WeinerGate RIP

[Scarpia]

I have no doubt the Democrats would like nothing better than for him to go away.  Pelosi has called for an ethic probe.  But since he has apparently done nothing illegal, it is up for him to resign.  I wonder if he really imagines that his political career is not over. 

[Todd]

But since he has apparently done nothing illegal, it is up for him to resign.

I'm not advocating that he resigns - I don't care either way, really - but with reelection just a year away, he seems something of a liability for the Democrats.  Surely someone else will challenge him in his own party; the democrats can't possibly want to have such a solidly blue seat go red.  (I looked up some of the election results, and in 2006 Weiner looks to have ran unopposed.  Talk about a lock for the Dems.)

[Gurn Blanston]

I have no doubt the Democrats would like nothing better than for him to go away.  Pelosi has called for an ethic probe.  But since he has apparently done nothing illegal, it is up for him to resign.  I wonder if he really imagines that his political career is not over.

Actually, watching the NYC news last night, they interviewed several of his constituents and every one was very positive about him. They were like 'his sex life and his job are entirely separate. He is doing an excellent job for us, so we don't care'. That is frightfully practical and pragmatic for Americans. Kinda scary.

[karlhenning]

Americans are at their scariest when they seem sensible . . . .

[Daverz]

I have no doubt the Democrats would like nothing better than for him to go away.  Pelosi has called for an ethic probe.  But since he has apparently done nothing illegal, it is up for him to resign.  I wonder if he really imagines that his political career is not over.

Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, John Ensign, and David Vitter did not resign from office in the wake of their sex scandals (Ensign only resigned the day before being forced to testify before the Ethics Committee).  Vitter was re-elected.  Why should Wiener resign over this?  Democrats always throw their own under the bus like this.  It's pathetic.

[Scarpia]

Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, John Ensign, and David Vitter did not resign from office in the wake of their sex scandals (Ensign only resigned the day before being forced to testify before the Ethics Committee).  Vitter was re-elected.  Why should Wiener resign over this?  Democrats always throw their own under the bus like this.  It's pathetic.

The problem is he came off as an idiot as well as a perverted, pathetic, creepy internet stalker.  If he can get elected after this, fine, I suppose.  But I don't see the Democrats getting any benefit from circling the wagons on this one.

[Daverz]

But I don't see the Democrats getting any benefit from circling the wagons on this one.

That's why Democrats always come off as weak and craven.   Republicans do circle the wagons for their people, despite much worse behavior.   

[Scarpia]

That's why Democrats always come off as weak and craven.   Republicans do circle the wagons for their people, despite much worse behavior.   

Not true.  When Mark Foley was found to have sent creepy sexual text messages to House pages he was forced to resign by the Republican House Leadership.  Christopher Lee resigned after sending a much more innocuous picture (his seat was just won by a Democrat in a special election).  Boehner did not publicly demand his resignation as I recall, but immediately said it was the right decision.  Both parties are nervous about appearing to tolerate icky behavior.

[Todd]

Republicans do circle the wagons for their people, despite much worse behavior.

They circled the wagon for Larry Craig?  I don't remember that, and now his career is over.  They didn't really circle the wagons for Mark Foley, either, if memory serves.  Ditto Jack Ryan.  They certainly have in other cases, but they are hardly steadfast the way you describe.  Likewise, the Democrats sometimes do and sometimes don't defend their own.  Scandals often render politicians politically weak, and if that happens, said politicians ought to be thrown under the bus.  Far more important than the politician is the office he or she holds; better to get rid of a scandal-ridden politician quickly and retain the office.  It doesn't look like Weiner's seat is particularly vulnerable to a Republican takeover, but it still may be better to dump him.  That wouldn't make the Democrats look weak, it would make them look cynical, ruthless, and effective.

[Daverz]

They circled the wagon for Larry Craig?  I don't remember that, and now his career is over.

He did finish his term, though.

I don't think politicians should resign over sex scandals like this.  Sexual harassment, yes.  Exploitative of minors, yes.  Illegal activities, yes (though I can't say I really care about politicans seeing prostitutes, it's still illegal).  Another example is the congressman for NY-26 who resigned when his shirtless Craigslist ads were discovered.  Really, who cares?   

The American public and media needs to grow up and accept that politicans are sexual beings.

They didn't really circle the wagons for Mark Foley, either, if memory serves.  Ditto Jack Ryan. 

Well, the first two made the mistake of being attracted to the same sex.   Not something Republicans will forgive when it becomes public.  And Ryan was mean to 7 of 9!

But points taken.

[Kontrapunctus]

WienerGate = Watergate

Clever.
Was it his just his underwear or...? 

He was in an aroused state...

[Todd]

And Ryan was mean to 7 of 9!

I wonder if he ever made her wear her Star Trek outfit?

[Brahmsian]

Are Weiner and Boehner related in any way?   

[eyeresist]

I would have thought politicians were, or should be, elected at least partly based on their judgment.  Mr Weiner's actions do not show good judgment, nor does his response to the situation.

On the issue of judgement, it's not a political matter as such. It does show a lack of awareness of what will probably happen if you send people naughty pictures of yourself through the internet. Plus of course he is married.

Problem with the "judgement" issue is that the prime quality we demand in our candidates is "electability". That quality rests on spin. Weiner has failed the spin test.

[Lethevich]

Are Weiner and Boehner related in any way?   

They would make a good cabaret act with the addition a politician from here: Ed Balls.

[Lethevich]

On the issue of judgement, it's not a political matter as such.

I don't know - what about those politicians blackmailed by foreign agents in honeytraps over the past half century? I'm not saying that this is particularly likely, but if a person is lacking in character, those looking to side-step the law can find ways to take advantage, and this chap simply seems less trustworthy now.

[Todd]

It does show a lack of awareness of what will probably happen if you send people naughty pictures of yourself through the internet.

In other words, poor judgment. 

Now it looks like redistricting may make the whole Weiner situation irrelevant anyway.

[snyprrr]

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_localdc/20110609/ts_yblog_localdc/op-ed-weiner-like-me/

[eyeresist]

On the one hand, as a fellow Weiner, I feel his pain. On the other hand, he has given us Weiners a bad name, and let's face it: we didn't have a great one to begin with.

LOL

An interesting piece, unfortunately spoiled by his sincere plea at the end.

I don't know why Weiners don't change the W to a V.

[nimrod]

Who would want to have someone as a congressman who lied to the American public from a press conference in the halls of Congress?  Is that all it takes to be a congressman?  Does not "lying" disqualify a person to be an upstanding public citizen? 

Anyway it is a terrible distraction from our debt crisis, but Congress apparently doesn't care enough about that to stay in session and work on resolving the issues.  So sad.