When I first overheard the news reports about Eliot Spitzer's leisure time pursuits, discovered by chance through a federal wiretap of his cell phone, two words stood out for me: "prostitution" and "ring." Without having the details, I thought at the very least he must have been found running a prostitution ring, or using public funds to cover his own dates.
That's why I was caught short when I actually read the articles. Collectively there was no doubt they added up to a press-kit story. How did the word "ring" get included as an implied part of Spitzer's offense instead of "escort service"? Who was it that decided the women were "prostitutes" instead of "call girls"?
These terms, consciously chosen by somebody, have enormously different connotations, and were a common thread across the wire services, the television news, and the leading newspapers.
Eliot Spitzer likely has too much self-respect to take David Ritter's low road, but we can all recall Vitter's statement after his name turned up on the client list of the "escort service," as the press called it, of the DC Madam eight months ago:
This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there - with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.
Vitter hasn't resigned, of course. In fact, I've looked at all the lists I can find of political scandals, and so far I haven't been able to spot a single case in which a top-level, male elected official was driven from office for paying his own money to have sex with a woman. Even if paying a hooker for sex is against the law or highly distasteful or blatantly hypocritical, the public does not reflexively call for the politician's head. They have to be pushed.
Who gave a pass to Vitter but handed Spitzer his head on a platter?
The current administration and its allies have made a fine art out of pre-emptively blitzing the air waves and the Internet with their own spin, and emerging the winner--facts no obstacle.
And I would venture a guess that the same people who prepared the Spitzer press kit will be calling the election before anybody else next November.