Fed Up with Politician's Fessing Up

The below was from a March 19 New York Times article:

A day after his predecessor's sex scandal propelled him into office, Gov. David Paterson revealed Tuesday that he had affairs with a ''number of women,'' including a state employee, but said that does not affect his ability to lead.

Paterson had admitted one affair in a newspaper interview hours after taking office Monday, but gave a fuller accounting at a news conference with his wife at his side.

''Several years ago, there were a number of women,'' Paterson said. ''The public wants to know who its elected officials are and sometimes, even though you are human, and you are someone who just has feelings and has faults, there comes a time, perhaps, when you have to tell the public."

A few questions here: how many is a "number." Are we talking a few? A handful? The greater metropolitan area of New York? A "number" is rather vague. I'd like some clarification.

From this point forward I suggest an amnesty day for philandering politicians. Akin to the trade in your guns day that Chicago and other urban areas have. Politicians could all gather--let's just have it at each state's Capitol Hill--and take turns, their wives in tow. Perhaps a Deli-style Take A Number machine could be utilized.

I'm tired of hearing how politicians are doing more than representing their constituents. This way they could all confess their affairs and be done with it.

One more thing...Spitzer's resignation speech.

"I am deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me. To every New Yorker, and to all those who believed in what I tried to stand for, I sincerely apologize."

I guess when you're being investigated by the feds for being involved in prostitution you don't admit personal wrong doing. Instead you say you are sorry for not meeting someone's (lofty) expectations. He might as well have said "The public has an unrealistic expectation that politicians shouldn't do the mess around."

How much strategy goes into a resignation speech? Do the speech writers still write up the speech? Do you think the husband asks his wife which tie best conveys remorse as he's getting dressed?