Spitzer is a Fake or an A'hole or Both

So, I met with Eliot Spitzer today and much to my dismay I discovered that the image he projects as fighter for the people, fighter against corporate fraud, fighter for all that is good and right in this world, is, well, utter pre-fab BS.

The meeting was about his public support for one of the worst corporate boondoggles New York City has ever seen: Bruce Ratner's proposed 17 high rise and Nets basketball arena in Brooklyn. It will suck 2 billion from the taxpayers, abuse eminent domain, be completely out of context with the existing residential neighborhoods, create a traffic and environmental mess. The arena is a bread and circus front for a massive corporate crony land grab. (Ratner is old friends of Pataki's and the Ratner family is surely friendly with the real estate Spitzer family). AND the approval, input and oversight of the development proposal will completely bypass ALL local (city) control and community involvement. (more info here)

more after the jump

What does Mr. Spitzer think of it? A month ago he said:
"I'm all for the development in Brooklyn, Bruce Ratner's plan, it is a spectacular development, it needs to be built, it should be built quickly, it will revitalize a critically underused portion of Brooklyn, right now, it'll build housing, it will generate jobs, tax revenue. It is a spectacular project and I think we should move forward on it immediately."

Lies.

So, as a leader of Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, one of the scores of community groups against the project, our City Councilwoman, a colleague and I had this meeting with our future Governor today.

How'd it go?

I can sum up by saying, He is an ASSHOLE.

Let me sum up further:
1. He doesn't care about any of the issues
a. not the public financing
b. not the corrupt, opaque, undemocratic process
c. not the impact on the community
d. not the closed, non-competitive bid on the MTA Atlantic Rail Yards
e. not the community
f. not the lies put forth by the developer
g. not the abuse of eminent domain
h. not the bypassing of city council
i. not the scale of the project
i. NOT NOTHING

He was a rude, obnoxious, imperious asshole. I would be upset if he simply disagreed with us, but could accept that. But the rudeness and unwilligness to even have a discussion and hear our point of view, well its not what I want to see in a Governor. A future governor with such a cavalier attitude to how citizens are treated, how public dollars are spent, and how developers rule the roost in the state does not bode well for the future New York I want to see.

(Hell, he even came out against reform in Albany yesterday)

ALL he cared about, ALL he had to say was "Do you have an alternate Plan? Do you have developers with money who want to bid?" That is all he had to say. It was a mantra.

He asked "Are you a lawyer, is there something illegal going on here?" I told him that I'm not a lawyer, but yes, there are some legal cases to bring against the city and state. he didn't care.

It then turned into pretty much a free for all shouting match (or loud talking match). when i was making some point about how there is the same chilling effect on developers who'd be interested to bid on the rail yards in play and red carpet treatment for this one developer, Ratner, just like on the west side of Manhattan with the Jets Stadium, he said, basically that that is absurd, if someone was interested they'd bid. then he said to me:

"Have you developed any housing? How many units have you developed?" I should have told him "Yes, my name is Donald Trump." He might have listened then.

I told him we are talking about the lives of the people who live in this city. He cared not about that, not at all.

This was not a meeting, not a conversation or discussion, it was a talking down to.

The next Governor of NY State is a sham, a fraud and camera hog who projects an image that is utter bullshit. If he can get national exposure, he's interested. If he can't then he doesn't care about the issue. And if developer and real estate interests are questioned, well he's too unprincipled to even consider that perhaps something like this boondoggle stinks to high heaven.

I'm not a one issue voter, but the Ratner project raises scores of issues and he was uninterested in any of them and a total ass about it to boot.

he will never get my vote.

A Democrat who acts this way, is a Democrat I don't want to see at the helm of my home state. I want a candidate who doesn't project one image and contradict it completely in private. He's an embarassment. His behavior in this meeting was that of the hackiest of hacks, beholdend to monied interests.

He's been anointed on perception, alone. He acted like Giuliani after a bad night's sleep.

Shameful and shocking.

•  Recommended because...

  Chairthrowing s a better spectator sport than basketball.

  by ben masel on Thu May 05, 2005 at 05:59:54 PM PDT

•  Very interesting

  Once again my point is proven?

  All existing politicians need to be voted out.

