Spitzer Family Members Are Real Reputation Victims
Until The New York Times newspaper broke the story that would bring down the state’s most powerful politician, Ashley Alexandra Dupre was hoping to become a household name . . . as a singer. She’s become a household name, but not as a singer. Instead, Dupre has gained notoriety as America’s best-known hooker.
Client No. 9 just happened to be Eliot Spitzer, now former governor of New York State. A man who carved out a reputation as a crime fighter. He obviously set a different standard for himself. His hubris, ego, arrogance and stupid above-the-law attitude lead to his downfall. Spitzer was forced to resign. His promising political career – some considered him a future presidential candidate – is in ruins.
This New York Magazine Cover Says It All!
Few have any pity for Spitzer. His political enemies no doubt are muttering under their breaths that it looks good on him. Politics, after all, is a blood sport.
The pity has been saved for his wife and daughters who amazingly, at least at this stage, are standing behind him, and Dupre.
The high-end call girl has become the poster girl for those who advocate for legalized prostitution, the theory being that it makes victims of those who practice the world’s oldest profession. Dupre is hardly an example of a downtrodden woman trying to feed her kids and make the rent payment.
Spitzer's Now Infamous Call Girl
She was earning an annual high six-figure income, working out of Manhattan’s elite hotels and an expensive suite in the prestigious Mayflower Hotel, just four blocks from the White House, which is about as close as Eliot Spitzer will get to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The financial rewards will inflate her bank account for at least the remainder of 2008. Already two of her songs have been listened to by 200,000 visitors. Downloads are going for 98 cents a pop, up from a pre-scandal 20 cents. Playboy and Hustler are locked in a bidding war to get her name a photo spread contract. Her scantily clad videos are now circulating on Youtube and the Internet overall, including a Girls Gone Wild video – big surprise there! And her former pimp, from working at another NY prostitution shop, has even made his way on CNN’s Larry King and several other news shows exclaiming how Ashley Dupre was one of the best at what she did.
This hardly sounds like a victim. Save the pity for the real victims: Spitzer’s wife and kids.
A few comments from the Reputation Doctor regarding Eliot Spitzer’s reputation in crisis:
Never believe your own press. The media can easily become a drug.
Eliot Spitzer was called the Sheriff of Wall Street in the media hundreds of times and he loved it. It drove his mission. It allowed him to become Governor of the greatest state in the Union. Spitzer forgot he was part of a team in the Attorney General’s office and he personally did not do much of the work of cleaning up Wall Street. His many aides did most of the work. He also forgot getting so much attention also brought with it many powerful enemies who had even more money than him to help bring him down. He also forgot the opposing political party was still in power in Washington and he was also on their hit list. Don’t believe your own press. The press will quickly become an addiction and it will build you up and be just as happy to help tear you down.
Hubris, narcissism, arrogance and anger can easily lead to one’s downfall.
Spitzer was a falsely proud man from a falsely proud family of men who loved to intimidate others and use power and money as tools of control. He is quick to anger and walked and talked with an arrogance which many hated. As a result, he was destined to fall like a house of cards. Timber! The stack was so big when it fell, it hit and hurt many associated with him. Especially his family, who not only still bear his burden, but also still bear his family name. A name that overnight went from being a name of power and privilege to a name one wants to now keep secret because of the shame and embarrassment associated with it.
Always have someone in your life who can hold YOU accountable.
Eliot Spitzer did not have someone in his life of such strong ethics, character and confidential trustworthiness who he could turn to for both advice and to share his darkest desires. He needed a major mentor, a confidante, a consigliere and a counselor. If he had a counselor he could have shared his problems with, I believe he would not be in the reputation crisis he has today. We as men (more than women) are often filled with more hubris and false pride. We also don’t want to share our inner most feelings with others. We are afraid to be vulnerable. As a result, we suffer and many times, don’t learn from others’ mistakes. Well, here is another opportunity to learn valuable lessons from another man’s mistakes. Hopefully, there is a lesson for all of us in Eliot Spitzer’s tragedy.
The Former Sheriff of Wall St.
Remember, do the right thing when your reputation is in crisis and seek the counsel of an experienced reputation management expert. It will be a major challenge, but ultimately the rewards of repairing your reputation will be great. Why? Because Your Reputation Is Everything!™
Author and Editor: Mike Paul
The Reputation Doctor is a nickname given to him by a global client years ago. Mike appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, TruTV (formerly Court TV), ABC News, ESPN, CBS News, BBC, and others as a weekly contributor and expert in the global news regarding corporations, CEOs, celebrities, athletes, politicians and other public organizations and public individuals with reputations in crisis. Mike is also interviewed often by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Washington Post, NY Daily News, NY Post, Business Week, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek and others. Mr. Paul is also president and senior counselor of MGP & Associates PR, a leading strategic public relations and reputation management firm based in New York. For interview requests, keynote speeches, senior counseling or other business opportunities with Mr. Paul, please click here.
