You're Mrs. Spitzer. Here's your chance. What would you do to Eliot?

O.K., the work week is over and everyone needs a break from all this talking and arguing about racial tensions and racial divides and racial races. Enough already.

It's time to discuss something that unites both political parties, although one of them can't really talk about it publicly. So we'll spell it out -- s-e-x.

Many people are wondering these days about what $5,500 might buy, even if they've never held public office and prosecuted people for doing illicit things that they were kind of fond of doing themselves in private.

They're also talking about the woman with one name who charges a whole bunch more than Super 8 does to stay over. We'll no doubt see a whole lot more of Kristen in Penthouse or somewhere similar soon enough.

For now Eliot and Silda Spitzer don't look too happy together and it likely has little to do with a dispute over the TV remote last night.

So for now the question is, first, how much do you think he'll get on eBay for that folded resignation statement he's holding? And what, if anything, would you do to your spouse for doing what this guy did to his? Here's your chance to make a statement.

Click on the Read More line just below here and make your pick. You might be surprised at how others have voted.

And if you don't see your ideal option, feel free to add one of your own or simply some pointed words in the Comments section below. It's officially W-I-D-E open now for writing--and reading.

--Andrew Malcolm

                                      WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Comments

[Bil Gordon]

Slida should take her three daughters and head out of Dodge with his millions.

Eliot should open a sleaze for hire ring so he could be the president as well as a client - he wanted to be president anyway.

[Sternberg]

What if she had invited her boyfriend up to the stage?

(Hah! Good one.)

[dave]

the race of and to power has its own code of (mis)behavior ruled by untainted, pragmatic brutality that is not only color blind, but also blindfolded like the goddess of justice herself. in this race 'anything goes' as long as deng xiaoping's rule applies: 'i don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. it's a good cat so long as it catches mice.'
for the 'owner,' of course. so the cat, like the mouse,
is always on the run. and even when they take turns, and seem to be heading in different directions, they're running the same way, just the same. or so it seems.
to the 'owner,' of course.

[Firozali A. Mulla MBA PhD]

Sir
You're Mrs. Spitzer. Here's your chance. What would you do to Eliot?
You said one thousand dollar a night. The figure runs to 80,000 dollars that is 800 nights if the cruncher is right and if I do not have any sex near me. That is 3 years well nearly three years. I would divorce him and marry a cheaper spender who can spend about 30 odd dollars per night. I mean if the money goes like this in gas and cars and elections fever, I can save a lot for the bread. This is too much. Where do they get the money nay way? Forbes states the millionaire on and off. I do not see such spenders, the worst spenders. Should they not have a column for this? THE SEX spenders at 80,000 dollars apologise and leave the office of the governor? Terrific news this is from Uncle Sam where everyone is looking for jobs. This lady does not have to work at all. Just relax. Sleep and get the cash? Is it fair? Taxable? No.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044

(Actually, I believe Mrs. Spitzer is a Harvard-educated lawyer herself.)
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

[politics12]

Forgive him. Forgiveness is the most painful punishment there is.

[Robert Wiseman]

It is arrogant to think that we should make a judgement about the Spitzer's relationship. We aren't in their shoes so we shouldn't be making judgements. We should reflect only on our own lives and relationships and remember that only those without sins should cast stones.

[Patricia]

I think it's frightening that the only two options you've thought up for confronting the man amount to domestic violence.

Suppose this was an adulterous wife. Would you have your readers vote whether the husband should punch her out?

What is wrong with you people? Why are you pushing domestic violence? Why isn't there an option here to make the man get therapy?

What's happening to this world? This is scary.

(Oh, c'mon, Patricia. if you read the item, you know that part of the item offered that you come here to the Comments section and offer your own options. And as you well know, there are different standards in our society for the same behavior by the genders.)

[Nancy Gee]

She needs to invest in a pair of Britney Spears wrap-around sunglasses.

[jimsr]

your poll is flawed! My veiw is that she was aware
of his behavior. She is a lawyer and does have her
own money so if she stays with him after he refused
to wear protection, my veiw is confirmed.

[red]

I don't think younger, modern women want to look at it this way, but as an educated woman who had a very good and professional career, I'm going to throw this out there...I am 41. Came of age in the 80's and anything was possible for me. Never occured to me that I couldn't have a career and take care of myself. I did this for years until I *CHOSE* to have two children and stay home with them. It's been 9 years thus far and now the work world is a new and strange place. My industry has been taken over by technology in ways that many other's have not, and when I tried at some point to find work again, even with a *very* prestigious resume in hand, I was turned down again and again. It didn't really matter because I could barely keep up with my 8 and 5 year old children, who need to be dropped off and picked up from school...and when my son asks if I'll make cookies for his Valentine's party, I'm not going to say 'screw off kid'.

Like it or not, many of us used our newly found power of choice to decide to stay home and be the caretakers of our families. After making these huge sacrifices to myself and my career...when my husband cheats on me when I'm in my 50's, what am I supposed to do?