  We need a purge.

  by 0hio on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:12:13 PM PDT

  •  what if

    the problem is not with "existing politicians" persay, but with human beings generally?

    by Elizabeth D on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:14:51 PM PDT

    •  I think it may be only human beings who run for

      office.

      Here is my plan for picking the president.

      Anyone who is willing to be an office holder puts his/her name into a hat.

      We pick the name out of the hat.

      They lead for 1 year.

      After 1 year we vote on whether or not he/she should stay in office.

      If not, we go back to the hat.

      by bzemky on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:30:05 PM PDT

      •  I was hoping

        you would finish with, "If not, we go back to bed."

        by JaneKnowles on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:35:50 PM PDT

    •  per se

      by mrblifil on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:15:38 PM PDT

      •  that too

        by Elizabeth D on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:46:02 PM PDT

•  Well

  Never met him. Probably will if my current political lifestyle continues. So when I do, maybe I will learn you are right. BUT...

  Every New Yorker I know, from the most savvy to the most naive, love the guy. I also have seen him do some fabulous stuff. So I think maybe you are being too harsh. But I will keep my eye on him when his race gets nearer!

  by mole333 on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:23:17 PM PDT

  •  Why do they love him?

    I've met with at least 60 politicians in the past year, from both parties. And he was BY FAR the worst. The rudest and not unreceptive, but completely unwilling to listen to a word coming out of our mouths. he acted like a guy who knows he is a shoe in and therefore can act in whatever way he feels like and disrespect anyone he feels like.

    yes, all say good things about him, but why actually?

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:25:48 PM PDT

    •  Hmmm

      Not sure. Mostly that he is a hard ass attacking corporate corruption. Honestly, I never heard of Spitzer until recently...long after I'd met people like Chris Owens, Gifford Miller, etc. Not sure why he was under my radar, but he was. But once I became aware, everyone was saying how wonderful he was.

      The Atlantic yards and Williamsburg development plans, which I completely oppose (but favor the neighborhood plans) are supported by a wide range of otherwise good polticians. Part of the problem is that Bloomberg has convinced many people that the areas are blighted (a lie, basically) so people ASSUME the development is an improvement. I have been trying to help the neighborhood groups get their word out, but no one seems willing to listen. Spitzer may be part of this problem.

      As for being an asshole, well if he's an asshole FOR US, I am willing to accept that...especially in NY.

      I will keep your comments in mind. Right now I am immersed in the 2005 mayor, Brooklyn DA, Civil Court, etc. races and the sane development issues. I guess I am already involved with one 2006 race (CHris Owens) but otherwise I am focusing on 2005 races and general Brooklyn reform politics. Try to remind me about Spitzer when 2006 comes along. I write a Progressive Democrat newsletter and such comments (from you, not me who remains unbiased in the newsletter) could be included in a future newsletter.

      by mole333 on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:43:13 PM PDT

•  About Spitzer

  A genuine investigation of the 3000 homicides that occurred in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001 is not in the domain of the NYS Attorney General, Mr. Spitzer, but the Manhattan District Attorney, Mr. Morgenthau.

  However, if Mr. Spitzer wants cred as a crime and corruption defender of the ordinary citizen, he should be screaming for a real, independent no-holds-barred investigation.

  He isn't.  He knows the Official Story is a lie, but he ain't saying twiddly.  3000 dead, well it's the feds, we can't do anything, they had to lay a groundwork for wars against Afghanistan (pipelines 'n' poppies) and Iraq (oil 'n' savagery) let's do some real estate deals!

  He's in the game for self-aggrandizement.

  He is an imperious, rich-boy asshole.

  Preferable to Pataki or any Repug I can think of who might make the run?  Yes.  But do I believe in him?  No.

  by proudtinfoilhat on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:25:15 PM PDT

  •  proud tin foil

    you nailed it. he is in it for him.

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:26:57 PM PDT

    •  Isn't that true of most politicians? n/t

      by boran2 on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:31:38 PM PDT

    •  I think you might

      want to read that post more carefully before you endorse it so heartily.  proudtinfoilhat wants Spitzer to call an inquiry into whether al Qaeda is really behind 911.  Because he doesn't do this, the poster assumes Spitzer is a "rich boy asshole".  Do you want Spitzer to call an inquiry into whether al Qaeda was really behind 911?  Because if you do, I lose all sympathy for your otherwise interesting argument here.

      by tlaura on Thu May 05, 2005 at 08:02:48 PM PDT

  •  Why is he better??

