Sad News About Eliot

I’ve liked Eliot Spitzer for a long time. He’s been one of the few politicians willing to take on corporate America and its excesses. I would have been glad to cast a ballot for him as a presidential candidate one day, if circumstances allowed.

Well, it sure looks like circumstances won’t allow. There’s nothing like engaging a high-priced prostitute to destroy the career of a high-minded reformer. Although I take a dim view of most politicians and usually expect the worst, I am taken aback that this happened to Eliot Spitzer. I thought he was a cut above. On further reflection, I still think he’s a cut above, his whole record being taken into consideration. But while I, personally, could still support him, I think I may be in the minority.

There’s no excuse for what Eliot did, and I won’t try to invent one. However, just as with Bill Clinton, it’s not like his actions made him a danger to America on the order of, say, George W. Bush. He was a jerk to betray his wife and risk hurting her and the children. He’ll have to answer to them and his own conscience about that. However, I still think Eliot Spitzer is a good man and political leader.

I hope he flat out looks America in the eye and tells the truth. If he does that, he can be forgiven. We’ll forgive most anyone who admits they were wrong and are sincerely sorry. If he tries ducking and dodging, he’ll be damaged more than if he had just ‘fessed up. It’s not the missteps that drag down politicians, it’s the cover-ups afterward. Ask Richard Nixon.  He’s wrong when he refers to this as a “private matter.”  It’s as public as an affidavit or a court case now, Eliot.  Calling it a “private matter” just won’t do.

Now the jackals will start tearing away, many of whom have done the same thing, or worse, but just haven’t been caught. That’s the hypocrisy of big-time politicians. How many of the people trying to tear down Bill Clinton had been guilty of the same type of conduct? More than a few, as it turned out.

My condolences to Eliot’s wife and children, who undeservedly are going to have to bear a lot of humiliation. I hope Eliot has the determination to take the hits and continue forward, rather than resigning and slinking away. He did something bad, very bad. Good people sometimes do bad things. That doesn’t mean they aren’t still good people.