Academic

The Times asks: what is it about politicians and affairs? And then it lists a bunch of politicians who have had affairs.  Of course, it could be that school teachers have tons more affairs than politicians, or that politicians today have tons less affairs than the politicians of yesterday.  A list isn't the same thing as a phenomenon.  But it's fun to be able to write about Fanne Fox and Gary Condit again.

For more law profs on Spitzer, see Orly Lobel, who thinks prostitution isn't the vilest of crimes and Rick Hills, who thinks this is a strange crime to prosecute.  I'm somewhat sympathetic to both views, though I wouldn't take Hills's federalism angle.  My DC scandal-fighting days - and it's a subject I write about, for goodness sakes - would suggest that the most important thing for the guy to do would be to WAIT.  That's what Clinton did, that's what Vitter did, and precipitous resignations mean that it's over forever.  If you wait, you can finish out your term chastenedly and go on to be a consultant or lobbyist or whatever it is that Clinton does.  If you resign immediately, you can't.  Elliott Spitzer will never be president, but he should really try to see if it's so clear to prosecutors, state politicians, and the media that he shouldn't be governor by next Monday.