    I would rather have a wolf I can identify as a wolf than a wolf in sheep's clothing.

    by adigal on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:39:11 PM PDT

•  i feel ya.

  we've been going through much the same thing here in north brooklyn as of late. it's been a nightmare. there's just too damned much money to be made from turning brooklyn in to a bedroom community for the rich. our community actually asked the city for a rezoning 15 years ago and we were largely ignored. the community (community board 1), over the last decade developed their own 197-a plan. the city came up with a huge giveaway to developers with pretty much nothing for the community infrastructure-wise. the city's plan was atrocious. it was rejected by the community board, the borough president and just about anyone else who looked at it impartially. our city council people vowed to fight it and change the plan significantly in negotiations with the city. then they fucked us. they threw us a bone with affordable housing. that's pretty much it.

  you can read a gushing story by the ever odious diane cardwell in the times about the "historic plan" here. it's awful.

  i've been blogging about our woes on our new drinking liberally williamsburg/greenpoint blog. we've only been live for about a week. be gentle.

  on a side note, mark peters, candidate for brooklyn district attorney and former spitzer employee, spoke to our neighborhood DFNYC meeting last night. he must have mentioned that he worked for spitzer two dozen times. it was pretty funny. honestly though, i like him and may do some volunteer work for him later this summer.

  sucks to hear spitzer sound like, well, just like every other pol in this town. everybody but norm seigel anyway. norm is my fucking hero.

  "after the Rapture, we get all their shit"

  It's time: the albany project.

  by lipris on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:35:13 PM PDT

  •  Norman is my Hero to

    As are the Williamsburg Warriors. Are you with them? Norman is Develop Don't Destroy's lawyer.

    I spoke at the press conference the Warriors and 20 groups from around the city held on monday at City Hall, just before the vote to sell out W'burg/Greenpoint. everyone from the Mayor on down to idiotic housing advocates claimed that it was a great new day for NYC. BS.

    Ratner, the W'burg rezoing, West Harlem, Red Hook, NASCAR in Staten Island, Jets Stadium, Hunts Point Market they are not separate. they are all the same boondoggle, nightmares set forth on the citizenry by the EVIL Dan Doctoroff with the Mayor's happy consent. with the Democrats in the back cheering most of the time.

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:50:33 PM PDT

    •  ha!

      i am indeed with williamsburg warriors and i was there on monday too. how funny. yeah, norm is our lawyer too. he's amazing. i think i'm gonna host a few house parties for norm this summer. i love the fact that norm never says no.

       "hey, norm we're doing this thing and it would be great if you could be there."

      "sure. what time.?"

      norm rules.

      you're right about all these projects being related. they are and that's really what we were trying to get across on monday. this really is a citywide assault and citywide fight. if they do this to williamsburg and greenpoint as well as atlantic yards, no one in this city should think they won't come and do it to you too. and doctoroff really is evil. he's the cheney. god, i hate that fucker.

      "after the Rapture, we get all their shit"

      It's time: the albany project.

      by lipris on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:57:12 PM PDT

•  Spitzer and You

  So, he disagreed with you about the project and the degree to which this development will benefit the surrounding area -- and the gall to ask if you had an alternate plan -- so you write up this hit piece with precious little in the way of hard facts or actual statements by the Governor? One wonders how much of the attitude displayed in your diary was displayed during your meeting with Mr Spitzer, and what the effect of that was.

  I have no doubt that you have evidence or statistics regarding this land deal, and Mr Spitzer has his, and there's some room for debate there. It looks like your group has a great many questions that need to be answered and points that are undeniable. But this diary absolutely tanks in the persuasion department. You just come off bitter and spiteful, and Spitzer comes off as a person to be sympathized with for the butting of heads he dealt with today.

