Eliot and Bill: Soul Mates

We learned almost immediately that Client 9 was Eliot Spitzer. And that his $1000 an hour rent-a-gal "Kristen" was really 22 year-old Ashley Dupre. But that 800 lb. pink polka-dot elephant lurking in the shadows of The Mayflower's room 871 turns out to be none other than Bill Clinton. Not that the media pretends to notice.

Unfair! you protest. Slander! The Vast-Right-Wing-Conspiracy once again at work! When speaking of the Eliot Mess, seems like it's OK to evoke memories of former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, or hapless Larry Craig or even to dredge up Gary Hart as examples of powerful men who at one time or another did more thinking with their little head instead of their larger one.

But all of a sudden, comparisons to Bill Clinton and -- dare I say -- Monica Lewinsky seem to be out of bounds. That's a curious anomaly because if there's any two recent cases of reckless, high-wire American sexual politics that are most similar, they have to be those of Clinton and Spitzer.

Both were two extremely powerful men, rising political stars, one a Governor another a president, both brimming with ambition and hubris, both of them willing to risk not only their own political careers but also to put the interests of their larger political constituencies into play, as they indulged their personal, uncontrollable sexual compulsions and addictions.

And both of them with very young women, troubled young women, albeit in different ways. And both of the women barely of age, young enough to be their own daughters.

Ah, but you say, there's a world of difference between the two cases. Spitzer was into hookers, while Clinton's to-do with Monica was a consensual, voluntary relationship between two adults with no exchange of currency (indeed, it was Monica who was showering gifts on Bill).

Not exactly. I'd even argue that "Kristen" got a much better shake than Monica. Not only did she get paid -and rather handsomely--she got a couple of hours at a time, alone and in a luxurious hotel suite with the Governor of New York. She certainly wasn't in love with her high-rolling John. But at least he treated her with a certain dignity. Monica, on the other hand, got a only a few, sporadic, stolen minutes now and then with the President, hurriedly servicing him behind, on or under his desk. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no record of them sharing any real intimacy, or spending as much as one night alone together. And Monica's payback was hardly at the five or even four diamond level. Instead, she was thoroughly trashed and somehow portrayed as the perpetrator - not the victim--by many of the same hired knife-throwers still working today for the Clintons.

Which reminds us of one other detail. By next week, Spitzer will have slipped into the swamps of political obscurity. But Clinton, through a strange alignment of political forces and by an exaggerated response from the Republicans, not only survived, but went on to politically flourish. Indeed, at times during the current presidential campaign of his wife, Bill Clinton seemed to loom as large as any player on the stage.

Except for this past week, that is. The media has turned downright skittish in noting the similarities of character shared by Eliot and Bill. The only implication I can draw is that too many editors think it would somehow be unfair -even unseemly--to muddy the Hillary Clinton campaign with such uncomfortable associations. This is absurd, of course. Those same neurotic compulsions to dominate at all costs that time and again drove Bill Clinton into so many sordid personal dalliances have been garishly on display over the past few months if only in a more constrained political rather than sexual context. And once again they flash before us, this time as played out by Bill Clinton's soul mate: Eliot Spitzer.

Comments

[Rhonda864]

I'm so freaking sick of progressives pounding on Bill Clinton. Leave him alone! Damn, he paid his dues, hasn't he? He was ripped apart by the Right-wing smear machine during his entire time in office. Trying to impreach him for getting a BJ in the Oval Office. Give me a break! Yes, he cheated on his wife. That was WRONG, but he doesn't deserve to be tortured for the rest of his life. Just leave him the hell alone. Besides, I don't think Bill ever had to pay for sex. There was Monica (free), then the country singer in Arkansas (free). I think Eliot Spitzer got a bum rap too. Look at all the Repuglicans still in office after they were "discovered" having affairs. Vetter for example. He visited brothels in Louisana and had call girls in Washington DC. He's still in the Senate. Craig. He liked picking up men in airport bathrooms. He's still in the Senate. If every Washington politician got the boot for having an affair or cheating on their spouse, it would be mighty quite up on the hill.

