The Next American Tragedy

Eliot Spitzer is out as New York's governor because he risked his corruption-busting reputation on a woman he allegedly paid thousands of dollars to have sex with, all recorded by federal wiretaps.

The investigation continues, thus Spitzer has not been charged with a crime, federal or otherwise, nor has he confessed to any of the allegations. But his political career is pretty much over.

As for Spitzer's marriage? His wife Silda has been a figure of curiosity through these stunning turn of events, standing by her man at his resignation speech (well, statement is more like it) when she had every right not to. We've seen this before from Hillary Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky thing to Cindy McCain in the recent mini-scandal involving her husband, being trotted out looking like deer in the headlights. We're not relationship experts (we'll leave that to Dr. Phil and his ilk), but maybe these politicians' wives didn't want to let go of the spotlight just because their spouses got caught between the sheets with another woman.

The woman who Spitzer allegedly paid plenty of money for a good time is, according to court documents, Ashley Alexandra Dupre. Also known as Ashley Youmans. Also known as Kristen. According to her web page, she's an aspiring singer who enjoys her work, so to speak. Expect plenty of inquiries from record labels, TV talk shows and men's magazines.

Beyond all the jokes on late-night TV, however, prostitutes like Ashley Whatever-her-name-is have a hard life. They got that way either through having an abusive past, were kidnapped form another country, or were promised money and fame only to turn tricks for paying customers. And they find it all but impossible to leave the lifestyle. Those who do, and live to tell about it, tend to have a difficult time readjusting to society.

But most of all, what happened to a supposed straight-arrow like Eliot Spitzer confirms our worst inclinations about people who choose to go into politics. He just made it harder for the next Don Quixote to tilt at the windmills of government without people jeering at him.