  Try re-writing your diary with a little backhistory or some facts, and slightly less vitriolic mudslinging, and maybe we'll start to think about Spitzer's true persona. Until then, we've no reason to trust you or your overheated ranting over our own experience and eyes, and we've no reason to think your cause is important since you haven't told us anything about it in relation to Spitzer.

  by Addison on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:48:58 PM PDT

  •  wrong

    We do have an alternative plan with developers interested. we told him. he ignored it. don't talk about something that you did not witness. if you read the diary through, you'd see that I said I'd have been fine if we simply disagreed, but that is not what happened. He came in from the start, angry and imperious and unwilling to engage in any kind of meaningful dialogue at all.

    I don't know about you. but the contender to the throne of NYState has GOT to be concerned about a 2 billion dollar public expenditure on a private for profit development. But he simply wasn't.

    I guess you are the kind that likes being shit on, pissed on, run roughshod on and then say "thank you sir, yes sir, thank you sir."

    I thought it would be an honor and a pleasure to meet the guy. Instead he treated us with utter contempt and disdain. I find it hard to believe its the first time he's done this to anyone.

    Mr. Spitzer doesn't have his statistics. if he did, he'd be willing to engage in a discussion. instead he engaged in a stiff arm.

    We entered the meeting ready for a conversation. He entered the meeting ready to tell us that he is the man with the power and that we just need to shut up and listen.

    And that is just it, Spitzer doesn't have any say over this project. He has no reason to come out on it one way or the other. But he decided to call it "spectacular" based on not one shred of evidence or reasoning.

    you want to know details on the Ratner project. go to the links i posted. this diary, you are correct, was a rant about a politician who pretends he's one thing and is something else. go the links, they are full of facts.

    please tell me, what is so great about Spitzer besides that he is a showy wrist-slapper?

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 06:57:53 PM PDT

    •  Please

      Please do not ignore the AG's important work on behalf of some of the most defenseless and exploited New Yorkers, poor immigrant men who earned less than $2 an hour delivering groceries. Spitzer helped win millions of dollars in back pay for these people.

      These are people who have no constituency, no voting power, no politicians in their pocket, no lobby, nothing. Yet Spitzer's labor bureau has worked tirelessly on their behalf. There is no grandstanding here, no showmanship, no flashy headlines to be made, no magazine covers, for cases like these.

      But they do correct a wrong, the kind of wrong which is all too often overlooked. And Spitzer, and the attorneys who work for him, deserve untainted credit for pursuing them.

      by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:06:05 PM PDT

      •  ok, i'll not ignore it

        but why is he in the tank for Ratner then?

        by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:23:46 PM PDT

        •  Good

          It is possible he sincerely believes the Ratner development is a good thing. I realize you are not inclined to believe that those might be his motivations, but I am.

          by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:26:48 PM PDT

          •  I can believe that he feels that way

            but he had no facts, numbers or anything to show why he feels that.

            by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:49:36 PM PDT

    •  Spitzer

      Look, I'm sure that Spitzer can be an ass. Pretty much anyone in New York politics who gets as far as he has must have some sharp elbows.

      And I don't know the details of your conversation, so I won't comment on it. However, Spitzer has done far, far more than slap some companies on the wrist.

      Major corporations actually live in fear of the man, and long-standing practices which are unethical/illegal have stopped, most without ever having been prosecuted. The insurance industry and financial industry, in particular, have changed markedly because of Spitzer, and for the better. I suspect you don't really know about these changes, or don't understand them. You really have to in order to deny that he's made a real difference.

      by jd in nyc on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:12:20 PM PDT

    •  Are you using exact quotes?

      When you say that Spitzer said this or that you are not using quotation marks. This leads me to believe that perhaps you are characterizing what he said through a veil of anger on this particular issue in your own back yard. I understand your anger and frustration at being up against a man like Spitzer. I don't however give much weight to your rant. Perhaps your personal self interest on this issue clouds your reporting of the facts.

      by BMarshall on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:18:16 PM PDT

      •  direct quote

        Mr. Spitzer, aren't you concerned that the local elected officials and the city council will have NO say at all on the biggest project every proposed in the borough of Brooklyn?

        His exact answer, "No, I don't care."

        ---
        Its not a back yard issue when city and state taxpayers are being asked for 2 billion dollars.

        Its not a back yard issue when the entire City Council is bypassed.

        Its not a backyard issue when eminent domain is abused.

        Its not a backyard issue when an entire neighborhood is slated for decimation.

        Its not a backyard issue when asthma rates will be increased by development of this scale.

