Following is a transcript of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s brief statement to the public, delivered at his Midtown Manhattan office on Monday afternoon:
Over the past nine years, eight as attorney general and one as governor, I’ve tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that would rebuild New York and create opportunity for all. We vowed to bring real change to New York and that will continue. Today, I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violated the obligations to my family and that violates my â or any â sense of right and wrong. I apologize first, and most importantly, to my family. I apologize to the public, to whom I promised better. I do not believe that politics in the long run is about individuals. It is about ideas, the public good and doing what is best for the State of New York. But I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard that I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family. I will not be taking questions. Thank you very much. I will report back to you in short order. Thank you very much.
From I Apologize to the Public – City Room – Metro – New York Times Blog
Disappointed doesn’t even begin to describe it. I was very hopeful that he would be a Democratic TR. And among the first in a new post-identity-politics progressive movement that seeks to balance personal freedom, responsible government and social conscience. But the past year and change, Spitzer has done his best to pick petty fights and misread the electorate while he staff has run afoul of his own professed ethical standards.
