Just in case you didn't catch it live.

Just catching up on the fall of Eliot Spitzer? There’s too much Spitzer news and commentary for anyone to follow. Fortunately, both Stephen Bainbridge and Radar Magazine has combed through the news so you don’t have to. Radar concentrates on the dirty facts, like the fact that Spitzer didn't like condoms, set the mood with classical music and apparently was getting some on his recent secret mission to Florida. Bainbridge is all over the legal questions, like what kind of crimes he may have committed and whether he will be disbarred.

Update: Street Carnage (definitely not safe for work and almost not safe for anywhere) says that Spitzer's $4,300 hooker spending spree isn't really that pricey. It's market rate for a couple of hours with a high end call-girl.

His wife is there again.

He’s said it’s a private failing.

It’s about his remorse. He’s “begun to atone.” Bess loves that. It’s a pop culture reference and a Jewish thing! This guy might have a future as a blogger. Or as Maureen Dowd.

My God this man is full of himself.

He apologizes for letting down those who believed in “what he tried to stand for.”

He’s bragging about his accomplishments.

And it's done. He has tendered his resignation.

It’s effective next week! Ten days after the news broke! Someone put a net over the Hudson to stop Spitzer from ditching his computer into the river!

Downside for citizens of New York: Another week of government paralysis. Chaos. Possible dark deeds.

Upside for DealBreaker: We get another week of Spitzer coverage!

Query: Is that Eliot’s best impression of contrition?

Well the soon to be former Governor Eliot Spitzer’s limousine brigade is stuck in traffic (and the networks are giving him the OJ Simpson treatment, with helicopters flying overhead showing his slow-motion progress through Manhattan traffic), so let’s take a few moments to reflect on the shabby legacy of the financial press when it comes to Spitzer.

This morning Kimberly Strassel points out on the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal that Spitzer played the press like a Stradivarius. (Bess Levin would surely have come up with a much more apt and colorful description.) Many reporters built careers on the prosecutor's leaks intended to bully innocent people, Strassel explained.

Yet from the start, the press corps acted as an adjunct of Spitzer power, rather than a skeptic of it. Many journalists get into this business because they want to see wrongs righted. Mr. Spitzer portrayed himself as the moral avenger. He was the slayer of the big guy, the fat cat, the Wall Street titan -- all allegedly on behalf of the little guy. The press ate it up, and came back for more.

She details the instances of his bully-boy tactics, smearing opponents from behind the scenes with the financial press all to eager to repeat his attacks. The worst seems to be his attack on John Whitehead, a respected Wall Street figure who has never been publicly accused of wrong doing but who had the temerity to defend Spitzer target Ace Greenberg. Spitzer called him on the phone to threaten him, and when Whitehead publicized Spitzer’s threats, the press suddenly got calls hinting at corrupt connections between Whitehead and Greenberg.

We covered the press enabling Spitzer’s slimy tactics long ago. It’s nice to see this issue getting more attention.

Spitzer's Media Enablers [Wall Street Journal]

Circa 9:20 am, after Gasparino says on-air that Spitzer is expected to resign at 11 today:

Mark Haines: “Charlie Gasparino, who I can assure you cannot afford [the rates at Emperors Club VIP]”

Erin Burnett: [weird, are we going there? look]

Mark Haines: “What? Who among us can?”

That’s what the Post says, and Charlie Gasparino’s sources are corroborating, though there’s always the chance Spitzer will back out of whatever deal’s being negotiated, if he’s not satisfied with the terms (apparently the Governor’s campaigning hard to be allowed to run for/hold office after a short rehabilitation period, and to honor all upcoming, previously scheduled appointments with the Club, which were paid for in full and would be unbecoming of an elected official who made his career judging others by a strict moral code to back out of at the last minute, not to mention just plain rude). And according to someone Carney just spoke to, Big E was all set to step down on Monday until an aide (with an awesome sense of humor) convinced him to stay. So it’s possible he’ll change his mind again.

Our two cents? Either get the hell out of here or hold a press conference now and say “Fuck all of you, I’m staying right where I am. And not that it’s any of your business, but since the cat’s more or less out of the bag, you should know that no, I don’t plan on easing up on the hookers. The only thing that’s going to change is that I won’t be burdened with trying to keep it a secret. Man, that feels good. Like a 105-pound weight off my chest.”

Unless Dick Grasso is going to man up and admit to guiding it in, no new details are emerging and, frankly, people were already bored of this story yesterday. Wrap it up already, you indecisive idiot (full disclosure: I stole that line from Kristen).

SPITZER TO ANNOUNCE RESIGNATION IN THE HOUR [NYP]

We were worried that Governor Eliot Spitzer might step down too hastily, depriving us of the opportunity to mock the horny toad. But the Spitzer sex scandal is the gift that keeps on giving, and Spitzer's aides are now spreading the word that the guv's not going anywhere.

A top aide to Governor Spitzer said today Mr. Spitzer has not made up his mind about whether to step down, the New York Sun reported this afternoon.

"He has not made up his mind," a senior adviser to Mr. Spitzer, Lloyd Constantine, said. "It is more correct to say that he is not resigning."

Another source close to the governor said Mr. Spitzer was refusing to resign until he clinches an agreement with federal authorities about charges that he could face. "I don't think anything happens for a couple of weeks," the source said.

Is Spitzer a sociopath? A meglomaniac? For a man who said he thinks politics should be about ideas and not individuals, he sure seems intent on keeping on individual named Spitzer in office. Meanwhile, Republican New York State Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco is threatening impeachment.

Aide: Spitzer May Defy Calls To Step Down [New York Sun]

Congressman Peter King let loose on Eliot Spitzer today, warning that the governor of New York had left himself open to blackmail. It's a point we made here yesterday but it seems to be catching on.

"Spitzer himself was very severe going after prostitution rings that had to do with white collar crimes. He was very hard-nosed with his tactics," King told David Freddoso of National Review. "To leave himself open to blackmail — putting himself and the state in a compromised position like that — it's just awful."

King points out that prostitution rings are typically connected to organized crime, which makes the blackmail possibilities even more troubling. King adds that Spitzer will have to resign, and has some nice things to say about David Patterson, the lieutenant governor who would succeed Spitzer if he resigns.

Update: Veteran Wall Street reporter Gary Weiss also stresses the blackmail angle.

That's because the key word here is not "hypocrisy" or "morality," it's "blackmail." If Spitzer has been patronizing prostitutes, he'd be leaving himself open to being shaken down, perhaps by the mob. The Russian mob is heavily involved in prostitution.

Self-righteous and unforgiving [National Review]