Doesn't matter. Part of being the good guys is holding yourself to a higher standard. You might as well say that it's okay for the United States to use torture because some of our enemies (and less reputable allies) do so.

I'm not happy about it, but Spitzer needs to resign.

Mayor Newsom, Mayor Villaraigosa, Governor Eliot Spitzer, and Bill Clinton all have something in common - they support Hillary Clinton and their party finds absolutely nothing wrong with their behaviour. What amazes me is how many women over fifty years of age stand in line to vote for a woman who cannot condemn the conduct of men who are cheating on their wives with prostitutes, city employees, or White House staff. I thought feminism was all about empowerment and not about accepting the kind of conduct these men displayed while holding public office. I guess as long as the economy is doing well, we are not at war and the trains are running on time married men in power can conduct affairs with women other than their wives with total impunity. What ever happened to disgrace and shame? What ever happened to fidelity to ones spouse? What ever happened to morality? Are we so short sighted that as long as things are going well in our Cities, States or our country that we accept any kind of behaviour? What is so very difficult about exercising some restraint and keeping your pants on when you are elected to the highest office of your city, state, or country?

I don't know anyone who likes being sexually or romantically betrayed. Spitzer violated commitments to his wife, and she has every reason to be devastated and angry. But I can't see what his infidelity has to do with whether he ought to be governor of New York. This isn't a matter of cutting a Democrat slack; it's a matter of asking whether Spitzer's effectiveness as governor depends on his faithfulness to his marriage vows. The question of his relationship with his wife is precisely a question he and his wife need to resolve. The question for the people of New York seems to me to be whether he's a good governor. If he's not, he ought to go--whatever his sex life is like. If he is, I don't see why his infidelity ought to be their concern.

Do Craig and Vitter do anything more than just sit around and collect a paycheck? How much are they actually accomplishing -- for others I mean; for themselves, they've got their pension plan.

Given the Albany gridlock, the only way to get things done is to horse trade/cajole/bully with each house of the legislature. How he's going to be able to convince legislators that they better work with him when everyone calls him "Client #9" behind his back is beyond me. A humble straightforward man might be able to get past it, but those aren't Spitzer's strong suits.

Yes, sure, keep Crusader Eliot dangling around the neck of the Democratic Party like one big albatross for the rest of his term. Maybe our slogan should be "a callgirl in every pot"?

i don't think the issue is the prostitution, although everyone is getting off on that. The real issue is the money laundering and the appearance of bribery.

Your post ignores the very real legal jeopardy in which Spitzer finds himself -- lots of evidence in the hands of the Feds re: Mann Act violations, possible money laundering and/or wire fraud, etc., etc. Not to mention the organized crime connection. In Vitter's case, all that tied him to the DC Madam's racket was a phone record showing he had called the place. No text messages expliciting soliciting prostitutes, etc. Vitter is in no legal jeopardy and hence he can stay on as would most politicians if they could (cf, Barney Frank, Craig, Clinton, etc. etc.).

I'm glad the DOJ has time on its hands and money to spare to conduct an all-out investigation of a Democratic governor for consensual sex. Constitutional violations, contempt of congress and the like will just have to wait. The department is, after all, as pure and uncorrupt as Jesus, so we may rest assured that they will do what is right.

I think his case is distinguishable from Vitter's. Unlike Vitter, who had given up carrying on with prostitutes several years before anyone had discovered that he had been involved with them, Spitzer was caught in the act. Vitter could excuse himself by saying that he did the prostitute thing a while ago and that he was a changed man and has worked it out with his family and God or what have you, but this excuse is totally unavailable to Spitzer seeing as how he last law a prostitute last month, hadn't shown that he intended to give up call girls, and couldn't possibly have reformed in that time anyway. Also, Vitter, to my knowledge, didn't run on a platform of doing away with government corruption and bringing back ethics (I mean, he's from Louisiana, after all).

I hate hate hate to say it, but I think he's got to go.

Also, Vitter, to my knowledge, didn't run on a platform of doing away with government corruption and bringing back ethics (I mean, he's from Louisiana, after all).

Vitter ran on a platform of protecting family values and defending traditional heterosexual Christian marriage -- of which he said "I don't believe there's any issue that's more important than this one" -- so he's at least as much on the hook as Spitzer.

And, like Spitzer, he should go.