Monthly Archives: March 2008

Why Eliot Spitzer’s Emperors Club VIP Parties Hurt Hillary Clinton

March 10, 2008
2 Comments
John Little

John Nichols @ The Nation on why the Eliot Spitzer story hurts Hillary:

The Clinton campaign immediately began sponging Spitzer’s name from the Senator’s campaign website–just as Idaho Senator Larry Craig’s name disappeared from the website of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney after Craig’s bathroom troubles in Minneapolis.

But that won’t be the end of this.

The Spitzer trip up is a made-for-TV — and really made-for-The New York Post — scandal. The media won’t let go of this one, and sooner or later Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are going to be obsessed with everything Hillary Clinton has to say about it.

Clinton will be answering breathless questions about all her governor’s troubles, about whether he should resign and, of course, about her impressions of what it means when prominent political players — like governors or, say, presidents in the 1990s — get wrapped up in sex scandals.

Double ouch!

This is really the last thing Hillary needed. Thomas de Zengotita thinks the scandal will blunt Hillary’s attacks on Obama:

This delicious piece of trash reminds everybody of the yuck factor that haunts the Clinton Restoration movement. It’s subliminal, but that could make it even better. Obama’s awful challenge right now is to remind Democrats of how McCain will destroy the Clintons in the general election without having Obama sink to the level of Hillary’s as far as I know knife thrust. Spitzer will remind everyone of Monica — and all the others too. He will remind them of blow jobs in the White House. He will remind them of how Hillary was willing to destroy women her husband exploited in service of their weird life-long power pact.

Expect Bill and Hillary to get even more enthusiastic about the “dream ticket” as they grasp for the consolation prize. Expect Obama to, quite correctly, tie her to a culture of sleaze and corruption and turn away.

The Emperors Club VIP Web Site

The Internet Archive Wayback Machine contains bits of what is alleged to have been New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s preferred international social introduction service:

Emperors’ Club VIP is the most preferred international social introduction service for those accustomed to excellence. Introducing the most impressive models to leading gentleman of the world is our expertise. We specialize in introductions of: fashion models, pageant winners and exquisite students, graduates and women of successful careers (finance, art, media etc…) to gentlemen of exceptional standards. When seeking an evening date, a weekend travel companion, or a friend to accompany you during your next business / social function our models are perfect preference.

We act for a select group of educated, refined and successful international clients who give their best in all they do and who, in return, only wish to receive the best. Catering to clients who will not compromise in any area of their life. We provide our customers and associates with full discretion, confidentiality and guarantee the most exclusive and discreet social introduction services. Our presentation and photos of each model are recent and accurate. The poses intentionally conceal their faces, as each model companion is either a University Student or, more commonly, a career professional. This guarantees privacy, public comfort and discretion for both our clients and models when dating.

Our meticulous standards of beauty, intelligence and charm ensure that you always encounter the quality you’ve come to expect in a woman, when with an Emperors’ Club vip model. Each of our companions is a product of an exceptionally fine background and a success in her right. All rendezvous are individually crafted to suit the needs of your specific occasion. Note that each model has place in her schedule for a select number of appointments per month, so your date will be a special one for both of you.

Our goal is to make life more peaceful, balanced, beautiful and meaningful. We honor commitment to our clients as we covet long-term relationships of trust and mutual benefit. Experience for yourself a service of obvious distinction…

You think Spitzer’s life is more peaceful, balanced, beautiful and meaningful at the moment?

Video: Democratic Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer Addresses Media

It’s a private matter…my record… must work to regain trust..blah, blah, blah. You’ve heard it all before. Spitzer is toast and would have been wise to bail as early as possible. Perhaps he’s more concerned with a criminal defense than politics at this point.

Blogger Roundup: Gov. Eliot Spitzer and The Emperors Club VIP Prositution Ring

A Blog for All
One time ally and fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton is running away from Spitzer as fast as she can. They’ve already scrubbed her website of any reference to Spitzer. It wont be that easy as Spitzer is one of her superdelegates.

Outside the Beltway
Aside from a general sense that chief executive officers ought to obey the laws they’re charged with enforcing and that married men ought to be faithful to their wives, I really don’t care much about this story. The interesting angle, really, is the hypocrisy bit.

The Swamp
Spitzer was in Washington over the weekend at the Gridiron Dinner. When he was introduced, a lot of the people in the hotel ballroom probably thought as I did, that he had really hurt what once looked like a promising political future with his aborted controversial move to give drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants. Now that seems like the least of his problems.

Political Byline
Of course, The right is screaming, “HA HA!” and “Hypocrite!” and the Left is basically hunkered down and not saying much. I think it’s sad and it will hurt the democrats. I only imagine the feelings of the people in New York. I know, I would be highly annoyed, if I knew my Governor was involved with something such as this.

Hot Air
Nice to have a sex scandal for once that doesn’t involve a Republican, eh?

Michelle Malkin
Wow. This is an astounding turn of events for a ruthlessly ambitious, self-styled crusader against corruption.

The Jawa Report
Salacious pics added for dramatic effect. Who am I kidding? Pics added because the prostitutes Spitzer was involved with were not street corner crack whores, but hot upscale “models”.

Atlas Shrugs
Always cloaking themselves as agents of change, Mr. Clean, blah blah blah, Spitzer more than anyone played holier than thou. He decimated secotrs of Wall Street. Apparently, his royal cleanliness is client #9.

Don Surber
Methinks the guv is cooked. He’s had setback after setback. Now he has a sex scandal, where he paid for sex. That’s ugly. Voters might forgive a bimbo here or even a bimbeau there. But paying for it? In the Age of AIDS?

Kevin Drum @ Political Animal
As with David Vitter and Larry Craig, my official position is: who cares. This shouldn’t be illegal in the first place and I don’t care what these guys do in their private time. Needless to say, though, this is not a majority opinion, and the fact that Spitzer has busted prostitution rings in his previous career brings the usual hypocrisy charges into play too. I’d put his survival odds at less than 10%.

Politik Ditto
This horrible governor who bullied & smeared those who dared oppose him, wanted to grant illegal immigrants drivers licenses and campaigned as a reformer of ethics needs to step down.

TalkLeft
Jeffrey Toobin went to law school with Spitzer and is telling CNN now on the phone he was always such a straight arrow. As Attorney General, he was always a “moralist.” I have to agree. I used to debate Spitzer on tv before he was Attorney General and met him several times. He’s the least likely person I can imagine being involved in this. I never liked his position on crime, but I liked him and am sorry to see this.

Bush and Polish PM Make Progress on Massive Military Deal – Global Missile Defense Shield Deployment

Critics will probably focus on the expected cost of this deal (terms undecided at the moment) but this relationship is going to be very important given the uncertain situation in Russia:

President George W. Bush said on Monday he had agreed the United States would help modernize the Polish military as part of a U.S. plan to base components of a global missile defense shield in Poland.

Bush’s announcement, after White House talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, appeared to mark a major step toward meeting Poland’s demand that Washington boost military aid in exchange for allowing the basing of 10 missile interceptors in Poland.

The two leaders hailed their meeting as a success but made clear that no final deal had been reached on the anti-missile system, something U.S. and Polish officials have said could still take months more.

“The United States recognizes the need for Polish forces to be modernized,” Bush told reporters. He said “before my watch is over” — he leaves office in January 2009 — U.S. experts would have assessed those needs.

Russia is not going to be happy.