for being dumb enough to do something like this in the first place. The reason the MSM latches onto it is because it's always the politicians who are most sanctimonious or willing to throw dirt at others who are always the dirtiest. Bob Barr, Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer.

All 3 have either:

A.) Been sanctimonious to the point of nauseum. (Bob Barr, Elliot Spitzer.)

or

B.) Excelled in throwing dirt at their opponents and using dirty politics to win. (Bill Clinton.)

Hence when they get it thrown back at them that's called karma. However they're all smart enough to prey on the American people's odd habit of feeling sorry for anyone caught in anything. Even if it is their own doing.

It's a joke that Vitter remains in office to this day, it will be a joke if Spitzer is in office at the end of the day.

And yes, Glenn, since Mark Foley might have led to a Democratic House (and I'm lumping sex offenses together), I do think these crimes get some attention when they're on the Right side, too.

I don't remotely care he hired a prostitute. I think he overpaid and went to far too much trouble. But, if he's going to be on the warpath against that industry in one press conference and then crying with his wife in another, I'm sorry, but he's gotta go.

Considering they weren't even giving Client #9 credit, who knows who else this agency serviced. So, there might be more names down the pike.

He's the former attorney general, he ran on ethics and law and order, and he's alleged to have finagled a variety of sketchy wire transfers so he could pay hookers with untraceable cash. No, Glenn, that does not qualify to remain Governor.

And, I'm absolutely a left-winger...if he was a Republican I'd be much fiercer in my outrage...but I'm not a total hypocrite.

greypaladin wrote: "A rather ironic comment, to claim that a justification for prosecuting prostitution is because it's a front for organized crime. Of course, if it were LEGALIZED then there wouldn't be the risk/reward profit structure that invites organized crime."

If this is in response to my comment, then the real irony is that you've reworded my argument so much that you're responding to something I didn't say.

If it were legalized, then organized crime wouldn't be involved -- or at least, no more involved than they are in other legal businesses. But it currently isn't legalized. While it's admirable to and worthwhile to consider how the world should work, it's generally a pretty good idea -- especially for someone in a major leadership roles, like a state governor -- to also pay attention to how the world does work.

What the **** are these creeps doing wiretapping him in the first place? They didn't have a warrant to do so.

THAT is the real issue.

Oh yeah, I forgot - we don't have any rights to privacy anymore, or habeas corpus.

Anyhow, thanks for the well written article.

I do not think that prostitution should be illegal, but it is, and Governor Spitzer broke the law. Whether or not he should resign is up to New York voters. Were he my Governor, and this his only infraction, I'd say no.

It's a real shame, because we expect Democrats to obey the law, unlike Republicans.

Speaking of which, George Bush and Dick Cheney routinely violate the law. As long as they're still in office, Spitzer should stay in, too.

I have absolutely no doubt that if you and everyone you know were surreptitiously tape recorded talking about your private sex acts -- and your sex partners were taped talking about what you liked and how you were when having sex -- there would be nothing "unflattering" about any of it at all. It will all be glittery, uplifting, and morally pure.

Not everyone talks about their sex life.

It's been my long experience that those who talk the most about sex are those who are getting the least.

A truly sexually satisfied person does not feel the need to constantly harp on the subject of sex.

For a minute there I thought I was in the midst of another Clinton Crisis.

You are, except so many of the people back then who were insisting that what Clinton did -- both sexually and in terms of his deposition testimony -- was none of our concern, are the same ones expressing such moral outrage over Spitzer's conduct.

It's really surprising me.

All other news would completely vanish until about June, 2009.

Maybe Vitter can give him some tips on how to weasel out of this mess.

Glenn, I don't know if slspencer was disappointed in Bill Clinton, but I sure was. The stakes are too high for Democrats to get caught up these scandals.

I'm not saying that prostitution ought to be illegal, but it is and Eliot Spitzer swore an oath to uphold the law. Yes, there still are plenty of people that care about this sort of private behavior. If you find that hard to beleieve, perhaps you need to spend more time in fly-over country.

I maintained that both Clinton and Spitzer deserved to get caught, based on their own stances. Both destroyed countless opponents career, nastily, unnecessarily, and far beyond the bounds of usual politics.

Both went after others for what they were doing. Both continued to do what they were doing to the extent you almost have to question whether or not they wanted to get caugh.

It doesn't matter what Craig and Vitter did or didn't do. Spitzer should do the right thing by resigning. He broke a law, and more importantly, the trust with the people.

I don't really care about the "morality" angle. I'm just outraged that a supposedly smart, ambitious politician like Spitzer is stupid enough to hire an escort. Because enough people have hang-ups about prostitution, it's enough to end or severely impair his political career if caught.

How could he be so stupid?

This guy could have been a great contender for president in 4 or 8 years. What the hell was he thinking?