Thursday, March 13, 2008

Spitzer

Susan Estrich, a smart politico who taught Elliot Spitzer in law school, concludes that this is why a man so smart could do something so stupid:

"There is only one obvious explanation for why a smart man would commit such a totally self-destructive act: He didn't think he would be caught."

This could be so. Still, my inclination is to think that it is something else. He is a sometimes sanctimonious, sometimes bullying crusader. I think such a man might do something so wrong, catchable, career-ending, and humiliating because he thinks, subconsciously, that he is a fraud.
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting comment. Another commentator speculated that he likes high-risk ventures - he could have had an affair with an associate with less risk and less cost. Having prosecuted financial and prostitution organizations, he knew how they could be broken - choosing to use them increased the risk of exposure.

The contrast between his high value pursued with high energy and this other life is to great to be meaningless - probably no one except his therapist, if he gets one, will know the source.

11:26 PM, March 13, 2008
Gruntled said...

I will venture a further speculation: he wouldn't have an affair with an associate because that would be "adultery" - whereas a hooker is just sex, and not an emotional betrayal of his wife.

6:58 AM, March 14, 2008
Anonymous said...

There is no such thing as 'just sex'.I'll bet his wife was unavailable, which is no excuse just another part of the explaination. He is selfish and thought he would not get caught. Been there done that. It is pretty simple. "The one Christian doctrine for which we have empirical proof is Original Sin".

8:10 AM, March 14, 2008
Anonymous said...

Hey anonymous -

I've heard that guess about his wife all over the place, and I'd just like to ask if we we please, please keep the poor woman out of it and not question her "availability" or her decision to stand next to him at a press conference or dis her for looking tired when she does?

That having been said, the link is to the late Shirley Glass' website, where she discusses the various attitudes that encourage infidelity, and Spitzer definitely sounds as if he fits into the thrill-seeking category, as edith osb says.

http://www.shirleyglass.com/reflect_infidelity4.html

Stephanie

1:02 PM, March 14, 2008
Anonymous said...

Steph,
"I'd just like to ask if we we please, please keep the poor woman out of it"
I would have, except that she put herself into it by standing with him and encouraging him NOT to resign. She is not the poor woman in my opinion.

10:54 AM, March 15, 2008

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