Posted on 03/10/2008 6:07:11 PM PDT by doug from upland
Clinton declines comment on Spitzer By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer
SCRANTON, Pa. - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton carefully sidestepped questions Monday about the sex scandal engulfing Eliot Spitzer, her home state governor and political ally.
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"I don't have any comment on that. Obviously I am sending my best wishes and thoughts to the governor and to his family," Clinton said, opening her first campaign swing through Pennsylvania, which holds its presidential primary April 22.
Spitzer apologized Monday after he was accused of paying for sex with a high-priced call girl. Authorities say he was caught on a federal wiretap arranging a tryst with the woman at a Washington hotel room.
It was a blow to Clinton, who recently had intensified her criticism of rival Barack Obama's relationship with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a political patron on trial in federal court in Obama's hometown of Chicago for alleged fraud and corruption.
While not personally close, Clinton and Spitzer have been friendly colleagues since the former first lady first ran for the Senate in New York in 2000. Her aides said Clinton deeply respected Spitzer's work during his two terms as state attorney general, where he became a national crusader against corporate corruption and Wall Street investment excesses.
But indirectly, Spitzer also caused Clinton a significant political headache late last year when he proposed a plan to provide illegal immigrants with drivers' licenses.
During a nationally televised debate, Clinton tripped over a question about whether she supported the proposal, prompting criticism that she was being evasive. She later said she opposed the plan but hadn't wanted to damage Spitzer by saying so. Spitzer later killed the idea.
Spitzer was slow to endorse Clinton's White House bid and has not been among her more forceful surrogates. But he is one of her all-important superdelegates, elected officials and party leaders who could play a decisive role in determining who becomes the presidential nominee.
Clinton declined to say whether she believed Spitzer could survive the scandal, which drew immediate calls for him to resign.
"Let's wait and see what comes out of the next few days," she said. "Right now I don't have any comment. I think it's appropriate to wish his family well and see how things develop."
No stranger to the public humiliation of sex scandals, the former first lady stood by her husband in 1998 through the investigation of his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and subsequent impeachment.
Coincidentally, a handful of Clinton's high-profile supporters have been forced to apologize for sexual misbehavior.
Early in 2007, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom publicly apologized for having a relationship with the wife of a top political aide. He blamed alcohol dependence for his actions and checked into rehab.
Shortly after endorsing Clinton in May 2007, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a rising Hispanic star in the Democratic Party, announced he was divorcing his wife after carrying on monthslong affair with a local television news anchor.
Hillary is like her husband.
She sleeps with the Dem Party underlings....and she doesn't pay for it.
Blackmail ?
“Obviously I am sending my best wishes and thoughts to the governor”
Why???
“Translation: “Let me wait until after I convene a focus group to see how I should respond to this issue, in the best way to gain support amongst undecided Democrat voters.””
At which point she’ll declare: It’s a vast right-wing conspiracy.
hmmm. if he survives the next couple of days, it’s probably not that serious.
Yeah, cause she can’t say anything without condemning herself.
He’s DOA. This is really big and Spitz can’t duck it.
No, I meant if he survives.
I even bet Schumer is scrambling right now. Where one 'rat congregates, so there are others. Schumer is pulling strings, calling in markers and favors, and sending out the goon squads by now.
He’s been de-nutted. He’s done.
Hmmm...
That's an interesting thought. ABC News says the trouble started when a bank noticed that Spitzer was making suspicious money transfers and reported the transfers to the IRS. The initial thought was that he was hiding bribes.
The IRS brought in the FBI's Public Corruption Squad. Then the FBI investigation led to the prostitution ring.
Spitzer could be prosecuted under a "structuring" law that has to do with creating a series of financial movements designed to obscure the true purpose of payments.
See http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4424507&page=1
She sends best wishes to the pig?
I mean, if doesn't commit arkancide.
You get a Gold Star...
>>He’s DOA. This is really big and Spitz can’t duck it.<<
I hope so, but that’s what we said about Mr. Clinton a few years back.
Well, my thought is that Spitzer is a superdelegate who strayed off the Hillary plantation, and thus became an example to all the other superdelegates who might be similarly tempted.
Actually Spitzer may be guilty of purchasing sex, however the Presidential rapist Billy Jeff took what he wanted by force.
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