Another Bites the Dust: The Fall of Eliot Spitzer

I was a Spitzer fan back during his AG days when he was the hard nosed New Yorker fighting against the stock markets, big business, and police corruption. He was a bulldog, but he was likable and had an impeccable record. After doing everything he could do as AG, he decided to move on to the Governorship of New York. When he won that race in a landslide, he was a national star and there were even some rumblings that Spitzer could be the first serious Jewish Presidential candidate. Playing the game of politics, I was a big fan of his and would have loved to see him be a potential candidate, or at least a veep choice. However, his time as Governor was hard fought with numerous of ups and downs.

That is, until this past week when it was revealed he was involved with a prostitution ring that the FBI busted and that he may have spent over US$80,000 on hookers. Mr. Clean, the lawyer who fought on the side of good and mercilessly pursued all those who broke the law, was dirtied in a way he may never come back from, he may even face criminal charges. It's hard to call it a tragedy, the man was plain stupid, but its definitely another lesson (as if Gary Hart wasn't enough). One more goes down to his own lack of morals.

There are three things that I think are interesting about this. First, while its probably better for family reconciliation that it was a prostitute instead of an affair (less emotional attachment, in theory), for his political career its far worse than an affair as not only is it against the law, it also seems more degenerate. Beyond that, you have to wonder about someone who is working as a prostitute, but has a myspace page and writes "I live in New York and am on top of the world. Been here since 2004 and I love this city, I love my life here." Well, this should really bolster her music career. Finally, bringing it back to China, this wouldn't even be a news blip here, because its highly unlikely that the media would be allowed to cover it, which is good and bad, I guess.

Oh well, the Tribe is going to need to find another potential candidate.