Eliot Spitzer’s recent demise surprised very few people. Such is the sad state of American politics. We can easily add him to a growing list of American politicians who have been felled or near felled whence caught in sexual scandal: Larry Craig, David Vitter, Jim McGreevy and of course, the great stain maker himself: Bill Clinton.
I will not attempt to philosophize about what makes so many politicians cheat on their wives because at the root of it I believe they are people just like ourselves (except in Bill Clinton’s case. Who wouldn’t cheat on Hillary?) They are just as apt to sin and fall short of our moral models as you or I are. The only difference is since they are in prominent political offices, their scandals make the front page of the New York Times. If the guy down the street cheated on his wife, no one would know about it unless his wife took some unfortunate revenge. Fortunately for most male politicians, they have incredibly loyal wives.
But what causes some cheating politicians to fall when the veil is lifted and others to seemingly become more popular? Certainly legality has much to do with it. Spitzer’s hiring of prostitutes and transporting of women across state lines for sexual purposes was a clear violation of the law and warranted his punishment (being forced from office) if not more. Likewise, McGreevy’s shady financial dealings with his homosexual fling (remember, he was married with multiple children) was a clear ethical and legal violation. It appears then that what people really hate is politicians breaking the law.
But what about Bill Clinton? While his lying to Congress was clearly illegal and he was impeached for doing so, there was nothing inherently illegal about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, and few apart from the religious right really cared about the actual trysts. What people cared about was his lying to Congress and more importantly the American people about his actions. But why did he survive the Congressional onslaught and judgment of the American people? Because no one expected much better of him.
Bill Clinton was a man known to have had affairs before and never once preached about morality or sexual purity. Even the most liberal of us would have to laugh if Clinton had suddenly started preaching about monogamy or faith to one’s spouse. So, when push came to shove, the American people were more than willing to forgive Bill Clinton for his affair(s) since this is what they expected of him.
Bill Clinton’s scandals though pale in comparison to Eliot Spitzer’s for one main reason: Spitzer is a hypocrite, Clinton is not. Before he was Governor of New York, Spitzer was the Attorney General and at least in part made his career out of prosecuting prostitution rings and such. He also campaigned on a platform of impeccable ethics and so when he was caught with his pants down, people simply weren’t willing to look the other way.
It would seem then that the American people are willing to forgive a lot. They are willing to forgive egregious moral slips and even minor illegalities (Clinton’s lying to Congress). What the American people are not willing to forgive though, and rightfully so, is hypocrisy. Politicians be-ware: you can lie, cheat and steal, but don’t tell the American people one thing and do the other.
This is of course an oxymoron, however. How could a person be a politician if they weren’t the least bit hypocritical? One must devote themselves to public service but who knows a governor or president without an ego? At least we can rest assured that this isn’t an American problem only. Just take a look at Nicolas Sarkozy- the president of France. Just recently he dumped his wife and married an Italian super-model.
Ah, Eliot Spitzer- the first French Governor of New York.