        It is not a backyard issue when national chain stores are subsidized to out compete local businesses.

        It is not a backyard issue when a city is being asked to pay for a losing venture like a sports arena by subidizing NBA salaries.

        These are citywide, statewide and nationwide issues.
        

        by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:28:16 PM PDT

    •  Spitzer and You, Part II

      I don't care one way or another about Spitzer, actually. I did call him the Governor pre-emptively in the above, but that was supposed to be future Governor, so don't read Spitzer worship into that slipup. I think probably you're right about the development plan (if only because huge complexes are bound to be less egalitarian than small brownhouses or whatever) and probably Spitzer was a bit of an ass or too short-tempered with you.

      That said, and as I said, this diary will persuade no one. You can't expect people to go to your site, and you certainly can't expect them to stay there and have their retinas burnt out by the color scheme. Put some facts into the hit piece, then say "Spitzer didn't answer this point" (having given the point w/ stats or facts), and they you'll have a persuasive diary.

      by Addison on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:18:40 PM PDT

    •  You said:

      "don't talk about something that you did not witness"

      Okay then...so, why did you post this diary?  Were only Kossacks who were at the meeting and/or agree with you supposed to comment on this thread?  I must have missed the memo...

      by ZanderOC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 08:28:17 PM PDT

  •  oh, here is a direct quote

    Mr. Spitzer, aren't you concerned that the local elected officials and the city council will have NO say at all on the biggest project every proposed in the borough of Brooklyn?

    His exact answer, "No, I don't care."

    fantastic! thats the kind of good government and transparency and democracy I'd expect, from, well George W. Bush.

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:03:46 PM PDT

    •  Waterfront

      I thought this was the biggest project yet proposed in Brooklyn? Is the Ratner plan bigger?

      by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:09:19 PM PDT

      •  the williamsburg/greenpoint rezoning

        is a far more ambitous project with a much larger footprint. and that cardwell article is a travesty.

        "after the Rapture, we get all their shit"

        It's time: the albany project.

        by lipris on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:16:04 PM PDT

        •  NYT

          What's so bad about that NYT piece?

          by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:21:53 PM PDT

          •  there's not one quote

            n ot a single freaking one from anyone in that entire piece from anyone opposed to the city's plan. no one from the north brooklyn alliance, no one from community plan, no one from the municipal arts society, all of whom were vocally present at the vote. in fact, there's not one single quote from anyone who actually lives in the neighborhood at all. that's not sloppy reporting. that's willful negligence. that's deception.

            caldwell has a history of such bullshit.

            "after the Rapture, we get all their shit"

            It's time: the albany project.

            by lipris on Thu May 05, 2005 at 09:16:44 PM PDT

      •  w'burg footprint is larger

        Ratner square footage is larger.

        by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:20:45 PM PDT

    •  weird

      If he was going to be hostile like that, why would he agree to meet with you in the first place? Could he have really thought that being dismissive would change an activist's mind? It doesn't make sense...I'd love to hear another version of that conversation.

      by jd in nyc on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:15:54 PM PDT

      •  it is weird

        he had no reason to be hostile. we were perfectly respectful of him and ready to have a discussion and talk policy and facts.

        for whatever reason, he didn't want to. you won't hear another version because the people in the meeting ain't blogging.

        I'm pretty sure that he felt some disdain for us simply because we don't have the same power as  him or the same power/wealth as developers. that was the tone of most of what he had to say.

        by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:30:28 PM PDT

        •  Blog

          you won't hear another version because the people in the meeting ain't blogging.

          Well, one of them does have a blog.

          by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:33:52 PM PDT

          •  true he does

            and you'll find numerous comments grilling him for his coming out saying "ratner's proposal is spectacular"

            like here

            you can check other threads that have comments on the Ratner plan.
            

            by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:52:00 PM PDT

        •  You've got power Brooklynboy

          You have us. I'm a Brooklyn expat almost 2 years removed and cringe when I see what how the politicos want to Giulianify my beloved hometown. I wish we could overturn the "Great mistake of '98" and redeclare our independence.