[impeachBC]

What did Hillary really do for us? Become a role model for us all by staying with an abusive womanizer, through countless affairs? That's the way to show women how to stand up for themselves and be strong .... but only if they need political clout! I know she sat on the board of Walmart, the biggest union buster in the world? She's backed NAFTA when Bill and the republican congress passed it, losing millions of jobs for working Americans? She was a lawyer with the Rose Law firm and made huge deals for Monsanto Corp. and Tyson Chicken while Bill alievieated the farming regulations so they could make astronomical profits? Where does her money from? She won't make her taxes available to the public? Why not? The only thing transparant is the ugly way she's running her campaign. Telling the public that only she or John McCain have enough experience to be president and all Obama has is a speech is very small. What if he wins Hillary? Why would you do that to the democratic party? You don't strike me as a team player? You strike me as more domineering, say or do anything to win kind of player. Plus the fear mongering of the red-phone ad was down right cold-war silly! I elect a president on his/her judgment, the strength of their character and how honest I think they'll be. Not by the color of their skin or what ever religion they practice! My vote will be for Barack Obama in '08 and I'm a 56 year-old white woman, who thinks it's time for you and Bill to take a break. I can't go back to believing in someone who actually made all our lives less safe and less prosperous! You do not bring the kind of change our democracy desperately need!

[clevelandchick]

While I never felt Clinton should be impeached for his affair with Lewinsky; I was quite disgusted that a middle-aged man manipulated and used naive young star-struck girl for sex. And then of course we had the news of his other affairs and witnessed the Clintons and their 'Istas' go after those women who were used then denigrated by him.

And I have to tell you, at one point I felt very sorry for Monica. Hillary got to play the stoic forgiving wife while the rest of America mocked Monica as a lowly stupid whore and Bill (the cad largely responsible for the mess) got to be cast as a victim of the Republican machine. Poor Bill, poor Hillary. They both knew he was incapable of being faithful and that was a bargain Hillary accepted so that she could advance her own political career.

Bottom line, both men acted dishonorably but I agree that at least the prostitute understood that her relationship with Spitzer was a business transaction and it's quite obvious that if he was Client 9; she had at least another 8 Clients on her books. But Bill's philandering and Hill's acceptance of it so that she could someday run for president is quite a bit less savory.

[mojomagic]

"middle-aged man manipulated and used naive young star-struck girl for sex"

Less you forgot, this naive young star-struck woman already had an affair with a married man under her belt. Naive....yah sure!

[Jonny38103]

Not to mention it was probably the best thing that ever happened to her - can you say opportunist? Payments to whores come in a variety of forms - Ms. Lewinsky received much more than she ever gave.

[yourstruly]

Truly, I think Spitzer has far more in common with JFK than with Bill Clinton. Came from a wealthy family. Had a domineering father. Bill seems to have an insatiable need for love, whereas something else seems to drive Spitzer. And, frankly, Spitzer looked far more anguished than Clinton when he confessed.

[waynesmyer]

But! But! Was Charming Billy a member of the Emperor's Club? Who were the other members?
We need a full listing of the membership! The public has a right to know! Were there any Republican members being prosecuted Uh , persecuted?
MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM

"I did not have sex with that woman! blond lobbyist, prostitute, policeman!
1. Charming Billy Clinton
2. Johnny "Ride The Bomb " McCain
3. Eliot Spitzer
4.Sen. Larry Craig
5. All of the above!

[richardgordon]

After reading the acres of print written about this silly nonsense and after being bombarded by the news media questioning what motivated Elliot Spitzer to "throw it all away" there are really only two people who have said anything that has made any sense. Bill Maher and Heidi Fleiss.

Spitzer was motivated simply by sex. There is no need to psychoanalyze what we are all genetically programed to pursue. And while the media tut tuts and feigns horror and outrage it is clearly delighted with a story guaranteed to sell more newspapers and television advertising.

The fact that Spitzer got caught with his ding dong in the honey pot is delicious irony and glee for his many enemies, and self-righteous critics. And, yes, it is indeed poetic justice that Spitzer should have been caught in an activity that he himself so hypocritically pursued.

Does Spitzer deserve 20 years in jail for some ridiculous "money laundering" charge? I find this difficult to believe, because it just shows how screwed up the American justice system really is.

