Don't be so mean! He's only a punter, not a pimp So what if he's been involved in prosecuting or condemning prostitution rings ? Just a bit of extra research, that's all
He says that this is not what being in politics is about; it's not why he joined ( and, anyway, what's politics without a bit of hypocrisy ?)
That’s just the thing, I liked the Governor and many of his policies and how he put them into action and got something accomplished.
My problem with him now is that he is a hypocrite. I honestly don’t care with who, what or however he finds his jollies, but don’t put yourself out there being “holier than thou” and be anything but.
I am curious to find out where the money came from for this, and I hope we find out soon.
Some of SPITZER'S STATEMENT:
"Today, I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and that violates my or any sense of right and wrong. I apologize to my family. I apologize to the public, to whom I promised better"
Apology not accepted by me yet Governor . If you can lie to the one person you personally swore to, what else are you lying about?
More of SPITZER'S STATEMENT:
I will not be taking questions. Thank you very much. I will report back to you in short order.
Please do Governor, I will be waiting
Posts: 3621 | Location: Long Island, New York USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Is there a reason why all these wives stand up in front of the press while their husbands confess their sins? Is it they are being loyal, despite the disloyalty of their spouse? Or do they like the power that goes along with being wife of a powerful man? I have never understood why a wife, on camera, didn't turn and say, "You sob. How could you be such a frickin schmuck?" Guess it won't happen.
I have never understood why a wife, on camera, didn't turn and say, "You sob. How could you be such a frickin schmuck?" Guess it won't happen.
Oh I think it happens, but no, not in front of the camera. Yeah, I think they lose their own integrity being the wife of someone so powerful, and having the money and social status that goes with that. She looks stoic in the news clips doesn't she? You can bet she's weighed up the situation, considered what she has to lose, and dealt with him already.
Originally posted by juanruiz: Is there a reason why all these wives stand up in front of the press while their husbands confess their sins?
Think about the type of person who would marry a politician. They go into the marriage knowing they will forever be taking a back seat to campaigning, elections, donors, consultants, staff, other politicians, superdelegates, etc. When the line to see your spouse is that long, what's one extra prostitute thrown into the mix?
Besides, many of these "marriages" among politicians are not true marriages the way normal people define the word. They are partnerships to further a goal, usually to obtain power...cough, cough, Bill & Hillary Clinton, cough, cough, perfect example, cough, cough.
When there is no love or respect among the spouses, there can be no real anger, other than that they got caught. Leave their spouse and they lose the power that goes along with the sham marriage. Stand by their spouse, and they still have some chance at some power. Respect? Principle? Doing the right thing? These concepts are alien to politicians and their spouses.
I am curious to find out where the money came from for this, and I hope we find out soon.
That's a great question. Apparently the little tryst cost $4,300. Is Spitzer not well heeled personally? Reports suggested his father is a real estate developer worth about half a billion dollars or so.
---------------------------
I cannot imagine being one of his daughters right now.
Posts: 7619 | Location: in the backwoods of North Carolina | Registered: 06-07-02
And apparently there was more than just the one "little tryst". There were wire taps, etc.Does anyone doubt that a governor's travel expenses are covered by the taxpayers?
Any particular politicians in mind, John? Of course, you couldn't mean either Mrs. Bush, or Nancy Reagan, or Betty Ford, could you? Surely not Mrs. Dole. (Pick either his first or second wife.) You couldn't mean either of John McCain's wives. No, the spouse would have to be a Democrat, I'm sure. And, if (God forbid) a Libertarian politician somehow makes it to the national scene, why, I bet that would be different. The words like "kind, loving, and supportive" would be in order.
What is it about the Right that makes them wave the Family Values flag, yet deny the possibility of a wife actually loving her husband?
Posts: 16633 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
I specifically said they were the "perfect example", not the only example!
Notice that prior to using that one very current and very topical "perfect example" I continually used the term "politicians" not narrowing it down to any single party. I distrust all politicians of any and all parties.
Besides, if you want to talk about not mentioning party affiliation, the mainstream media holds that record. Check out this slide show from ABC News. A sampling of 7 republicans and 6 democrats accused or involved in sex scandals are listed: 6 of the republicans are identified as republicans. Only one democrat is identified as democrat. Granted, to me it doesn't matter which party they belong to. That's not the point. The point is if they are going to mention party affiliation once, then they should mention it in all cases. But they just can't bring themselves to do it. No matter how biased you think I am, I could never stoop to the low levels of the mainstream media in the way they routinely go out of their way to downplay wrongdoings by democrats. I have no problem with their going after republicans and libertarians when they do stupid things. But they are just not consistent when it comes to the party of their favor.
