Lisa Bloom on Spitzer's Brain
It must be excruciating for Silda Spitzer to wake up to today’s news coverage: Photographs and the life story of her husband’s prostitute plastered all over the New York tabloids and cable television.
Having endured the public humiliation of literally standing by her man twice in the last three days as he confessed to betraying her, now she can see the 22-year old face and bikini-clad body of the Ashley Dupre, for whom Eliot Spitzer paid thousands of dollars for sex in the Mayflower Hotel the day before Valentine’s Day.
It’s far more than any of us wanted to know, that our Harvard Law-educated middle-aged governor turned away from his loyal, attractive, Harvard Law-educated middle-aged wife and was willing to risk his career and his family’s dignity for sex with a young woman only a few years older than his teenaged daughters.
Eliot Spitzer had only one year ago wholeheartedly supported and signed into law a tough new law against the sex trade. Advocates of the law say that they believed that Spitzer “got it,” that prostitution exploited vulnerable women, and that prosecuting johns was the most effective way of cutting off the demand.
Ashley Dupre says on her MySpace page, with a 21st century young person’s typical nonchalant attitude about personal revelations on the internet, that she was abused as a child, that she’d been homeless. If so, she’s a typical profile for a prostitute, 50 to 70 percent of whom were abused as children. One study found that sexually abused children were 27 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution than nonabused children.
This is the kind of thing Eliot Spitzer knew. Yet he chose to be part of the demand side, part of the economy that offers up prostitution to Dupre as a better option than singing, what she really wanted to do.
He had to turn off his brain to not only the fact that he was cheating on his wife, breaking the law, and exposing himself to public humiliation, but economically fueling an exploitive industry that preys on abused young people. He had to not think about her as a full human being who had to pay the rent, with hopes and dreams and a history, but instead, just size her up like a commodity: 5' 5", brunette, petite, 105 pounds.
He had money to spend, she had a body to sell, and that had to be the end of the thinking for him, as for all johns, because if they think too hard on the question of why she’s there, it’s would be the ultimate turn off, wouldn’t it?
– Lisa Bloom, “In Session” Anchor/360° Contributor
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Filed under: Ashley Dupre • Eliot Spitzer • Lisa Bloom |
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As to if either Spitzer or the woman should get jail time. I think they both should. for one he violated the Man Act plus others and he also violated the public trust. She is guilty of Tax evasion at the least. Prostitution is also illigal. I pay taxes on my income and she earns more in an hr than I get in 3 months. LETS GET THE LAW TO DO ITS JOB. mAYBE i CAN ROB A BANK AND CLAIM IGNORANCE AND MENTAL STRESS. i AM SO IN DEBT THAT i JUST HAD NO OTHER WAY OUT .
Why does everyone keep focus on "Kristen"? Why not call her what she is, and there are many adjectives that would apply, some nicer than others. She says "I love who I am:, then talks about hoe difficult and complicated it has been. $1,000 an hour? To do what? Don't answer that. There are many women, beautiful, young and in a serious relationship who are faithful to their partner and they can barely feed the family. If her rent is too high maybe she should go back home.
Her "friends and family" look somewhat suspicious too..
Quit making celebs out of every piece of garbage that ends up in the dump.
Maggie
My husband cheated on me while i was in Iraq. My stepdaughter wrote me a letter telling me what was going on. When i returned home. I greeted him with all the affection in front of my children. The next day i served him with divorce papers. My heart goes out to Mrs. Spitzer i know what she is going thtough. My prayers are with her and her daughters.
I do not feel sorry for prostitutes since no one is forcing people like "Kristen" into it. She's in it for the money and Spitzer is in it for the sex. The only people I feel for are children who are forced into prostitution and the families who are left with the aftermath.
Silda needs to have a long chat with Hillary. Hillary is more experienced in all matters that's why she will be the President. Learn from her, look at her how bubbly & strong willed she is. Learn the tricks how to salvage an infidel husband, get happiness & make him work for you. This in an oppurtunity that won't come in your path again. Love him & turn him around. He is ready now.
For the life of me, I dont understand why they are showing the prostitutes face on tv. Why on earth would they do that???
My 19 yr. old son asked me the same thing. Why on one tv station did they "blur" out her face, and on other channels flaunt it every half hour?
I truly believe this: MEN MARRY UP. I think he saw someone who REALLY had the talent and class that he percieved himself to have and decided to "marry up". This guy is so unattractive, I am amazed he got such a lovely looking wife. I wish the very very best for her and her children and I KNOW it's NOT Client 9.
Lisa, did somebody dump you and you're still steamed? Get over it.
You don't know what is going on inside the Spitzer's home or their heads. Your anger about this is getting creepy.
i feel horrible for silda. i've never understood any woman's ability to "stand by their man" when it becomes obvious that their man isn't worth the suit he's wearing, but i find it particularly disturbing when men disgrace themselves in public and drag their wives through the mud with them. my thoughts are with the wife and daughters, they are really the only victims here.
as for the prostitute;all i can really say to this angle of the story (as a '21st century young person') is that i for one found it disturbing that reporters were camped outside of her apartment last night. maybe she is seeking fame as a singer, but i doubt at 22 she's prepared to deal with the media firestorm that surrounds what boils down to HIS infidelity and happens to include her occupation.
I think it's pathetic how the news media could care less about this woman's feelings by constantly talking about and showing her husband's hooker on TV. I turn the channel every time it comes on. It servces no useful purpose to continually show this woman on TV, who has been humiliated by both her husband and the media. No one really seems to care much about what she's going through....only that they get the "best" story about a governor who clearly overstepped his bounds, both morally and legally. Unfortunately, this kind of stuff sells so there's very little chance it will end until something else more tantilizing comes along.
Well, she should not give too much attention to this Ashley, after all, there might be at least 7 other women that gave the same service to her husband. Why bother with this one?
the problem is not the prostitutes, the problem is the one requesting their services.She has to deal with her husband and how to protect herself and her daughters from what was brought upon them by their irresponsible father.
When she emerges from her state of shock, I hope Silda Spitzer divorces her husband and takes him for all he's worth.
If Eliot Spitzer had any kind of integrity at all, he wouldn't have put his wife through these very humiliating, public appearances.
Lisa,
It happens everyday in this world. Is it right? No, but it's reality. What's nearly as bad is the endless non stop coverage, dissecting every word, action and facial expression of all involved. Do we really help or hurt with a voyeurism of our own, by hanging onto every sorted detail ad nauseam..
Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.
What was he thinking? He wasn't. Period. Scratch that. He was thinking about himself and how to satisfy his sexual desires. Nothing else.
Eliot Spitzer is not man enough or good enough to have a woman such as Silda as his wife.
Lisa,
Spitzer was just out to do for himself. He didn't and still doesn't care who he hurt. The only thing that bothers him now is that he got caught. If he wouldn't have he'd still be doing it and lying to his wife, children and us all. His big ego thought that he could do as he pleased with no consequences. Maybe the same law he brought into effect will effect him in a big way! Hopefully they won't let him off because of who he is or what job he held.
As far as the prostitute goes...I can't feel sorry for her. She chose to do what she did. She wasn't forced. A lot of people are abused and come from bad homes but don't turn to prostitution. When will we stop trying to excuse people for doing wrong. The only ones I feel sorry for and everyone else should feel sorry for is Spitzer's wife and kids!
Cynthia, Covington, Ga.
Hi Lisa,
It is truly sad. He only saw "Kristen" as a petite brunette to have sex with, not as an actual person with feelings. Mind you, if his wife was brunette, he would want to solicit a petite blonde. It's crazy and stupid. It doesn't make sense.