort of funny that Craig is the most sympathetic character out of that bunch.  Personally, I agree with you and think Spitzer should resign but so should Vitter.  It's pretty ridiculous that this is a media frenzy and David Vitter is just hanging out in the US Senate.  


by HSTruman on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:24:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a deal. (none / 0)

How 'bout nobody resign unless they've committed a serious felony or at least a 'high crime' as that was originally understood in 1789. That would be the approach most respectful of the voters' will, and least obsequious to MSM scandalmongering.


We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.
by fairleft on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:27:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a deal. (none / 0)

I was just joking... I was thinking we could pick up an extra Senate seat in November.


by OrangeFur on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 06:33:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]


You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.

Login
Username:

Password: