Why Eliot Spitzer Went Down

Firstly, is it really appropriate to include a double entendre in the title of an article even in such an esteemed magazine as this? It only seems to add a touch of seeminess to the whole affair.

It is a great question, though. Why did Spitzer crash and burn while Clinton "survived?" Here's a few answers I thought of:

-Yes, Clinton himself may have "survived" the Monica Lewinsky scandal, but at a great cost to his party and to the 2000 presidential prospects of Al Gore.

-Yes, Al Gore lost because of Clinton's sex scandal, so while Bill may have dodged a bullet, the rest of his party took the fall later that election cycle. Why do you think people voted "values" in the 2004 election? Because the impeachment taint was still on their minds even six years later. That kind of thing tends to leave a nasty aftertaste, not unlike what Monica had to contend with post-Bill's lascivious behavior.

-Bill Clinton is charismatic, and had the Democratic party wrapped around his finger as the president. Eliot Spitzer is a balding, mousey looking North Easterner with a ton of powerful, Wall Street enemies.

-Clinton had high poll ratings prior to and even after the scandal. Spitzer was about as popular as Lindsay Lohan in a baptist church prior to his flings.

-Hillary defended Bill on the Today Show, complaining about a "vast right wing conspiracy" at the time. Have you see Spitzer's wife defend him? Who is his wife exactly? Who cares?

-Prostitution is VASTLY different than consesual sex between two adults, even if one of them is cheating on his wife.

-Spitzer was known as "Mr. Clean" prior to his fall. Bill was always known as "Slick Willy." We never expected better from him. Frankly, no one was really surprised when it happened.

-Finally, and most importantly, Bill Clinton had a roaring economy going at the time propping him up as a "successful" commander in chief. Have you looked at the economy lately? It's a piece of shit, in NY and pretty much every where else.

Take away the poll numbers, take away the good economy, take away the charisma, and you've got a vulnerable politician that as far as any voter or media pundit is concerned, is "sacrificable" for his misdeeds.

Spitzer is Tom Wolfe's Sherman McCoy come to life. He has become the whipping boy of the intelligentsia. The sacrificial lamb. The goat. Whatever you want to call him. It doesn't matter. As of Monday he's gone.

Although, I think he'll be back in the future. I'd say give him five years and he'll return to do...well, something. He's only 48. That's awfully young for a politician, or anybody. He'll be back someday for redemption. Assuming he doesn't kill himself before then.