Spitzer: What is there to say?

The NY Post has a story that digs the hole even deeper for former "Love Gov" Eliot Spitzer. What was in his mind? I will bet it had nothing to do with providing real tax relief and governmental reform to the electorate in The Empire State.

It's a new allegation about the same old problem for Mr. Spitzer. The ones to have sympathy for are Mrs. Spitzer and the Spitzer children. This wasn't fair for them. As for him, well...disappointment doesn't begin to say it. He did manage to live up (or more apty down) to the worst notions of what can happen with politicians.

Click on the headline and go to the NY Post story.

A political obituary for Eliot Spitzer

I was just discussing the Spitzer scandal and the Manhattan prostitute, who is originally from Belmar, with someone who is involved in county politics. This is a seedy story, there's no doubt about it. It made the front-page of the APP, the Ledger, etc. It's news.

But let's face it, politicians are always going to have their scandals. As much as the most 'dignified' icons in the political jungle might want to believe otherwise, there is nothing preordained, anointed or otherwise supernatural about their respective leadership traits. Politicians are just people, who are as flawed and screwed up as anyone else.

Does it take some extraordinary ability to be a politician? Well, it takes some stage presence and ability to be presentable and communicate to some degree. They should be lucid, for sure.

But, taking for granted sparkling character? That is a reach. I can trust that politicians will portray they have sparkling character, and lie straight into anyone's face without a skipped step that it is true. They may even pledge great oathes and swear on the tomb of some long dead politician (who just never got caught at their bad character).

There are some great politicians out there, which I could count on two hands. And then there are most of them.

The deal here is that a former denizen of Monmouth County's malls is involved in this scandal as a prostitute, but that is less important than the fact that a hypocritical, alleged 'crime buster' who made his career preaching law and order but got caught otherwise is out of the game.

There's no lasting importance to Eliot Spitzer being caught in this scandal, or even him stepping down. I expect it will take all of 20 minutes for America to forget about him, as he settles into obscurity somewhere. If he's remembered at all, he will "the Love Gov," as he's been dubbed by the New York media. And as for the momentary celebrity of Gov. Spitzer's unconventional employee, her 15 minutes is probably on the clock.

Instead of being shocked, I think it's more a matter of waiting to see who is next. And there will be a next. There's always a 'next' with politicians. Does that sentiment say anything about politics and government? Maybe.

It's a hard game. There are some people at all levels that can handle it, but most cannot. In general, a few people in politics want to serve the people. But most just want to get stuff for themselves. The theater that goes on makes it hard to tell the difference between them for the audience, otherwise known as the electorate.

Spitzer resigns in wake of scandal

NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer has resigned his post. It was the right decision. Click on the headline to go to the AP story.

Spitzer apologizes for connections to prostitution ring

Apparently, NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer has acknowledged and apologized for involvement with a prostitution ring. Are apologies enough for breaking laws that he, as governor, was appointed to protect? Not in my opinion. Someone has a right to privacy right up until it breaks the law -- then the issue becomes a public one.

For a governor to be linked to this sort of thing is a scandal, which I am sure will fuel tabloids for a while. But more importantly any public official, in any state, that breaks the law with this nonsense does not deserve a free pass. Serving as an elected public official is not an easy thing, but then again no one broke his arm to do it.

Spitzer should do the right thing here, which probably means him not being governor anymore. Click on the headline to go to YahooNews!

Spitzer 'involved' with prostitution ring?

A news piece just came up on YahooNews. I don't even know what it means: The report says that the office of NY Governor Eliot Spitzer says he has an involvment with a prostitution ring. Hopefully, that means he was prosectuing them, or sanctioning them, or trying to get rid of them.