          On the other hand it's nice to see that we actually have a Democrat like Spitzer who might be able to out-prick some of the top Republicans. Spitzer might have a silver spoon but he is a street-fighter and those are the kind of liberals we need right now. Spitzer comes from real estate and probably is going to depend heavily on scumbags like Ratner for his governor run. I doubt he'll get much support from Marsh McClennan or Merrill Lynch.

          by The past is over on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:59:11 PM PDT

          •  sure but...

            a streetfighter who can be a prick about liberal values.
            liberal values are being trampled in this instance. conservative ones as well.

            by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 08:31:55 PM PDT

  •  No one should be getting any government money

    to build anything (other maybe than the new WTC towers) in Manhattan or Brooklyn right now.

    Even in the parts that are a bit sketchy, prices are outrageously high.

    Even if Ratner would be getting subsidies partly to build affordable housing, I think that's basically a scam. I think the best way to create affordable housing is to persuade rich people to move to nice new houses and leave nice old hand-me down houses for poor people.

    Housing built specifically for poor people is usually pretty awful.

    So, OK, maybe the original poster should have gone to the meeting equipped with more data, but I think any project like this should be presumed guilty until proven innocent.

    by sclminc on Thu May 05, 2005 at 11:58:31 PM PDT

    •  More Data?!

      I came to the meeting with tons of date. Mr. Future Governor just wasn't interested in hearing about it.

      you want data? go get data:

      A breakdown of the public subsidies:
      http://www.dddb.net/dummies/sweetheartanatomy.pdf

      a pamphlet on the scam
      http://www.dddb.net/boondogglebasics.pdf

      a 40 page economic impact analysis
      http://www.dddb.net/public/KimPeebles.pdf

      but the AG had no time to even hear about it. he just wanted to tell us what he thinks, didn't care a bit what we had to tell him.
      

      by BrooklynBoy on Fri May 06, 2005 at 02:46:46 PM PDT

      •  tons of data, that is

        by BrooklynBoy on Fri May 06, 2005 at 02:55:49 PM PDT

      •  I believe you

        I'm just trying to give Spitzer a little bit of a benefit of the doubt. Let's stipulated that you came in and had no data and were literally wearing a tinfoil hat. The project is still suspect.

        by sclminc on Sat May 07, 2005 at 12:52:16 AM PDT

•  Give the Devil His Due

  He HAS fucked up some insurance companies, and since I think nearly all insurance companies are in the service of Red Sam, the Dark Lord and Father of Lies, fucking up an insurance company impresses me as righteous work of the Holy One.

  by proudtinfoilhat on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:11:16 PM PDT

  •  AIG

    AIG isn't fucked up, they are momentarily fucked up and then they'll go their merry way.

    by BrooklynBoy on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:21:39 PM PDT

•  i know spitzer

  or at least my father does
  we used to belong to the same beach club as his parents
  eliot spent the most money to win the AG spot
  I like his politics a lot
  but my father is right when he says that eliot is about himself and loves the spotlight
  even playing club tennis the man was about himself

  now you take the good with the bad

  overall i still think eliot is a major plus

  by upsavr on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:21:24 PM PDT

  •  If you want to see something funny

    Get Elliot Spitzer,Dick Blumenthol and a Camera in the same room.It happened at a fundraiser I attended at in 04 and at the end of it a couple of us were laughing our asses off.These two guys love each other almost as much as they love themselves but only 1/2 as much as they love the camera.

    by ctkeith on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:45:51 PM PDT

    •  Whoa

      Whoa! Stop the presses! A politician who understands the importance that media coverage plays in modern politics!

      by DavidNYC on Thu May 05, 2005 at 07:58:07 PM PDT

      •  Hey DavidNYC

        I like both of them and teased Spitzer because i hadn't seen him om CNBC in about 4 weeks wgen I spoke to him that night.This was 3 days before the AIG story broke and he said," Keep watching".

        I saw Blumenthol at the state of the state in Hartford when he was walking into the capitol and laughingly told him where all the News cameras were set up so he didn't miss any.He smiled and said "Thanks".

         I don't begrudge these guys anything but I do enjoy watching a good dancer.

        by ctkeith on Thu May 05, 2005 at 09:26:44 PM PDT

        •  Spitzer

          Heheheh pretty funny Spitzer story. :)

          by DavidNYC on Sat May 07, 2005 at 02:28:29 PM PDT