Silda Wall, a.k.a. Mrs. Eliot Spitzer: 'I Wasn't Adequate'

3 years ago

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Eliot Spitzer's possible political comeback is way down the page on my list of alliterative alternatives about which to worry; I do not give even a tiny little half-hoot.

Still, this line in a Washington Post story about "Rough Justice," Peter Elkind's new book on New York's former governor, does make me want to fix Mrs. Spitzer up on a date: "The wife is supposed to take care of the sex. This is my failing,'' Silda Wall is quoted as saying, in reference to her husband's hooker habit. "I wasn't adequate."

Of course, right-thinking feminists know that's not true – and though it's been a while since anyone accused me of fitting that description, I have no trouble understanding how she might feel that way despite knowing better.

What I don't know, though: is there enough couples' counseling in the world to put the Spitzers back together again? Am I all kinds of awful for thinking that a new relationship would be 12 times more likely to restore her confidence? And what if priests and pols switched places, marital-ly speaking, with real fathers (and other parents) put in charge of the church, and civic leaders strongly encouraged to stay single?

Whatever happens to her marriage in the long-term, I'll bet Ms. Wall goes down in history as the wronged political spouse whose experience convinced most who came after her not to attend the televised apology, and for that we should thank her.

Filed Under: Woman Up

Tagged: Eliot Spitzer, EliotSpitzer, silda spitzer, Silda Wall Spitzer, SildaSpitzer, SildaWallSpitzer

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