No...sorry folks...that marriage is a lot like a vested pension, and I'll be damed if I'm walking away from it and starting over at some new start up company!! I've paid my dues. I decorated for every holiday, made every meal, changed the diapers, attended the business dinners and smiled graciously. He goes off and sleeps with someone else and I'm going to just walk away from everything I've *earned*. No thanks.

Talk to my father in law, who hates going anywhere because he is tired of being hit on by middle aged women who's husband's cheated on them, who went through with the divorce and are now looking for someone to give them the financial security in their later years that they expected for all thier hard work and sacrifice.

I'm extremely happily married, and disgusted by what I'm writing, but when I look around...it's what I see.

(Wow. Thank you very much for this extremely thoughtful comment. It may have been hard to write, but it gets a lot of thoughts going. Thanks again.)

[Chris]

File for divorce.

Interesting that this is the only option with integrity and guts and it's missing from the survey.

(We had to leave something for readers to add, which is why you were invited to Comments to do your thing. Thanks for that.)

[dave]

the race of and to power has its own code of (mis)behavior ruled by untainted, pragmatic brutality that is not only color blind, but also blindfolded like the goddess of justice herself. in this race 'anything goes' as long as deng xiaoping's rule applies: 'i don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. it's a good cat so long as it catches mice.'
for the 'owner,' of course. so the cat, like the mouse,
is always on the run. and even when they take turns, and seem to be heading in different directions, they're running the same way, just the same. or so it seems.
to the 'owner,' of course.

[Diane]

I'm for the age old response of most women...stay in the home with the kids and kick him out. Surely if she's standing by him...she is insisting that he get counseling for his problem.

[La Chingona en Riverside]

If I were Mrs. Spitzer I may feel like Eliot would not need physical punishment from me- he has been publicly humiliated in a way that me, as Mrs. Spitzer, will never be- he was the one who behaved badly, not me. He lost his career and all of his power, all of the status that he seemed to enjoy as Governor of New York. He should be humiliated, not me as Mrs. Spitzer. But I would be mean and hateful until I got my point across. I'd probably do something to "Kristen" to punish her for her role in this mess as well.

[Halelani]

Why wasn't one of the options to divorce him?

Does she feel outrage, betrayal, contempt? If not, why not? What are his outstanding redeeming qualities that compel her to stay with him?

Dump the jerk and move on.

[Malia]

I would do absolutely nothing to Eliot. This would be worse torture than saying something. This would create the "waiting for the other shoe to fall" atmosphere which would keep him on his philandering toes. Let the press do the dirty work--I'll just go shopping.

(LOL)

[Joan]

I always wished one of those women who 'stand by her man' no matter what, would just go up there in front of the camera and when he's all done talking, tell him to ...
and then walk away.

But I would probably do just what she did. Silda's in shock right now. She may yet leave. It takes time to process it all. For the rage to really begin to bubble...

[Granny]

Stay home and let him face the music.

(It did strike some that he went off to misbehave on his own, so he should face the consequences the same way. Thanks.)

[Joanne]

Whose bright idea is it that to have the wronged wife stand there looking devastated while her husband confesses to adultery? Does he think that will send the message that he is, above all, a family man? What a joke. BE A MAN and stand up there alone, without dragging your wife into the humiliation you brought upon yourself. The true message being sent when the wife stands up there is that she is ok with this type of behavior, or she is too bullied to do anything but stand there like a puppet.

(So let him face the music alone the way he wandered off alone?)

[Herbert]

Eliot Mess is a looser that thought he was God. Well...he is not and will end up in hell..jail. Remember Jimmy Swagart and the policeman? So perhaps I should say...a couple of sure loosers..Eliot and Jimmy

[Emily]

At first I thought "how could Silda stand next to her man as he makes an announcement like this!?" Now after reconsidering I think it is a noble and honorable thing to do, to stand by someone you have vowed to support always, for better or worse. But if I were her, I still wouldn't stay on with him in what appears to be a loveless marriage. Taking the bull of life by the horns is so important, and so is enjoying life to its fullest. She is a beautiful and intelligent woman, there have to be better things out there for her than the misery of "working though things" with a husband who has been with prostitutes many, many times.

(Interesting angle. Thanks.)

[Lynn]

There is no way I would have gone on National TV with that creep if I were his wife. He put himself in that perdicament, so it's up to him to fend for himself. Second of all he would have had to wait ,because after I got through whipping his a$$ there would be no way he would have been in shape to show his face.

(Well put.)

[joanrdtobe]

I HOPE Silda gets the courage to leave.......and start over elsewhere.....she has sooo much going for herself......she doesn't need him.....

[April]

We have no idea how numbing this kind of revelation must be for this lady, and we have no idea what their partnership has been like in the past. Forgiveness is divine and basically it would take divinity for me to forgive and go on, but I don't live in her shoes!

[Bonnie]

Silda! where is your self respect?

This is one time he should stand alone!