All of that good publicity, however, was negated by the scandal surrounding New York governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned due to his dealings with a prostitute.
How could that affect the public perception of a state half a continent away? The answer is simple: David Vitter.
Just about every major media story about Spitzer linked to our junior senator who was also involved in a similar scandal. Unlike the governor of New York, who immediately resigned his office in disgrace, the senator continues to stay in office. If this isn't disgrace enough, the Republican establishment in Louisiana is all for it.
Governor Jindal, who says he wants to 'clean up' Louisiana's image, called on the governor of New York to resign. When asked about Vitter in this context, he issued a statement saying "Senator Vitter has already addressed this and is back at work for the people of Louisiana. The people of New York can deal with the Governor of New York."
And deal with him they did. There was really no question that Spitzer would resign because the people of New York (Democrats and Republicans) were demanding it.
In that strange soup that is Louisiana Politics, however, nothing is so simple. Republican State Chairman Roger Villere sees no similarity between the two. Spitzer was a governor who was charged with enforcing the law, so he had to go. Vitter merely helps make laws, so it's okay. Go figure. There is nothing wrong with a whoremonger, so long as he is not a governor.
VITTER: It's about immigration and stuff, stupid!
Scott Jordan has a very interesting article in The Independent. In one of Vitter's "telephone town hall conferences" Jordan snuck in a question as to why Vitter should remain in office. Vitter's reply was “I made a very serious mistake a long time ago, and I have to live with that every day,” Vitter replied. He sounded genuine and contrite. “That’s not a flippant statement. I need to spend my whole life making up for that.”
Then his tone turned a bit defiant. “Anybody who looks at the two cases will see that there is an enormous difference between the two of them,” he said. “The people that are trying to draw comparisons to the two cases are people who’ve never agreed with me on important issues like immigration and other things.”
Safe bet: They will never call Scott again to participate.
The Reduct Box has posted a video on YouTube dealing with this:
Don't go away mad - just go away!
David Vitter should resign now. He doesn't have to apologize, he doesn't even have to acknowledge the real reason. Use the old 'I need to spend more time with my family' line. Say whatever is convenient. Just go away.
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