Spitzer call-girl scandal hits Hillary

One of the key reasons why pressure is building on the New York state governor Eliot Spitzer to resign after being caught using a high-class call-girl is that the scandal is not helping the Democrats in general - he was considered by many in the party a future presidential candidate - and it's not doing Hillary Clinton any favours in particular.

The Clinton campaign team is all too aware that the image of Spitzer's wife Silda standing motionless at her husband's side, as he issued a statement acknowledging that he had let his family down, has brought back memories of Hillary's troubles with her errant husband.

Republicans meanwhile have been having a field day, threatening to impeach 48-year-old Spitzer if he didn't stand down within 48 hours.

This is not the first time Spitzer has caused Hillary Clinton problems during her campaign. It was Spitzer's proposal to allow illegal immigrants to get driving licences that tripped up Clinton in one of the early debates with Barack Obama and John Edwards at the end of October.

If and when Spitzer does resign, the job will pass under New York state law to his deputy, David Patterson. He will be the state's first African-American governor.

FIRST POSTED MARCH 11, 2008