Sometimes, it is more about the principle than the legality.
Ten years ago, President Bill Clinton made two mistakes - first, by lying to his family and to the American public about Monica Lewinsky, then, by not calming the waters by not resigning and allowing Vice President Albert Gore to take over.
The sordid details that were to follow and the partisan bickering did major damage to Clinton's presidency, had 2000 election fallout for Gore, who had done nothing wrong, and was at least partially responsible for what was to follow both in this country and the world. The short-term view that Clinton was right to fight for his job has turned into a long-term view that it may have started the damage that George W. Bush has continued.
People need to have confidence in their elected leaders. New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who had a reputation as a crusader against corruption, has apparently compromised both that reputation and the public's confidence with his behavior. He gave the typical politician's non-apology apology yesterday.
What he should do is say: I resign.
New York's business cannot be conducted peacefully or productively while Spitzer's involvement with a prostitution ring is chronicled in the tabloids, in newscasts or by David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. It is a distraction to the state and its people.
Therefore, for the good of New York, Eliot Spitzer should step down.
*How Spitzer affects Hillary Clinton
A Washington Post blog chronicles how Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign might be affected:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/03/11/hillary_clintons_spitzer_probl.html
Incidentally, I'll always wonder if she would have run for political office if her husband hadn't done what he did. I don't think so.
*A matter of, uh, full disclosure
I'll let the link speak for itself:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/changing_channels/2008/03/cnn-finds-a-rea.html
OK, I'll say a little bit: CNN should have come clean about Coffey's past.
*Full disclosure, Part 2
USA Today editorial says candidates need to come clean on records:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080311/edit11.art.htm
Agreed.
*Breaking barriers
New York Lt. Gov. David Paterson has broken his share of barriers. He'd be breaking a pair if he steps to the top job:
http://capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/112104/a-look-at-david-paterson/Default.aspx
By the way, technically, he'd be the second New York governor with a disability to serve. The first, of course, was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who used a wheelchair because of paralysis from polio. He was to go on to greater things.....
*Why I now support a federal shield law
It's because of former USA Today reporter Toni Locy. On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported she will have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines out of her own pocket for not revealing her sources in her stories about the anthrax attacks. Federal Court Judge Reggie B. Walton did the sentencing, and won't even allow her to have a legal defense fund to raise money on her behalf.
Every politician and business bigwig who breaks the law can have a legal defense fund, but a journalist doing her job can't?
Walton is the judge who sentenced Scooter Libby to do time, and rightly criticized President George W. Bush's pardon of Libby. But Walton is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG in this case.
The Locy case has done something else. Until now, I've been skittish on the issue of a federal shield law, mainly because of the red tape (Who is a journalist? Should non-journalists be protected? Should bloggers be protected whether they work for a media outlet or not?). This case has turned me solidly in favor of a law allowing journalists, bloggers, etc. to protect their sources. Here's a link to the Society of Professional Journalists' press release about its support of Locy:
http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=769#769\
Congress may have to wait for a President Clinton, Obama or McCain to sign it into law, but it should approve a federal shield law.
*Save Clinton and McCain from their friends
First, a radio talk show host. Now, a member of Congress:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iNm4SMXcUGBoGLsr1C_q-1y61oWgD8VAU5B80
Between McCain supporters shooting their mouths off about Obama and Clinton supporters shooting their mouths off about Obama, who does it help? Obama.
*Bring your dominoes (and some Cafe Cubano)
Let's end this on a high note. Miami's Calle Ocho celebration, which once set a record for the longest conga line, is aiming for another one:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-311dominos,0,7239046.story
As a domino player, I say: Go for it!
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