Let's not forget one thing about Spitzer that makes him completely different for our own Rod Blago. Spitzer, despite his inability to keep his fly zipped, was actually a pretty decent governor and prosecutor in NY.

Blago has never really been astounding at anything, except perhaps sticking his thumb in the eye of the people he hates.

Lee, do some Internet searching on these names and then judge for yourself if Spitzer's motivations were in your best interest as an investor or whether his actions were politically motivated: Dick Grasso and the NYSE; Mark Ernst and H&R Block; Hank Greenberg and AIG; John Whitehead and Goldman Sachs. Not everyone who says he's looking after your best interest really is, even if he is targeting Wall Street execs.

The problem with trying to rehab your reputation and come back too quickly is many people still remember what you did to ruin it in the first place. Spitzer needs a longer hiatus, and as some have said, needs to do some things to earn his way back.

"most likely the ex-governor’s first step in rebuilding his reputation"

Where have you been? Slate is step 2 after he had a piece published in the Washingon Post Outlook section about a month ago.

Good riddance to him, he's still an arrogant, egotistical pr**ck.

The focus is on PR, after all that's what this site is all about.

Let's face it, Spitzer, you've made your opinion, and nothing will change that for you.

Blagojevich, you've made your opinion there, and nothing will change that either.

What percentage of people are swayed by PR? I'm sure you've followed Former Governor Spitzer's life in detail after his fall from grace, just as we all have, and know exactly how this person has acted and responded in kind.

Every day we are bombarded with stories written by people who call themselves journalists. Those get it about 75% right, but it is the details that don't have to be right, but just first that puts a persons mind in motion.

Take for instance negative campaigning during the election. It doesn't have to be true in order for people to believe it.

Most of the time, we don't know all the facts of every case. The public always believes that we do, but then we are blown away by events. High profile cases like OJ, and we will see what happens with Kaley Anthony, and who can forget Weapons of Mass Distruction? Facts are in the eyes of the beholder.

Who will run the best media campaign and convince the public, that is to say the jury, what the truth is? As we know, the media doesn't lie, the truth just changes.

Don't forget, it's all about making money. Newspapers don't get printed for free, and TV stations say if it bleeds it leads. Go figure.

So Spitzer brought down some good people? (such as?) As an investor, I'd like to know that someone is watching out for my interests, because we can see that companies that are left to their own devices will become corrupt as the day is long. Just as a politician left to his/her own devices will too.

Watch it, Lee, Ben will correct your typo on "wesel," which P.S. should be "weasel." I don't have a problem with it but the man of Christian forgiveness might.

To your point, Ben, I'm not without flaw, but this isn't about me or you. It's about a guy who may be smart, but he was also ambitious to the extent he thought he was above the law. He made many enemies on Wall Street because he placed his career goals before the interests of many innocent investors, threatening to destroy careers and companies in the name of his quest for the governorship. And destroy, he did, many good people. And yes, he hired that escort firm often enough that he earned status as a "regular." So you'd have to be a fool to even question whether he consumated his relations with his hookers.

Spitzer is unapologetic in his current career, so would someone who lives his life without remorse even want forgiveness? The answer is only if it helps his career. Hiring a prostitute was the least of his offenses to society. His most atrocious ones were actually personal ruination in the name of law enforcement. But this was the only one they could nail him for.

Does he deserve forgiveness? I say make him work a little harder for it. One press conference, an admission of guilt and a Slate column isn't penance enough.

Sure, we're supposed to forgive, Jonson, but are we to quickly forget? Forgiveness doesn't mean that we just let people off the hook. We can forgive them and, in time, forget the person or their actions. To me, shame means being humbled by our experiences and mistakes ... AND being smart enough to know when to keep our mouths shut. Now that's a standard I could live with!

About the only thing that these two people have in common is that they were both Democratic Governors. What Spitzer did was something that sat outside the seat of his role within government, while Blagojevich plainly was using his position for great personal gain.

Not to be an apologist for Spitzer, but at the very least, he spared the State of New York a Circus side show, allowed the Democratic party to move on, and he admitted that there was wrong doing.

Considering that there are both political and legal aspects to both of these situations, it's obvious that Spitzer is the more PR savvy of the two. On the list of heinous crimes, where does hiring an escort service rate? (We don't actually know if they had 'relations').

Blagojevich may be able to wesel his way out this based upon both legal and political moves, but still it will take a much greater PR effort to get him back in the good graces of the general public, if ever.

Quite honestly, with the exception of his follies with the ladies (Dang he was sorta like a Kennedy), Spitzer still is probably one of the smartest guys in the room when it comes to many other matters.

The real question is would you hire him as your defense attorney?

Except Blagojevich wouldn't say "sucks," but something a little more bleepy.

Well, one of our "standards," "Anonymous," used to be forgiveness, especially of those who need it. It's based on humility: our awareness that none of us is without flaws. I know I'm not. But congratulations to you on your clean slate, and nice job polishing that pulpit.

Forgiveness was thought to be the characteristic act of a Christian. Look it up, if you're interested.

P.S.: "images" has only one "m".

Another example of the Jerry Springer-ization of the media. I once read an article comparing American culture to some in Asia and the focus was on how the notion of "shame" has lost its value in the west. How I wish people like Spitzer could feel shame for long enough to go away for a while. When people like him start to rebuild their immages so quickly, it makes me think that nothing matters any more than image and the use of that image to make money. Civilization didn't take a hit when the NY governor hired a prostitute or was kicked out of office. But it certainly does every time one of these jerks is welcomed back into the mainstream with a wink, a joke and open arms. Have we lost our standards completely?