[wakupmagy]

What is wrong with you, Marc Cooper? Didn't the Clintons do enough to damage Monica Lewinsky? Why are you dragging her into this? Besides, I'm pretty sure Clinton gave her a book of Walt Whitman poetry which sort of belies your whole premise of the whole thing just being a "service agreement."
But either way, for God's sake, leave the girl alone. I thought you were better than that.

[maryartemis]

This is actually a good article and I agree with it. I hope, though, that the writer is sincere and is not, as many of you commenters say, using Eliot to diss Hillary. She, for one, loses my vote because she did not venture out on her own after that stupid fiasco. I want and expect more from my presidential women. After all, I did it in my own life. --I ventured out and found out what it means to be strong and alone without an unethical man. Not only did I prove myself to myself and the world, I earned myself an ethical, good man, and decent role model for the children of the unethical man. LIfe doesn't get better than that.

I expect the same nuts and bolts from HIllary.

[Levittown]

When you find a politician with out baggage you will be in La La land. Everybody goofs up, no one is completely innocent, Stop using these articles and interviews with desperate housewives and single women with a yen for celebrity to muddy the already scum surfaced streams. Lets focus on the USA and why we have so many problems. Start with the administration and the blind followers in the Congress. From there you can go down the list, a subverted Dept, of Justice, a VP with apenchant for take the money and hide it and continue to the get Middle East opportunists and just add Blackwater and all the other vutures feeding off the USA Treasury and you have real serious problems. Don't let the whores and the weak kneed jerks in any position of power detract for more than a mii-second. We are in serious trouble and need serious debate, not the B.S. the media feeds on.

[mamamay]

You got it going on. You used the key words that a woman must prove to herself that she can do. " I Ventured out on my own, I earned myself, and I proved to myself." I agree until a woman cuts loose and ventures for herself or a man for himself, they proved nothing to themself. Hil is not strong. She talks a lot of BS out of retaliation re her struggles as a puppet for Bil. She would have gone very far if she had cut him loose and moved on. Instead she is still in the valley of day one trying to get over his hurt. Well wanting to go back to the WH with this unresolved suerrie is not going to do anything but cause her and the American people a bigger headache. Let's stop her drama and turn the page. vote Obama and move away from this bill and eliot mess.

[MikeL1]

I kind of understand your point, Mary. And I'm proud of you & your accomplishments. I'm in NO ways a fan of Hillary. She'll NEVER get my vote. I'm an independent voter who's leaning towards Obama or McCain. But I have 2 be fair about it. Sen. Clinton stayed with Bill & used his name 2 get votes. But that shouldn't be the reason not 2 vote 4 her.

We can't blame her 4 being in a horrific situation. But if I was a woman & in her shoes, I would take use & take about as much advantage as I can out of him. LOL! Why not? He lied & cheated on her! I have a BILLION issues that I disagree with her on. But it's political reasons.

I don't support Hillary at all!!! Never will. I just feel it's not fair 2 hold her accountable 4 what MR. CLINTON did. I'm a man saying this. I'm kind of amazed myself. :-))

[websmith]

What else would you expect from the MSM special interest groups?

When you are owned by people who want war, oil, government contracts, weapons sales, continued support and protection for Israel, legislation protecting their interests, and to continue to loan money, you make your contributions in more devious ways. Payments are made in the form of bias, exclusion, and secret promises of wealth and power.

[eshalom]

Marc, I realize you're intent upon wallowing in the mud by fulfilling your obsession of slandering the Clintons by any means possible, but I suggest you satisfy all of your depraved instincts and go all out by bringing up the philandering of Ted Kennedy, John Kennedy, Martin Luther, King, Jr., New Gingrich, Larry Craig, David Vitter and what the heck, go all the way back to Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.

[maryartemis]

Actually, it is appropriate that he use Clinton as a comparison. Come on! This was our last impeached president in a debate that was important to most of us!

[eshalom]

maryartemis, Are you seriously trying to justify Marc Cooper's sorry attempt in this post to once again stoop as low as possible to slander Bill and Hillary Clinton? That says as much about you as it does about Cooper.

Or maybe you're concerned that if he had chosen, e.g., one of the Kennedy womanizers to connect with Spitzer, it might have diminished the aura Obama has benefited from by Ted's endorsement?

If there's a connection to be made from Spitzer to a candidate, it would be to Obama who, like Spitzer, has presented himself as the morally superior crusader bent on cleaning up the corruption in our political system.

