What if he had got away with his relationship with Prostitutes? Could he have been more significant?
WI No Spitzer scandal
- Thread starter Derek Jackson
- Start date
Vidal
Donor
potentially - NY doesn’t have term limits after all. Main effects I can think of are it limits cuomo’s ability to move up and he will pick the replacement for Hillary in the Senate, not Paterson.
So he does it and doesn’t get caught? He isn’t going to pass any FBI background check so he’s out for any Cabinet appointment. If he keeps running for office and doesn’t change his behavior he is going to get caught eventually. The amount of money he was spending got his account flagged for potential fraud attempt. His bank reported the activity because they thought he was being targeted, ironically.
I am actually reading a book called "Rough Justice" which details the rise and fall of Spitzer. Even before the scandal, Spitzer was an incompetent Governor who burned bridges with everyone, got himself in trouble with Troopergate, and acted like a thug (he threatened a Republican state legislator by saying, "I'm a f*cking steamroller!").
If he is up against Paladino in 2010, he might be able to win narrowly. Though if his opponent is Bloomberg I think he'd lose as polls were showing at the time. Spitzer had already turned himself into a joke by the time he resigned so even if he survives two terms, I highly doubt that he becomes President as people were predicting before his fall.
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GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
Someone ought to speak in favor of the guy . . .
From afar, I admire that he went after fraud on Wall Street as attorney general. Not sure what he can directly do as governor, and I realize that it might play differently up close since Banking and Finance is kind of the homegrown “industry” of New York state.
And for the record, I think prostitution should be legal and regulated.
From afar, I admire that he went after fraud on Wall Street as attorney general. Not sure what he can directly do as governor, and I realize that it might play differently up close since Banking and Finance is kind of the homegrown “industry” of New York state.
And for the record, I think prostitution should be legal and regulated.
Paradoxer
Banned
If one politician actually had a set of balls and said “so what? how does this impact or relate to politics? What I do in my personal life as long as legal and voluntary who cares if I’m doing a good job???! You don’t have to like or agree with it but how about judge me on how I do my actual job instead of irrelevant or trivial nonsense. I’m not going to say names but You know how many politicians are likely doing same thing or cheating on their wives while their wives know and do same at times?”
If someone had balls to say that openly the media and elite might be surprised by how many Americans truly don’t care about that as long as economy is good and things are decent. Now if he was terrible at his job it would get brought up more because “work first, party second”. Can’t be banging hookers non stop if you aren’t doing your job well. If you are who cares.
The only sex scandals that will bring actual heat and probably hatred by Americans is rape and pedophilia. Anything voluntary they won’t truly care outside of media and politicians. Like Bill scandal which most of public thought was dumb and politicking in worse by republicans.
Now when accusations of rape and pedophilia came up that’s what actually made more especially on right or conservative sects to turn against him.
If someone had balls to say that openly the media and elite might be surprised by how many Americans truly don’t care about that as long as economy is good and things are decent. Now if he was terrible at his job it would get brought up more because “work first, party second”. Can’t be banging hookers non stop if you aren’t doing your job well. If you are who cares.
The only sex scandals that will bring actual heat and probably hatred by Americans is rape and pedophilia. Anything voluntary they won’t truly care outside of media and politicians. Like Bill scandal which most of public thought was dumb and politicking in worse by republicans.
Now when accusations of rape and pedophilia came up that’s what actually made more especially on right or conservative sects to turn against him.
The thing with Spitzer is that he was not only cheating on his wife, he was also breaking the law. We can debate whether prostitution should be legal (or at least decriminalized), but as a public servant Spitzer was obligated to abide by the law. He had spent the past ten years arguing that the financial services industry had to be held accountable for breaking the law, yet he too was breaking the law! I think to many people, his hypocrisy was more important than infidelity because it totally destroyed his "Sheriff of Wall St" image.
