Fueling the Fire
(or: The Breasts the brought down the Governor)

While I will not focus on the direct implications of the Spitzer Scandal, let’s call it HookerGate, I do like the peripheral reporting and news that it generates.

First, the NY Times has excellent coverage about everything you might want to ever know about ‘Kristen,’ a.k.a. Ashley Alexandra Dupre, yes, including her real name and her MySpace page. Let’s welcome the nations new Monica Lewinsky with open arms (never mind, that will cost extra). I have to ask though, was the MySpace page really necessary? Kind of seems like more of something that would go around the net and be posted on a bunch of blogs, did the NY Times really need to link to it? (of course I am just feeding into the frenzy). Can we also note the six fake Facebook pages created int he last 24 hours or so (all using pictures from her MySpace page) and that no one bothered to make a fake Friendster page for her (though talk about an impressive LinkedIn Network).

Next up we have a set of photos from NPR from Monday called Standing by Their Men. The images show images of politicians at their low points (Teddy Kennedy leaving court after pleading guilty, Nixon resigning, Marion Barry admitting his involvement in smoking crack, etc.) with their wives standing by the them during their moment of disgrace. An interesting set of pictures especially since most of the scandalized men are answering allegations that they were cheating on their wife. My favorite by far are the McGreevey’s who just look like they are having a blast. And, of course, guess who the last picture is of… Eliot and Silda standing side by side and looking none too pleased that she has to put on her game face to deal with this whole mess.

Insert Spitzer Joke Here

With every media outlet around happy to have something other to report on then the election I figure why should I be left out.

I am going to elect not to focus so much on the scandal, but rather a NY Times article calling into question his bodyguards. Did he sneak away from them? Were they guarding the door to his room? Did he get a booty call for them as well.

The article asks if they were not fully doing their job or if they were aware that this was going on (siting Clinton’s affairs in Arkansas as the precedent for that).

My guess is that they were fully aware of it all but felt it was a better idea for their futures to not say anything and let Spitzer do his thing. An interesting alternate perspective on the scandal. Though there does seem to be some question as to what the job of the security guard is- Titled ‘Despite Constant Security, Politicians Still Find Trouble‘ does this mean the security detail is there to protect a politician or to prevent him from getting into trouble. I would guess there are other people who have the job of help politicians keep their pants on. I think being willing to take a bullet is enough for these guys.

In all seriousness…Spitzer has to go

The NYTimes really amazes me sometimes. Are they so pusillanimous that they can’t simply call for the resignation of our disgraced governor?

it is hard to see how he will recover from this mess and go on to lead the reformist agenda on which he was elected to office.

It’s not “hard to see,” it’s impossible to see! The man allegedly (and not for the first time) transported a prostitute over state lines to have sex with him for money. He’s our governor and he committed a federal crime! And a state crime!

What the hell else do you need to call for someone’s resignation? While it’s also entirely poetic that he’s a galactic-class hypocrite and bully who is getting what he deserves by being outed so publicly, it is not necessary to dwell on the moral angle. It’s simply enough to note that the state’s chief executive is being accused of criminal behavior. He’s not even denying it!

He has to go. Immediately.