I’ve never heard of Spitzer before today. I had heard of the International Prostitution Ring busted up last week, and said to my husband I wonder who this is going to affect in the U.S. I hope he doesn’t leave his office. For every one that will be named there are thousands more in high positions in the U.S. who will never have their name brought out in public. This is a personal thing between he and his wife and family it should be left there. His background and what he has thus done in his career is who he is, not the person that gave into temptation for ten minutes.

I’ve never heard of Spritzer either, until this article. Should be interesting to see if this stops his career. If all he is guilty of is seeking a “lady of the evening”, which in some places is still against the law (except in NV and maybe another state?)then I think he should be cut some slack. He has apologized and should just have to deal with his family.

You never heard of the Governor of the State of New York?

Gov Spitzer is a tough on white collar crime guy and was a shoo in based on the work he has done. I do find it disturbing that prostitution is so rampant among celebrities and politicians. I believe in practicing the teachings of the Bible literally. Therefore, I say he who is without sin, cast the first stone. This not a “cover up” or escape hatch for sin, but something that the Lord specifically dealt with at the cross.
He has apologized and is seeking to earn the trust of his family. I do find that honorable. Hopefully, he has learned from this act and it will no longer be an issue for him.

It’s a tough world out there for politicians who enunciate moral standards that virtually none of us live up to in our daily lives, and then get caught out falling short. I don’t condone adultery – it’s hugely destructive – but it points out how important compassion and tolerance for others shortcomings are. My understanding is that Spitzer had climbed up onto a holier-than-thou hilltop, and his real fall isn’t about his sexual peccadillo but false pride, hypocrisy, dishonesty and self-righteousness. Jimmy Hoffa was famous for never cheating on his wife, but I don’t think anyone would point to him as a model of morality. I have a lot of compassion for him and his family. All of us are flawed – but not all of us have to go live on national television to account for our mistakes. I wish him and his family well.

After reading the newest report this a.m., I think the man should resign. Most people can forgive a slip once, but according to the defendent it was more than once and credit for the future. My sympathy to his family and to him if this is true.

When it comes to moralizing public officials, I think they all need to re-read their Shakespeare. “Me thinks thou dost protest too much”. I am always wary of those whose public stands on private morality are too vehement, too pointed, too grand. It usually belies a very private familiarity with the sin they decry.

Prostitution is against the law in New York, a fact he well knew. He broke the law. He loses all credibility as the chief magistrate of the state of New York. He should be removed from office and then be prosecuted for the crime just like anyone caught solciting on the street would be prosecuted. Governors cannot be above the law.

Although I agree that a governor is not above the law, I would say this is more of a personal issue. I don’t know that it should affect his stay in office unless they have specific rules against that sort of thing (although it will certainly affect his re-election) – otherwise it would be no different than stripping him of governorship over a parking ticket or littering violation. Punish him as the law demands, but then leave him be.
I may not approve of it, but I don’t believe prostitution should be illegal so it’s difficult to come down on Spitzer very hard for this.

If he had been caught having an affair, then I think it would be a personal matter. It’s the illegality of it that, in my opinion, bumps it up to a public affair (no pun intended!)

No Paul, until the news I never heard of him. I don’t live in NY. (though my sister-in-law does).
I think after listening to the news today, he’s out of there. He has already written his letter of resignation.
As Bill Clinton said in an interview, as to why men in power risk their offices by having affairs etc. He said “because they can.”

He’s in an especially tough position because he was a state prosecutor, a very effective one and in addition to some major scandals in business he went after, apparently he also went after prostitution. It’s somewhat like a preacher or “family friendly” politician who gets caught with his pants down (or his toe tapping).
I’m not sure what fraction of the guys get prosecuted in prostitution investigations but my impression is, it’s not many. If he’s prosecuted, especially at the federal level, and it turns out to be unusual to do so we’d have to wonder if it’s the Bush federal prosecutors cracking down on Democrats. What Bush has done and tried to do to the professionalism of the federal government is one of the reasons Bush should be impeached. I don’t know if this investigation and public humiliation is politically inspired but with what Bush has done to the federal prosecutors that’s clearly a possibility.

