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Should Spitzer Go National?

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 12:11:45 PM EST
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Conservative lawyer-blogger Beldar discusses the New York Times Magazine's puff piece today on New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, which posits that maybe the Dems need Sptizer on their 2008 national ticket. Spitzer is likely to be New York's next Governor.

....is Spitzerism useful only in the narrow context of Democratic law-enforcement officials running for higher office? Or is there, lurking somewhere in Spitzer's experience, an approach that Democrats around the country could mine for political success?

Beldar wonders whether Spitzer might make it on to an Edwards ticket in 2008. My answer is no, happily he won't. No way is Sptizer ready for a national ticket. He could be in line for the Attorney General spot in a Democratic Administration though.

Spitzer is a career prosecutor. He's not liberal at all on criminal justice issues. He's connected and wealthy and a nice guy and he's done an impressive (although I would say overzealous) cleanup job in his current position.

Here's a question: If elected Governor, will he push to overturn the draconian Rockefeller laws? I doubt it. Going after businesses and white collar offenders doesn't make Spitzer a hero. It means he's doing his job as New York's top cop. I'd like to see him stay there.

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    Should Spitzer Go National? | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Should Spitzer Go National? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:36 PM EST
    Yes. He'd be a great attorney general, particularly in an administration that takes the gloves off in pursuit of corporate and white collar crime. If he's a governor, however, I don't see him stepping down from that kind of power. I've been a Spitzer fan for a long time.

    Re: Should Spitzer Go National? (none / 0) (#2)
    by jimcee on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:36 PM EST
    I find him an interesting character in NYS politics and he will be the next governor. He has been a little overzealous in some of his corporate cases but it is always easy in NY to make people all giddy if you attack 'BIG (fill in the blank)'. He is not ready for the Nat'l spotlight because he lacks a certain grace and regardless of his politics he is too 'northeast' and born to the purple , etc. for the rest of the nation. As far as L&O...well he is a prosecutor so that is a given. And yes I live in NYS.

    Re: Should Spitzer Go National? (none / 0) (#3)
    by joejoejoe on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:37 PM EST
    3 years as NY Governor is more than enough to be VP, especially with GOP corruption as a growing issue. Crusading DAs are popular figures in American politics, especially if they are crusading about fat cats and not moralizing prigs. Spitzer fits the bill even if he's less than dynamic. My only concern with Edwards/Spitzer is that Spitzer might make Edwards resume look a bit thin. But resume is overrated - it's all about perception. My guess is all people will remember about Spitzer is that he is always sticking it to cheating corporations. Not a bad quality for a ticket that will get most of it's funding from lawyers and the internet.

    Re: Should Spitzer Go National? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:37 PM EST
    Spitzer's position on the death penalty is the same as John Ashcroft's.

    Should Spitzer Go National? | 4 comments (4 topical)