Okay two words "BULL" and "SHIT"!!!!
Spitzer has perhaps a few stances that can be read as conservative ... for instance his pro death penalty stance and his pro Iraq War stance. But overall, his stances have been far more straight shooting liberal then most Democrats think they can dare to be.
Read on!
#1 Support for the Iraq War... Talking about Tom Suozzi's support against the war or Spitzer's support for it is just pointless. As A.G. of NY state (or county executive of Nassau county) who cares what these two think? I didnt see Suozzi trying to get an anti war resolution through the county legislature (which is now Democrat controlled), this would have been the only thing his office could have done that meant anything. Spitzer's opinion on the subject is nice to acknowledge but it holds no merit policy wise (as it wouldnt if he were the Governor)
#2 The Death Penalty... yeah so he supports the death penalty and this really bothers me. But the death penalty law was ruled unconstitutional here in 2004. The Democrat OWNED Assembly is not passing it again anytime soon. I doubt when Spitzer is our Gov. that he will push because he has never really pushed for the death penalty in cases against people in so far as I know as the states chief law enforcement officer. He has however pushed for the death penalty for corporations (if someone knows when he as state atty general has sought capital punishment please tell me).
Honestly guys his liberal credentials are pretty rock solid. Spitzer has spoken about Federal rules superceeding states rights to discriminate or exploit consumers, he is solidly pro choice pro choice, pro enivironment, pro gay-marriage and so on.
I was particularly impressed with him years ago when I heard him say when asked about GE's dumping of PCB's into NYs Hudson River that since he believed in the death penalty for human beings who commited capital crimes,that he would push to revoke GE's corporate charter because he believes in the death penalty for Corporations who commit capital crimes as well.
That is what makes Spitzer the politician so brilliant, he has tapped into responses to the GOP talking point/codeword machine that really make the average voter come around to our side.
They ask America "Do you want them (government/democrats) taking your money?" Spitzers response in prosecuting Wall Street, banks, credit card companies, power plants, car manufacturers etc. etc. ad infinitum... is to say "America they (corporations) are really the ones who are taking your money, isn't it abhorrent what they are doing with it?"
He has taken his 2nd tier office and turned it into a public interest law firm. He goes after all of the white collar criminals that are the most deserving of prosecution.
Do you think for a minute that Enron, Worldcom, Tyco..... officials would have been free for 5 minutes had Elliot been US AG for the last 6 years after their crimes?
You remember Michael Moore's "corporate COPS" TV show idea from the "Awful Truth and Bowling ? Spitzer is the real deal. The man is Harry Truman incarnate! Finally a Democrat (with real Democrat tendencies) from the Northeast who isn't afraid of being a tough guy, toward the corporate slime who deserve it...
Yeah yeah great to know, Suozzis an outsider in this race... thanks for letting us know buddy... Thanks for letting us know that you were VIP at the 2004 DNC convention ie Terry Mcauliffe's/the DLC's special NY friend .
I understand that this was just politics, and I may have supported Suozzi in a statewide race later, but running from this "outsider" position is just entirely bogus.
I will proudly support Elliot Spitzer over any uber liberal (although Suozzi is not) that comes along even if their view points are more akin to my own. He will get this state back on track to being a progressive beacon for all and true leaders...
All that said... I'll make my 1st poll...