Shortly after midnight (EST) the zenith of Eliot Spitzer’s tenure as governor of New York State was attained. Spitzer was sworn into office. It is all down hill from here. Joe Mahoney of the New York Daily News has story:
ALBANY – Emboldened by his crushing victory at the polls, Gov. Spitzer will promise “historic” reform and a “new brand of politics” when he delivers his inaugural address as governor today.
The former state attorney general was sworn in at a private midnight ceremony at the Executive Mansion last night, 13 hours before his public appearance on the Capitol steps for the state’s first-ever outdoor inauguration.
“Day one has begun,” Spitzer, 47, said to a hearty cheer after he was sworn in by Manhattan Federal Judge Robert Sweet, whom Spitzer clerked for in 1984.
“I will do my best as the public has asked me to do.”
If ego were but talent and soaring rhetoric but potential, Spitzer would not only be a great governor, but also would be well on his way to the White House. Alas poor Eliot, New York State is not a very governable and the office is governor and not empiror. In order to govern Spitzer will actually have to persaude both the democrat controlled Assembly and the republican controlled Senate to cooperate with him It is not going to happen.
January 1st, 2007 at 13:10
The issue for Eliot Spitzer, is not so much whether he succeeds or fails, but the appearance that that success or failure takes on.
Recall, please, that one of the attributes of Bill Clinton was the ability to get himself out in front of a Lynch mob, and make it appear to the voting public as if it was a parade that he was leading.
Spitzer, to my mind, has that same ability. As a result, while I think the man to be a first class screw up, and a publicity hound who knows few equals in that realm, he will have no image problem going into the presidential race of 2012.