Liz Smith | 03/11/2008 4:10 pm

Ruminating in the Aftermath

Into my office this week came a missive from a snarky friend of mine on the West Coast. It read:

"Spitzer? I hardly knew her!"

Lots of people have remarked to me that if prostitution were only legal – as they believe it should be – the Spitzer thing would never have happened.

But isn’t that another matter entirely? It hardly takes into consideration the governor’s betrayal of his wonderful wife and her feelings in the matter; let alone the impact on his three all-but-grown daughters.

People in NYC, generally considered to be sophisticated and cynical, are genuinely shocked by this front page disgrace. But lots of them said that at least it gave us a respite from Democratic primary news which is exhausting everybody.

I believe my pal Candice Bergen had the best sum up on this matter. She segued to the inescapable difference between Silda Spitzer and Hillary Clinton in the matter of their erring mates. “…as for Silda whom I have always found to be so elegant, intelligent and gracious. I don’t know what to think and probably neither does she. It’s completely out of the blue, so unlike Hillary’s situation which was a constant pattern.”

My favorite part of this story is that Kristen, the call girl, had a deal for a train ticket, cab fare, hotel room and use of the mini bar!!!!! Hey, big spender!

And big spender the governor was, offering up thousands for a call girl when many in his own state can’t afford to pay for heating oil or gasoline bills.

As long as we’re on the subject, let’s remember this, during the Monica mess Hillary did not stand next to her man as he apologized, groveled and said ‘Mea culpa!’ She stayed married to him but she avoided backing him up in public or before the cameras and for that, I think she was right.

The best comment for my money comes from Alesia Kaye in response to wowOwow’s March 11 Question of the Day, and you need to read her entire comment which is brilliant.

Alesia says the governor’s “penance” would begin when he stood alone and his wife sat in the front row receiving his apology. Look it up on this website.

Read more about: Eliot Spitzer, New York City, Silda Spitzer

32 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Wow! This topic really got a huge response! I stopped to think - really think: how do his wife and daughters feel right now? Forget Spitzer himself for just a moment. Imagine the pain and humiliation his stupidity and irresponsibility are causing the women in his life. God, I feel so sorry for them.

By Ginger Richardson on 03/11/2008 5:45 pm

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The real sin will be if it turns out Spitzer used public funds for his tryst. Has that been determined yet? I don’t understand why a bank would bring in the feds because of a series of large withdrawals from a private bank account …

By MW C on 03/11/2008 6:08 pm

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How come everyone is sooo sure that this is an aberation for Spitzer - i think it is unlikely that this is the first time he went to a prostitute (I was going to say used) at this late stage in his life. I bet if you look you will find - this isn’t the first time at all. Morally I think it is reprehensible what he did to his family and if he used NY’s money it is even more dispicable. For 2 very smart people, he certainly acted very dumb and I can’t help but wonder (I don’t know her) if she knew something wasn’t “just right”. I also find it fascinating how fascinated we all are about this. Is it because he was so arrogant and acted above the rest of us?

By fancy nancy on 03/11/2008 6:17 pm

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I stood by my man in court during his “bookkeeper’s” paternity suit, defending my expenses of $150 a week for feeding 2 adults while simultaneously also diapering 2 toddlers, while the court reporter (a former high school classmate) whispered every word into her dictating machine so it could be archived for posterity. I was operating totally on mama lion, and fighting for my life as I saw it. In reality, I was manipulated by my husband and his attorney to help them fix HIS mess. I was too emotionally impaired at the time to make any rational, long term decisions, and this last straw eventually destroyed our family, anyway. Mrs. Spitzer knows this man better than any of us and behind closed doors, he’s probably demonstrated repeatedly that he is what we call down here in the South a “Sh—bag.”

