Lis Smith: Pro and Con

Lis Smith is a public relations wonkess who was the media mouthpiece for Eliot Spitzer's flop of a comeback campaign for New York City Comptroller, and the communications director for Bill de Blasio's successful bid for New York City Commissar Mayor.  Lis is part of de Blasio's transition team, and is (as of very recently, at least) on the short list for his media mouthpiece when he takes the reins from Mike Bloomberg.

But Lis now has involved herself romantically with Spitzer, and that is generating some controversy.  Alexis Grenell of the New York Daily News is saying that Lis's personal poor choices are her personal business, while Andrea Peyser of the New York Post opines that de Blasio should not lose one minute in booting her out the door.

I am no fan of de Blasio, nor of Spitzer, nor of Bloomberg (though I fear that I might long for him after a few months of de Blasio in Gracie Mansion).  I truly am neutral regarding Lis Smith, if only because I have not been following her career and know next to nothing about her above and beyond her reported use of her own body to cover Eliot Spitzer's mattress (or, rather, her own mattress to accommodate Mr. Spitzer).  As much as I disapprove of her choice of dance partners, that is not a matter into which I care to insinuate myself.

Alexis Grenell's editorial piece in the NY Daily News is playing the gender card, with the usual observations of a gender-based double standard.  This, to be sure, is a valid observation.  Nevertheless, it is all a red herring because there is a key difference besides gender (and age and wealth) between Lis Smith and Eliot Spitzer.

Back when Spitzer was the Attorney General of New York, he made a big deal about prosecuting prostitution.  How ironic (and hypocritical) that he himself got caught with his pants down in the Mayflower Hotel in Washington with a call girl whom he brought in from New York (a logistical feat which necessitated the crossing of 5 state boundary lines).

But Lis Smith, to the best of my knowledge, has not been given to delivering morality lectures to the public.  So, while I do begrudge Eliot Spitzer's indulgence in immoral behavior, I have no such issues with Lis Smith.

It is quite interesting, if only in the timing, that Eliot & Silda Spitzer have just today announced what has long been a foregone conclusion — that their marriage has come to an end.

Whether or not de Blasio jettisons Lis Smith remains to be seen.  But, given de Blasio's oft stated social and economic agenda, Lis Smith should be the least of the public's concerns about him.

Christmas is not my holiday, but if it is yours, then I hope that you have a merry one.