when you read this after reading the reviews of "The Wire" it really all begins to merge seamlessly.

In the post-dotcom, post-Enron era, the attorney general of New York landed some uppercuts on the high and mighty. But now he's the one lying on the mat. By his own hand

Actually, Andrew, his own hand could have kept him out of this mess.

No, Mikes! His own hand isn't risky enough! Doesn't he need the thrill and risk & high priced model to reach the... well, ok, it's the same thing hand or hooker, but still! This is really about power. A bit of the wrist just can't do that!

However, I am sympathetic to Mr. Leonard, & yes, we are all often reminded not to idolize people in high places. Sadly, I think it also means, 'don't trust.'

I'm also perplexed at why so many politicians are willing to risk so much over sex. It's weird.

What we have here is a middle aged man allegedly paying to have consentual sex with another adult. Why, exactly, does this change anything he's done to make wallstreet a slightly more honest place?

All this says to me is he isn't having a good marraige right now and that most blue laws everywhere need to be abolished.

There isn't even a hypocracy factor here. He's never claimed to be a guardian of public morals.

Perhaps I'm missing something here. How does the scale of corruption at Enron, et al, parallel this guy's involvement with a hooker? How does his betrayal of trust with his wife reach equanimity with a financial screwing of stockholders and employees unequaled in recorded history?

If he was crusading against these icons of corporate greed on the basis of sexual morals, there'd be a case for career-ending hypocrisy. As it is, we just have another example of phony puritanism applied in place of just a bit of moderated intelligence.

You can still be a hero and have faults. I still think that Spitzer has earned his praise long before this reason to condemn him. Of course we still don't know all of the facts. It could be much worse than it appears, though it might be as simple as him paying for sex once and getting caught. Is he an antiprostitution crusader caught up in hypocracy? Or is this simply his weakness shown to the public?

It was pretty stupid though, regardless.

"He's never claimed to be a guardian of public morals."

He inconvenienced wealthy and powerful people, but failed to pay even lip service to the "social issues" crowd. How did expect to evade the Bushies?

...why it needs to be legalized.

C'mon people, after watching "Cat House", is there any doubt that prostitution will only degenerate the "moral fiber" of our country as long as otherwise upstanding members of society are needlessly harassed for feeding (at worst) a biological urge.

And for what? Keeping their marriage together? Better they go out and hook-up anonymously with someone or start an affair? You try to sleep with the same person for 30 years!

There isn't even a hypocracy factor here. He's never claimed to be a guardian of public morals.

Ah, but he did claim to be the Attorney General for the state of New York, and while perhaps not the guardian of public morals, he is certainly the guardian of the law. From the NYTimes online today:

"As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”"

Sam Waterston's sputtering earnestness is even more attractive now. Jack McCoy for governor!

After the initial shock, I thought that it makes sense. Paying a prostitute could seem a lot safer than taking a mistress who might make trouble for emotional reasons. It's just too bad he was caught, and too bad Americans are such prudes that he will have to resign. If every politician who cheated on his wife had been forced to resign over it, we would have lost some of the world's greatest leaders. Either there is something about power that leads politicians to hubris, or cheating is really, really common in the general population but gets less noticed.

Of what an unregulated wiretap program will bring.Once someone trips some powerful member of the favored elite,They are free to dig any dirt this person has,until they find it.

And use it to destroy you.

Was attempted with Martin Luther King

was successfully used here.

Mark my words,

1984: "I voluntarily contracted Syphilis". . .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/10/spitzer-as-client-9-read_n_90787.html

"All have this falling sickness/ None withstands./ And yet there's one through who's gentle hands/ This universal falling can't fall through."

Not sure of the source ... and not sure that The Spritzer'd agree with the sentiment. But, there's no reason to come unglued 'cos of his so-called fall. I don't think a visit to a hooker or ten (if that's what this is about ... a series of visits to a professional service, as opposed to a hand in the till that operated that service) ... I don't see how that somehow negates what Spitzer so brilliantly achieved against Wall Street's entrenched criminal clique. Rather, it's another idiotic example of the way in which the media comes completely unglued at the mere hint of sexual "immorality," but completely ignores the far greater immorality of our new, improved, criminal capitalism. Meanwhile, the very same media that wring their hands about Spitzer, peddle various forms of soft porn, and obscene amounts of violence on a massive basis every day. And, it's available to children of all ages, under the guise of "freedom" of expression. (You can always turn it off!, they chirp like corporate clones.)

Sexual peccadilloes are personal. They shouldn't be allowed to bring down this worthy and honorable man. As for why politicians seem especially prone to "hookers," it's surely because sex can be enjoyable if you've found a partner who knows what she's doing.