Spitzer confident he has signatures to get on NYC ballot
(CNN) – Hours before a deadline to submit enough signatures to qualify for the New York City primary ballot, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer is confident he'll get the 3,750 signatures he needs.
Spitzer, a Democrat, leapt into the fray for city comptroller Sunday and has spent the last few days scrambling to get the necessary signatures while fielding questions around his return to politics five years after resigning as New York state governor amidst a prostitution scandal. He needs nearly 4,000 registered city Democrats to sign his petition by Thursday's end.
"We have put together a field operation. Everybody said, it is hard to gather 3,750 signatures over the course of a couple days on the streets of the city," Spitzer told CNN's Christine Romans on Thursday, declining to say how many signatures he has. "I feel pretty confident and we're out there today. And we'll see where we are tonight."
You can watch the full interview on CNN's "Your Money" Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and 2:30 p.m. ET.
Spitzer seeks return to politics - as NYC comptroller
Even if he does get the signatures, Spitzer would still need to go to the ballots and face voters who likely still remember the former "Sheriff of Wall Street's" fall from grace in 2008 after admitting that he paid a prostitute for sex.
"I feel the public is going to give me a fair hearing," Spitzer said, with "a gut instinct" about how people will recall his record as state attorney general and as an advocate on financial matters. "I think the public will be supportive."
One poll seems to agree with Spitzer's assessment, quickly putting him at the top of the race for comptroller, ahead of the only other major Democrat running for the post, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
Poll shows Spitzer with initial edge in city race
Another candidate for comptroller? The woman who claims to be the mistress who supplied Spitzer with prostitutes.
New York City has been dealing for months with talks of past sexual scandal in its city-wide races, with former Congressman Anthony Weiner running for the Democratic mayoral nomination despite his own resignation in 2011 after sending lewd photos of himself on Twitter. Weiner is also leading the polls.
For Spitzer, the return to politics is about a desire to return to public service, he said, after years of work as a media commenter and host, including work for CNN.
"I resigned because I believed it was the appropriate way to say I appreciate what accountability is all about. Which had been something I'd spoken about," Spitzer said. "Five years later I'm ready to go to the public and say here's the entirety of the record, here's totality of the record. I think I can serve once more, and I'm ready to serve if you want to bring me back."
Spitzer said that his family, despite some reports otherwise, fully supports his return to politics. That support includes his wife.
How many prostitutes did he have to pay to sign the petition?
New Yorkers love a good comeback story.
Well done, NYC. You'll get to vote to have the rat guard the cheese.
did he get all those signatures standing outside the brothels he frequents? so democrats are going to vote for a guy who was supposed to be enforcing the laws while all the time he was breaking them. lies, deciet, bad judgement, illegal behavior. the new democrat qualifications for office. and we wonder why government is a disaster.
All politicians must now wear diapers, sleep with prostitutes, Tweet their junk, abscond to a different country for booty calls, accost dudes in mens rooms ....
Good luck, America
Word on the street says he's coming up short. No one wants to sign their name because they're scared of how it could be used. He'll be lucky to cross the finish line in time.
Data Driven
@All politicians must now wear diapers, sleep with prostitutes, Tweet their junk, abscond to a different country for booty calls, accost dudes in mens rooms ....
Good luck, America
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Sometihing we agree on. NOBODY can tell me what we now have is the best America has to offer. Problem is people in power lock on to it and the money it takes to run for anything equals the GDP of of some third world nations.
@Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House -aka- No Redemption Votes
New Yorkers love a good comeback story.
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Some also love a good "Go Far Away" story as well. Let me answer before you ask. YES, I felt the same about Sanford!
why can't this clown and weiner simply go away and get a real job? are they incapable of doing anything else? they both most be the biggest narcissists that ever existed. well, except for obama,
@ Data Driven
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You forgot lie, lie, lie... Until someone comes out with proof, then stand there with your family and try to act remorseful.
A. Weiner and a spit(z)er. Can't make these things up even.
"NOBODY can tell me what we now have is the best America has to offer."
You'll get no argument from me, Steveo. It's been awhile ... yes?
Why stop at NYC Comptroller? I dream of a Biden/Spitzer '16 ticket. Has the campaign slogan "Why stop the madness now" been used before?
If New York elects these two creeps the reputation of the city will be permanently tarnished.
While your at it, why don't elect Jon Corzine as treasurer, he only lost $1.6 million at his last job at MF Global Not to mention what he did to New Jersey.
CORRECTION! Corzine lost $1.6 BILLION at MF Global.
Fair is Fair"
"Well done, NYC. You'll get to vote to have the rat guard the cheese."
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Now that you mention it, they both have rodent-like appearances.
Really? Is NY about to pull a SC? Just beyond belief the pure brazeness of pols today – no shame, no remorse, no accountability, nothing but sucking from the public teat – anything else might be work. Also unbelievable is the support they get – truly there is no intelligent life when it comes public support of pols.
I wouldn't vote for him.
We are in sad accord, Steveo.
I can't believe that another liberal politician doesn't exist that could try for comptroller, one without such a grody personal history.