[MoMule]

Thanks eshalom..well said. All this judging people for their human weaknesses and personal decisions...please. In the case of this article the transparency of what motivated this writer is evident. All these women out there damning women who chose to keep their marriages and families intact despite grave wounds where do you get off? It is not for you to judge. Maybe you would do it differently maybe not and that would be your personal decision and not open to judgement from the masses. I agree with esalom the stories of powerful men who philander are legion across the political spectrum and this writer is using the most recent example to further his obsession with bringing down the Clintons. The press has absolutely failed the American people.

[mamamay]

This has everything to do with Hil as a candidate. She has not been able to pull herself away from this association with the other women in Bils life, because she has not come completely out of denial. She needs to confront Bil with her aches. Speaking out at Obama to prove she is strong and ready is not real, and will not hold up in reality. Bil can't be the Pres for her. he can not fight the war for her and he can't resolve the problems of the USA for Hil. Until Hil gets healed of this womanizing syndrome, she will not be ready to react to the American problems now or day 100. Hil needs help and we saw in in NH. We saw it when she was unable to congratulate Or apologize to Obama, et al. She is still hurting and moving in with many of these same soul searching women will not help her heal. Hil needs to denounce feelings, problems etc associated with Bil that is keeping her from being a strong candidate for Pres.

[floridagramma]

Aaror, the article is a problem because Mr. Cooper is hoping by association people will think Bill Clinton's and Elliot Spitzer's actions somehow are a reflection of Hillary Clinton's morality. Absurd isn't it? Well, some of these comments reveal that some have already made that association. Again, Hillary Clinton has spent a lifetime caring, working and delivering for the American people. Sometimes lies adn erroneous associations bring down the best candidates; i.e. "Swift Boat Veteran's for Truth.'@#$%!!

[jourant]

This article makes an assumption that these two men have a somewhat unique problem: that their sexual desires caused them to act recklessly. But what if what they really have in common is that they were caught? What if this kind of behavior is actually quite common among their peers? I have the suspicion that this an issue that many people involved with politics don't want to look into very deeply. It opens a whole pandora's box of issues about marriage and sex and power once you look beneath the political scandal.

[pippadog]

I had a bet with a friend, another HuffPoer, as to how long it would take for some blogger to connect the Spitzer scandal to the Clintons. Thanks for earning me five bucks

[shirleyj]

We really have to ask ourselves if we want four more years of Monica drama. Really. Will he desist and conduct himself in a way that is beyond reproach? Can we get that in writing? Will we have to suffer through a Gary Hart-like media watch where our friends in the fourth estate camp out waiting for him to take another misstep when the temptation gets too much to bear? Why would we want to endure this again? We know the Republicans acted dispicably and should, themselves, be impeached for their crimes in Iraq (since they lowered the threshold for high crimes and misdemeanors in the Monica affair), but do we really want to incur that kind of rancor when Bill does what he has done reportedly many times before???

[mamamay]

Yes he will. On the Friday before the SC primary, Bil showed up on a College Campus after 10 PM. Nora on MSNBC interviewed a College Campaigner named Holly.. who gave this information. Yes, Bil needs more treatment. He appears hungry to get back to the WH to get back at the people for this Impeachment. This is unfair to the Monica's to bring this back into these families such drama. Stop this smearing and welcoming of the Clinton.Bush and McCain legacy. Vote Obama and turn the page.

[Kebbi101]

mammay again I am so shocked at the pure ignorance of your intelligence to the actual issues. you must truly be so blind that you cant see what you are writing. Obama is not the change agent that you, he, or anybodyelse makes him out to be. The man has done nothing that would get anyones support if they actually looked into his past.

[xottawan]

Has anyone considered what might have happened if Bill Clinton had emulated Spitzer's taking of responsibility and resigned? Al Gore would have assumed the office of president and probably won in 2000 (as incumbent, I doubt if he could have been defeated). Whether or not 9/11 would have happened, I doubt that we would be in Iraq now. I suspect that our resources would have been in Afghanistan, and that Osama bin Laden would be in custody or dead. Perhaps the Taliban would be history also, but in any event, Gore would most likely have won again in 2004---and the US would not be in this financial crisis, we might have made progress with global climate change, and who knows what else? Fast forward to 2008: maybe Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would be vying for the top spot on the ticket.
But wait! Perhaps Gore would have run in 2004 with Hillary or Barack as Veep, making this year's election a very different kettle of fish. It's all idle speculatio­n.........­but makes one wonder: what does "Taking responsibility" really mean? Spitzer did. Clinton didn't...and here we are!

