Rep. Weiner Tells Friends He Will Resign

‘No longer seemed fair to his constituents’
Politics • Views: 33,091

No surprise here; when the President said that if he were in Anthony Weiner’s situation he’d resign, it was just a matter of time: Anthony D. Weiner Tells Friends He Will Resign.

The top Democratic official said Mr. Weiner called Representative Nancy Pelosi of California and Representative Steve Israel of New York last night while they were at the White House picnic to inform them he had decided to resign on Thursday.

Mr. Weiner plans to resign in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, at 2 p.m. , at the spot where he announced his first campaign for City Council in 1992, according to two people told of his plans.

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122 comments
1 Targetpractice  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:31:43am

They were already threatening to strip him of his committee chair, and there was talk of potentially considering expulsion. So it was either fall on his sword or be pushed on it.

2 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:36:49am

A wise decision. He’s a punchline now. Whether or not I agree with him politically; I’ve read that he is a thoughtful, caring Congressman.

All his work? Down the tubes.

3 Bulworth  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:38:55am

Weiner is, was, pretty stupid and from the sound it, a potential predator, if not an actual one.

I hate that another special election will have to be held, but oh well.

Now maybe we can move on to other things.

4 makeitstop  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:40:00am

TPM has a pretty good take.

My understanding is that part of the deal that allowed Nancy Pelosi to retain her top dog status in the House Democratic Caucus after Democrats lost the majority in November involved giving a new generation of House Democrats a higher profile as spokespeople for the caucus. The rationale at least was that the caucus could signal change by putting forward fresh faces even as the entire leadership retained their official positions. The two most prominent of those new fresh faces were Anthony Weiner and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

When Weiner’s anatomy became a national story, House Dems weren’t dealing with some back-bench nobody. He was a proxy for the leadership. All of his TV appearances and interviews weren’t only because he was good on TV and bookers liked him, though that certainly helped, but because there was implicit sign-off from the leadership.

Makes sense. Now they can get back to talking issues.

5 Bulworth  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:40:17am

re: #2 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Hopefully his staff will land on their feet.

6 rwdflynavy  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:41:21am

re: #5 Bulworth

Hopefully his staff will land on their feet.

He he he, you said staff!!! /Butthead/
//

7 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:41:44am

re: #5 Bulworth

Hopefully his staff will land on their feet.

By “staff”… you mean the people that worked for him. Right?

8 harrylook  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:42:39am

Apparently the first smart thing Weiner has done in a while. Hopefully he’s turning over a new leaf…

9 Chrysicat  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:43:35am

re: #8 harrylook

Just as long as he doesn’t turn over his fig leaf again…
//

10 Targetpractice  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:43:41am

re: #2 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

A wise decision. He’s a punchline now. Whether or not I agree with him politically; I’ve read that he is a thoughtful, caring Congressman.

All his work? Down the tubes.

Yep. 6 terms of work, gone in the click of a mouse.

11 Bulworth  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:45:04am

re: #7 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

By “staff”… you mean the people that worked for him. Right?

Ah, yes, the people who worked for him.

12 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:45:36am

re: #10 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

I hope the Democrats aren’t asleep on the job and actually nominate someone appropriate for this election— not another Martha Coakley.

13 Targetpractice  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:46:53am

re: #12 Obdicut

I hope the Democrats aren’t asleep on the job and actually nominate someone appropriate for this election— not another Martha Coakley.

Agreed. However, if Weiner’s old district ends up being one of those canned in the redistricting, it might be pointless to hold a special election. Guess we’ll see what happens in coming weeks and months.

14 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:48:04am

re: #3 Bulworth

Weiner is, was, pretty stupid and from the sound it, a potential predator, if not an actual one.

He’s a creep who engaged in stupid risky behavior, and lied about it, but calling him a ‘predator’ is kind of ridiculous.

15 Robert O.  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:49:36am

Weiner will never be able to stand up in Congress again…

16 Girl with a Pearl Earring  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:50:41am

Auf Weinersehen!

17 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:51:10am

Here come the gloaters.

