To know Eliot Spitzer is to come to the realization that there was just no way he was ever going to spend the rest of his life on the sidelines.
The former "Sheriff of Wall Street" talked to interviewer Peter Elkind, author of "Rough Justice: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer," in a piece currently in Fortune Magazine.
More than just missing politics, Spitzer is described as talking "with friends and advisers about political targets."
He sees Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand as "a lightweight," the piece says, but the real prize could be state controller.
There, and pay close attention to the words, Spitzer "sees a chance to become a national force, wielding the billions held in public pension funds to force corporate reform in a way that even lawsuits and regulation cannot," Elkind writes.
Spitzer has NEVER been a fan of the current State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
Remember the legislature did an end around Spitzer to select Dinapoli—then one of their own in the assembly. Spitzer went ballistic. Referring to Dinapoli as: ''thoroughly and totally unqualified.''
He later wished DiNapoli well, but it seems he has never forgotten the fact that the legislature got one up on him with DiNapoli. Spitzer traveled the state lambasting individual lawmakers for appointing DiNapoli—in their own districts, including democrats. It was a rare backlash that pitted the legislature against a popular governor elected in a landslide.
Spitzer also tells Fortune magazine, while any campaign this year is "just hard to see." Timing would make it difficult, but he adds: I've never said I would never consider running for office again." Interesting.
Spitzer is not a fan of Dinapoli nor Gillibrand and doesn't hid it. Just take a look at what Spitzer told radio station WAMC in Albany about Governor Paterson appointing her:
“I fundamentally disagree with that decision. She’s not somebody whom I would have appointed under any circumstances to the Senate seat. Her views on issues are either wrong or too malleable. We need people in leadership now who know what they believe, are willing to stand up and state what they believe and make tough decisions on critical issues related to the economy, civil rights, issues of crime and punishment, guns, same-sex marriage and I just think on every one of those scores, she fails. The effort that has been ongoing to eliminate any possible opposition to her in a primary is equally wrong. I think the White House should focus on creating jobs, getting health-care reform, reforming our financial structure—in that area in particular they’ve done a very poor job—rather than getting involved in the local politics of New York state.”
Just keep in mind when Spitzer first ran for State Attorney General in 1994—his first run for public office, he was young and relatively unknown. He lost, but four years later—Spitzer narrowly defeated Incumbent Dennis Vacco.
Spitzer is now a columnist, T.V. pundit, and City College professor. He has also done a lecture at Harvard. One has to wonder how badly he wants to add the title of State Comptroller to his resume.
I hope you can join me Monday Morning as I appear on the WWRL Morning Show at 7:00 A.M. A.M 1600. Have a great weekend.