[billflannigan]

Exactly! I voted for Bill twice, and don't regret those votes, but it is a FACT that his personal failings (starting with Paula Jones, who would have settled her case years earlier if he had just paid her and apologized- apparently Bill and HRC went to the same school as Bush when it comes to apologizing for or admitting mistakes)- anyway, Bill's personal failings no longer can be seen as personal- when you sit in the White House, you represent something vastly more than yourself- you are an office, a thing, not just a man (or woman). His affair changed US foreign policy and military actions (he didn't strike back at Al-Queda as forcefully as he should have b/c he was afraid it would be perceived as him trying to use a military action to divert attention from the affair) and directly led to Gore's loss in 2000- can any of you Clintonista's say that if Bill had simply been a good, loyal husband and had just finished out his term in good standing that Gore wouldn't have won in a landslide? So yes, it's in the past, but when we are talking about HRC in the White House again with Bill, we can't just let HRC claim her experience as a first lady without also recalling their failures. And if Bill, like Eliot, is so damn smart, then how did he/they not see how their personal choices are linked to public policy? Clinton supporters can blame the media, republicans (who you KNOW are going to bring this up in the fall if HRC steals the nomination under the banner of "electability"- an argument that ignores the very real, and significant anti-Clinton sentiments that WILL mobilize and energize republicans) and, shockingly, Obama supporters, but the fault lies with the man who made the decision to have sex while in office. And one last thing- all this anger at Obama with him supposedly getting a pass in the MSM- first, it's BS, second, even if there is some real or perceived bias, then why be angry with Obama? He's not in control of media outlets, and if some reporters or writers like the guy, why is that his fault?

[MoMule]

Yes ,by all means let's blame every problem the country has on Bill Clinton that will help us solve the problems for sure!

[Kebbi101]

WOW xottawan the first person that actually has made perfect sense. I am a hard core conservative and I hate Bush. If Bill would have resigned respectfully like he should have george bush would have never taken office and we would have not been in the situation we are in today. So thank you Bill Clinton for messing up the World.

[floridagramma]

Here you go again, Mr. Cooper. Back off!!!! Hillary isn't Bill. Besides, it is irrelevant. Hillary Clinton has spent a lifetime caring, working and delivering for the American people.

[Aaror]

If Hillary isn't Bill, than this article isn't a problem, right? So why ask him to back off?

[maryartemis]

Because they are way too close, and, she did nothing about losing him from her life, which scares away many decent women. Truth be told, it is not a conventional marriage and never was; merely a political liaison that resulted in a child. I can't admire her for allowing him to treat her this way by still keeping him. No vote.

[JHJ]

Exactly: Hillary isn't Bill. Thus, Bill should be fair game, and we should go ahead and make all the comparisons between him and Spitzer that NEED to be made.

Why do these comparisons need to be made? Because we Dems have a right to state how pissed off we are, with at least some hope that our anger will serve as some deterence for the next idiot who comes along to undermine the party. Their indiscretions have REAL effects on us. Here in NY, we are just one seat away from controlling the Senate. Now, thanks to Eliot, there is a substantial chance that we won't be able to make that a reality. As for Bill, his indiscretions were one of the factors that cost Gore the Whitehouse in 2000. We Dems need to send the message that we're not ok with this crap.

I agree that it's unfair to take down Hillary with this stuff, and I understand that it's hard to talk about this stuff openly without somehow making her look bad. But I just don't think we as a party can afford to not talk openly about how much the actions of people like her husband and Spitzer really hurt the party, and need to be addressed.

[Langlois]

Dear Florida Gramma,

Is It me, or has the Huffington Post become all Barack all the time ? I ask why, so many people who come home from their blue collar jobs at night, who don't have an email address, have gotten their butts down to the primaries in the big important Democratic states ( not the caucuses where you rush the line, pack the gym and scream the loudest ) seem to like Senator Clinton ? Just repeating negative things over and over does not make them so. It's all blah blah blah now...