Spitzer Discusses Compromise, Clinton

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By Azi Paybarah

November 7, 2007 | 3:48 p.m

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Two things stand out about Eliot Sptizer’s interview this morning with Gabe Pressman (which will air on Sunday).

The first is the emphasis Spitzer places on the value of compromise: “I do not believe in taking positions and just standing on principle to the point where nothing happens.”

Second is his characterization of Hillary Clinton as a supporter of his driver’s license plan, based on her recent (if somewhat vague) answers about the issue.

Liz has more on the part of the interview where Spitzer discusses Bloomberg running for president.

Here' are a couple of excerpts from the transcript:

We have an obligation to do the business of the people. And we will do that. And it's what I was sent to Albany to do, and I think people have seen over, going on nine years now I've been in office--eight years as attorney general, a year as governor--my mantra is how do we get the job done? It is--I do not believe in taking positions and just standing on principle to the point where nothing happens. That's counterproductive.

[skip]

You can't work with them unless there's a
dynamic of negotiating, listening, compromising. That is the only way to make progress. And even as attorney general, when I was really in the role more of a prosecutor, settlements are resolved and reached because you negotiate. So that's what we got to do.

[skip]

I guess Chris Dodd is not supporting it. But Barack Obama, John
Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson, who is governor of New Mexico, implemented this policy--those four essentially said, `Look, this is a federally created problem, because of the immigration crisis. Governors have to deal with it. And this sort of thing makes sense, one way or another.'