I am very disappointed in Eliot Spitzer if the accusations against him come to be accurate. I am disappointed that he would participate in the very thing that he had been so adamant about breaking up. I am very sorry for his family, and I am very sorry for the women involved in and likely misused by the prostitution ring. It is a shame that our personal private sex lives can be dragged across the media as front-page headlines like this. Prostitution is illegal in the states in question, so if he has been involved with prostitution then he has committed a crime, but it is unfortunate that he could not keep his personal life private. Failing your wife, who may forgive you or not and love you or not as is her own decision, and your family should not be an automatic disqualification for public office and such personal matters are not our business. Unfortunately, there are other issues above and beyond his personal life, it appears, and that is when it becomes the business of the people of New York.
Posts: 4387 | Location: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Think about the type of person who would marry a politician.
For the record, regarding the politicians mentioned above:
When Hillary married Bill Clinton,in 1975, he was already politically active and had lost in a race for the House of Representatives. He became Attorney General of Arkansas in 1976.
When Barbara married George H. W. Bush in 1944, Bush was 20 and had just returned from the war. He did not run for office until 20 years later.
George W. Bush married Laura in 1977 and lost a run at the House of Representatives in 1978. He returned to business and did not seek political office until his 1994 campaign for Governor or Texas.
The Fords married in 1948. It was her second marriage. He was campaigning for the House of Representatives.
Nancy Davis married Ronald Reagan in 1952. They were both actors. Reagan had strong political interests but did not run for office until the 1960s.
You may recall that Bob Dole was severaly injured during the second world war. His married his first wife, Phyllis, who was an occupational therapist at the hospital where he recovered, in 1948. He did seek political office and in 1950 became a Kansas state representative. He was a US Senator when he married Liddy in 1975. He ran for Vice President in 1976.
When McCain married his first wife, Carol, in 1965, she had already been married. He adopted her two children. He was in the US Navy, and was assigned to the USS Forrestal in 1966. The Forrestal was deployed to Vietnam the following year. He met his current wife, Cindy, while still married. He divorced Carol and married Cindy in 1980. John McCain retired from the Navy in 1981 and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982.
Of note, both Elizabeth Dole and Hillary Clinton, who are United States Senators, have sought the Presidency.
Posts: 7619 | Location: in the backwoods of North Carolina | Registered: 06-07-02
What is it that Americans find so distasteful about this story?
A)Is it that a Governor uses prostitutes ?
B)Is it that a Governor who has presented himself as a family man and a champion of respectable, moral behaviour and pursues those who are immoral (or something along those lines) uses prostitutes ?In that case, the grave fault is hypocrisy.
(C)Is it that he tried to lie about it ? (It doesn't seem so, for he had no real option, but he may have tried: our coverage doesn't indicate clearly )
(D)Is it that he used public money to aid him or her in these trysts?
For me, if he used public money, it is D, although I acknowledge that A constitutes a crime. However, you left out one important factor: When New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer was the state's attorney general, he built his career on rooting out public corruption, and became a national figure with a series of high-profile Wall Street investigations. He also prosecuted prostitution rings. That, in my opinion, changes things.
Posts: 16633 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
[QUOTE]Originally posted by DorianGreyed: I acknowledge that A constitutes a crime. /QUOTE]
How? Is using prostitutes a crime in New York State ? Or is it a crime of misconduct in public office in this instance ?
If the latter, how is it misconduct? The Republicans are talking of impeaching him, but on what grounds ? (If it's for sexual misconduct and we did that in Europe we'd be losing Prime Ministers and Heads of State, let alone mayors and Chief Executives of towns and cities almost as fast as we could choose new ones ) The one instance that comes to mind is of a Director of Public Prosecutions in Britain who resigned after being cautioned once by police for accosting a street walker and then being fool enough to do the very same thing again, in the same area, on a later date. Note that the police did not report him the first time,not because of his position but because that was their practice.The only mystery about that was that he chose girls in the seediest part of London, in the street, when he could have had a top class call girl in an apartment , in which case nobody would have bothered him, that not being a crime on his part nor the woman's.(Picking up prostitutes soliciting in the street is an offence in the man. Her conduct is also an offence, of soliciting for immoral purposes)
Prostitution is illegal in every state, with the exception of Nevada, and even there it is illegal in the two largest counties. Many local areas are now publishing the names of the johns as well as the prostitutes.
Posts: 16633 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Originally posted by DorianGreyed: Prostitution is illegal in every state, with the exception of Nevada, and even there it is illegal in the two largest counties. Many local areas are now publishing the names of the johns as well as the prostitutes.
Amazing ! Now tell me that gambling is illegal, nobody under twenty one can buy a drink and that there's no universal health care and I'll think the country is completely backward, for all its technology (though I might not believe you )
. If you can lie to the one person you personally swore to, what else are you lying about? 
