Philanderers Are Forgiven, Liars Are Not

On Monday, Governor Elliot Spitzer (D-NY) resigned. Last week, Spitzer was indicted. His crime? Multiple interstate acts of prostitution. “I look at my time as governor with a sense of what might have been but I also know that, as a public servant, I and the remarkable people with whom I worked have accomplished a great deal,” Spitzer said. “There is much more to be done and I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people’s work.”

Simply stated, Spitzer was evil. He was political slime. He personified blackmail and extortion. Spitzer decapitated via smears. He vilified other’s indiscretions. Americans appreciate sex. We will tolerate infidelity. Yet, we abhor insincerity. Ultimately, Spitzer’s adultery was irrelevant. His hypocrisy damned him.