FWIW, Spitzer was never really the knight in shining armor that the media made him out to be. He used his father's vast fortune to finance his AG campaigns and then lied about it, which nearly cost him the 1998 race. As AG, while he made a lot of noise exposing corporate corruption he almost always settled instead of actually prosecuting the people responsible.
He wasn't Jerry Springer ( that become mayor after his own prostitution scandal too,) his was far more serious
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
However,
if you lose only 5% of the general public, that may be the difference between having a majority and not, right?
Paradoxer
Banned
True especially about hypocrite part, the only thing many democrats desire even more “anti Wall Street” want is expansion of public sector and bureaucracy. So they do often come off as hypocritical when they are often spoon fed daddy trust fund boys.
The only difference they make a career out of being politician or bureaucrats or were lawyers before. Let’s be honest that is environment of fakeness and snakes especially lawyers.
At least Wall Street brats make money in private sector instead of “donations”, from tax payers, and in court rooms. How much did he make from “going after Wall Street”?(settlements are often basically legal bribes to screw off by opposing party). I would never vote for people from that lawyer or legal background just because of stuff like that.
Those corporations and Wall Street along with their political lobbying people finally got “dirt” on his ass and “leak” it to media and rivals to basically discredit him.
Someone pointed out if he doesn’t change his act he probably get caught over something similar later on
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
Not everyone has a super love match for their marriage.
I am intrigued by couples who have an unstated agreement, for example of the sort, what happens out of town, happens out of town, just don’t embarrass me in our home town.
But, with it all being unstated and such . . . the couple may find they don’t have as much agreement as they thought they had!
I am intrigued by couples who have an unstated agreement, for example of the sort, what happens out of town, happens out of town, just don’t embarrass me in our home town.
But, with it all being unstated and such . . . the couple may find they don’t have as much agreement as they thought they had!
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
For a more favorable view . . .
Oct. 21, 2004:
How Eliot Spitzer got so powerful.
Eliot Spitzer, who is temperamentally unable to stay out of the headlines for more than 72 hours, is back in them again. Last week, the New York state...
I’m just astonished we have such a negative view of the guy.
I mean, who else went after Wall Street? ! We have a casino economy built on top of the real economy, where large-scale semi-fraud does make a big difference, and who has talked about this in a matter-of-fact way?
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I wish to suggest stopping around 2011 to avoid current politics (ten years ago).
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Paradoxer
Banned
Regardless of your thoughts on more current events at least Giuliani help strike a huge blow to mafia. Spritzer is interesting in sense it’s one of last guys to get majorly discredited with both sides on boards and not trying to excuse or sugarcoat it.
US politics and law in general has basically legalized most unethical practices in governance, courts, and business practices where you can always walk a “thin line” and encouraged too. Basically no honor among thieves more you go up legal system or hierarchy. Like the saying almost every contract has a whole. Sometimes only difference between what’s legal vs not is how you word and file it which is huge issue in field and politics
Spitzer is a Covid-hero. NY doesnt change their governors. Patterson would have won if he ran.
That is why i said was far more serious Jerry, at least jerry admit his mistake and own it, for Elliot was pure grade hypocresy
For a more favorable view . . .
Oct. 21, 2004:
How Eliot Spitzer got so powerful.
Eliot Spitzer, who is temperamentally unable to stay out of the headlines for more than 72 hours, is back in them again. Last week, the New York state...slate.com
I’m just astonished we have such a negative view of the guy.
I mean, who else went after Wall Street? ! We have a casino economy built on top of the real economy, where large-scale semi-fraud does make a big difference, and who has talked about this in a matter-of-fact way?
Stopping around 2011 to avoid current politics (ten years ago)
Spitzer did accomplish a lot as AG. If you listen to him in interviews, he's a brilliant lawyer and he definitely has a razor sharp intellect. His problem was that he was a loose cannon with little self control. If he had cooperated with the legislature and not fooled around, he might have emerged as the leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. He might even be President now.
But that's why people don't like Spitzer. He's a historical "what if," who could've been President if not for his many failings. It's sad really....
He did inspired a mediocre tv show in the good wife, so was something I guess