"Private Failings" Force Spitzer's Resignation

When Eliot Spitzer resigned as governor of New York, he didn't appear to be remorseful. He said he was sorry.

I'm sure he has regrets that he screwed up royally, but I don't buy that he's sorry. He looked and sounded as smug and ruthless and arrogant as ever.

As he spoke, I heard echoes of "I will be coming after you (John Whitehead, former Goldman Sachs chief). You will pay the price. This is only the beginning, and you will pay dearly for what you have done."

I heard him say, "Listen, I'm a f---ing steamroller, and I'll roll over you (James Tedisco) and anybody else!"

In a way, I don't even think he views his participation in illegal activities as "private failings." After all, he was "privately failing" for years. Did it really take years of trysts with high price prostitutes for his conscience to kick in? Did it really take that long for him to realize that he was betraying his wife and children and the PUBLIC trust by being a client of a prostitution ring even as he went after prostitution rings as attorney general?

By "private failings" I think he means that he failed to follow his own advice:

"Never talk when you can nod, and never nod when you can wink, and never write an e-mail because it's death," the then-New York attorney general said. "You're giving prosecutors all the evidence we need."

Full text of Spitzer Resignation

In the past few days I have begun to atone for my private failings with my wife, Silda, my children, and my entire family. The remorse I feel will always be with me. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the love and compassion they have shown me. From those to whom much is given, much is expected. I have been given much: the love of my family, the faith and trust of the people of New York, and the chance to lead this state. I am deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me. To every New Yorker, and to all those who believed in what I tried to stand for, I sincerely apologize.

I look at my time as governor with a sense of what I might have been, but I also know that as a public servant I, and the remarkable people with whom I worked, have accomplished a great deal. There is much more to be done, and I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people’s work. Over the course of my public life, I have insisted, I believe correctly, that people, regardless of their position or power, take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor. At Lt. Gov. Paterson’s request, the resignation will be effective Monday, March 17, a date that he believes will permit an orderly transition.

I go forward with the belief, as others have said, that as human beings, our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. As I leave public life, I will first do what I need to do to help and heal myself and my family. Then I will try once again, outside of politics, to serve the common good and to move toward the ideals and solutions which I believe can build a future of hope and opportunity for us and for our children. I hope all of New York will join my prayers for my friend, David Paterson, as he embarks on his new mission, and I thank the public once again for the privilege of service.