I believe Mr. Spitzer should resign simply because he if is willing to repeatedly break the promise he made when he married his wife, then how can the people of New York trust him to keep the promises he made to them.
Yes, this is a personal matter, but when a person chooses to be in public life as Mr. Spitzer has, then one’s personal life is the concern of those who support and trust the person.
I believe Bill Clinton should have resigned for breaking his marriage vows. And back in the 1960′s had we known what John Kennedy was up to, I would have called for his resignation, too.
Is this kind of thing common amongst our leaders? Regrettably it is. Perhaps if more of them were forced out of public life for these offences, fewer of them would indulge in such risky adventures.
My prayers are with Mrs. Spitzer. She is a brave woman to stand with her husband when no one would fault her if she slugged him in the nose!

WC:
I totally diagree that Clinton should have resigned because he was messing around, as that has nothing to do with his leadership. Bill actually broke no laws, but Spritzer was hiring prostitutes, thus breaking the law. As to the breaking of the marriage vows, that is a personal matter between the men and their wives.
JFK at least had his messing about with other women come out after his death. But if you have noticed, folks still think he was a great president. Personally I think he is regarded as “great” because he was assassinated.
Also find that prostitution being illegal is a waste of law enforcement’s time. What’s it called? Oldest profession.

I agree with you pagansister, Clinton, Kennedy, Roosevelt had affairs, they weren’t prostitutes. Actually I would think this would be more distressing to the wives, because personal emotions are involved. Spitzer just wanted sexual connection with a stranger. One thing that parallels all of these men and others in politics is; Huge egos, Power, and Money. Many political men, and Ministers have these, but not all use sexual relations in these ways. Human relations is very involved and not explainable to the average man on the street, it takes Psycologists, and Psychiatrists to make sense of these kinds of behavior.
Lisa Bloom said last night the wives of these men should not accompany them before TV Cameras as they apologize publicly, but felt they do this because they feel it’s required of them. Maybe some do, but I think the wives still are so in shock the only thing they can do is still remember how much their marriage with their husband means to them and really haven’t come to terms with rejection yet. Not every woman is instantly vindictive and ready to split I would think.
Eliot Spitzer is a very capable and intelligent man, look at all he has accomplished for the people of NY. He just needs to get his center back and balance himself. He was tough on crime and because of that he has many ememies and they are gleeful it seems. What goes round comes around.

Henrietta:
Yes, with power comes the ego to go with it. Power attracts and there are always those who belive that they are invincible since they are in the position of power.
As you mentioned, many of our presidents have had affairs….and somehow the country has managed to stay together. 2 separate issues, running the country and one’s private life. What is unfortunate now is that those in public life have no private life due to the snoopy press and their inability to just leave let the personal be just that, personal. No, it has to be a headline somewhere. Kennedy and that time before had trusted people working for them that were loyal. I don’t think anyone is loyal to the “boss” anymore if they think they can leak something to the press, they will.

I’m glad he resigned as he deserves to lose the respect of his constituents for his actions. Not because there is necessarily anything wrong with sleeping with a prostitute but because he *alledgedly* laundered money to do so and because it is clearly against his own belief system.
I don’t trust anyone who goes against what they believe.
Politicians should be exemplary citizens; it’s a shame the topsy turvy way the most despicable characters end up running our government.

Politicians are “people” too. They perhaps should be exemplary citizens, but not many are. I’m convinced that they all basicly change personalities with the power they feel after they are elected.

Spitzer did not do money laundering, the people who are being investigated in the Prostitution Ring are involved in money-laundering in a huge operation that is being investigated at this time according to guests of import on Larry Kings Show. The governor is just the tip of the iceberg in this operation that is said to be very involved and through the U.S. as well as Europe. It’s a shame that he got into this sex-trap because he could have been working on this with others at this time and been a great asset. One guest seemed to think the Call girl part is a small part connected to much more illegal things that make big money. When you throw out a net in the ocean and haul it in you sometimes find some interesting fish you didn’t even think about finding.