By A Baldwin on 03/11/2008 6:28 pm

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Spitzer is a former Attorney General and member of the Bar. His whole career has been about asserting his “moral high ground” and he has targeted people personally while trying to bring thme down professionally, hiring PI’s to catch them having affairs or dallying with prostitutes. He’s a bully, and a thug. People on Wall St. let out a cheer when they got the news about his indiscretion. More than this, he’s an arrogant fool who honestly believed he could keep up this charade without being found out. If he avoids legal charges by surrendering his Governorship this country will be really angry and see it as just another politico being given special treatment and being considered above the law.

By Mac D on 03/11/2008 7:20 pm

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The news just said that of all Spitzer’s advisors, one in particular is fighting the idea of resignation: Spitzer’s wife. I don’t think that’s the stance of a woman trying desperately to save her marriage and protect her children. If I were in their position, I’d want to get out of Dudge as quickly as possible; out of the limelight is the only way a family can truly get its act back together, IMO.

By MW C on 03/11/2008 9:36 pm

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Sorry, that should read “out of Dodge”

By MW C on 03/11/2008 9:37 pm

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Prostitution is not just sex for money…..at this level it always involves money lauderning ( i am paying their share of the taxes,,,,you more than, I, Ms Tomlin), drug use, and the mob. The mob is not James Gandofini and Edie Falco, but bloody thugs. This is not a victimless crime. AND, ,, pet peeve number one, Franklin Roosevelt has one affair with one woman, for a brief time, in World War I. One. 1917. He did not see her (Lucy Mercer) again until toward the very end of his life, when the congestive heart failure which killed him, had , along with the end results of polio, made him almost a complete invalid. Mercer and Roosevelt enjoyed an occasional afternoon, in the company of his daughter, Anna, and ,yes, she was with him at Warm Springs when he died. Whether there are degrees of adultry, i don’t know, but I know sleaze. Roosevelt did not participate in sleaze. It was unending pain for his wife, but it was not hookers, interns or serial sleaze.

By sl lambert on 03/11/2008 11:40 pm

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I do not see what the big deal is…. He is not the first man or the last man that will be unfaithful. I never met an honest man.

By Sue Phillips on 03/12/2008 7:52 am

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Run fast and don’t look back. The kids will be fine. Mom needs to take care of mom and heal. But always keep your head held high.

By Marey Lazanis on 03/12/2008 8:00 am

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I guess I am different. While, I do not condone what the Governor did, I think it is a personal matter between him and his wife. However, I do believe that he should be ousted on other decisions. Such as, giving aliens a driving license. I believe that Americans need to look past what stupid mistakes politicians make and judge them on whether or not they are making right decisions for America. We need to wake up. We lost out on a lot of good politicians simply because we judged them on their personal lives, not what they do for the country. Of course, it goes without saying that if I was his wife, he would be history!

By JAG JAG on 03/12/2008 8:03 am

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What is it with men in power, or men in general? They think because they can they should. It would not matter if prostitution is legal or not. This is about deceit, and lying, breaking the trust of the people of New York not to mention his family. Gov. Spitzer is a liar and a cheat, and he needs to step down. I am sure there are some people in New York that can use the money spent on his little tryst!

By Christine Storma on 03/12/2008 8:08 am

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I think that she should leave him and take the kids. What kind of message does it send….oh yeah no matter what Daddy does let a man walk all over you and smile for the camera! I have a lovely man in my life and am not a man hater but men like him make me sick…so two faced!

By Leah Taylor on 03/12/2008 8:11 am

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I doubt that his wife didn’t already know this sort of behavior was going on! If she doesn’t want him to resign from office (as reported) it is very telling of her motive for staying in the marriage and not sending him packing years ago. I would bet that she will find a way to “salvage” her marriage in the end.

By Scarlett Cleary on 03/12/2008 8:36 am

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That poor wife! Did you see her face?! She looked like a deer in headlights! It just kills me that the wife stands there for “moral support”! I just like to see for once, the wife stand up there and smack the guy!

By Cheryl Petratos on 03/12/2008 8:47 am