18 Interesting Times  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:52:34am

I think the best explanation for Weiner’s resignation can be found here:

Mr Weiner has faced pressure to leave the House of Representatives for days, with Ms Pelosi urging him to spare the party any more embarrassment.

19 rwdflynavy  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:53:59am

A potential job for Congressman Weiner:

[Link: gizmodo.com…]

20 Interesting Times  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:58:07am

And given the subject of his post, I’ll just be lazy and recycle my comment from the Overnight thread :) (excerpts from a friend’s Facebook status and ensuing discussion):

- Is Congressman Weiner suffering from electoral dysfunction?

- Or if he decides to resign from office now, would that be considered a premature evacuation?

- Maybe he’ll just end up with a stiff penalty.

- sounds like his campaign is flaccid

- Then he may just go away half cocked…

- or get shafted

- He needs to make a premature departure.

- But once removed from Congress, he’ll be a fallen member.

- Pull out now, Mr. Weiner, before this situation reaches an explosive climax!

- That’s up for debate.

- I’ve heard he’s a master debater.

21 Lidane  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:59:03am

I’ve largely ignored most of the sordid details of this story, but it makes total sense for him to resign. If he’s a proxy for the leadership and out there doing interviews and all that, then he’s not doing anyone any favors by staying in.

Self-inflicted idiocy. He should have known better, but he ended his own career instead.

22 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 8:59:05am

When I checked Tweetdeck this morning, I saw a whole lot of right wingers ranting and gloating that I’d been finally exposed as a fraud, because I was rigging my tweet counters to show clicks! Not retweets!

Roll your mouse over the counter, and tell me what it says.

That’s pretty tricky of me, to “rig” the counter and explain exactly what it was doing, all at the same time. But that’s just how evil I am.

23 elizajane  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:01:22am

re: #14 Charles

He’s a creep who engaged in stupid risky behavior, and lied about it, but calling him a ‘predator’ is kind of ridiculous.

Completely agree, although it’s a universal insult on the right-wing blogs.

A lesson for public figures in the age of the internet: you can’t actually be forced out of office for being a narcissistic idiot, but you can be if you leave copious visual evidence of your idiocy.

24 Lidane  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:01:51am

re: #22 Charles

It just kills these people that you’ve rejected all the Bad Crazy, doesn’t it?

25 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:06:32am

Meh. People have survived much worse scandals than this. It was all pretty embarrassing but there was nothing illegal. I think he could have made it through this.

26 brownbagj  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:07:50am

Big blow for weiner.

27 brownbagj  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:08:46am

Now, that is out of my system. I wonder if there is anything else shiny that can divert the public’s attention from actual important things going on?

28 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:09:01am

re: #25 Killgore Trout

I think the above analysis is correct; he was a heavy hitter, he was out in front, and so any fall like this really mires him. Ironically, if you’re less important, it’s easier to survive scandal. This also means that he does one last service to the Democrats— they can now point to Vitter as someone who didn’t resign after a worse scandal.

29 Buck  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:12:22am

re: #22 Charles

It sucks, you called it “retweets” only once. I know what it is like to be attacked for using a turn of phrase. There are people who just like to hound a person for any slip, no matter how incidental.

30 brownbagj  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:12:24am

re: #28 Obdicut

What do you think he does next? Obviously he is passionate, smart (except this issue of course) and does well on television.

Could he still be a player somehow nationally?

I didn’t always agree with him, but I hate to see people who really care be lost while those who only care about themselves carry on.

31 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:12:25am

Quite honestly there’s no reason he should have resigned aside from being a distraction. The fact of the matter is that while he did something rather boneheaded he did not do anything illegal (despite Fox trying to set it up like he did with that girl in Delaware or wherever). He sent some rather suggestive pictures over the internet. He did not

A) solicit a prostitute
B) solicit several prostitutes
C) Hire a rent boy
D) sleep with a staff member then try to cover it up illegaly
E) solicit a guy for sex in a public restroom
F) send suggestive pictures and have lewd chats with congressional paiges (male or female)

I agree, he would have been a distraction going forward and he did embarrass himself but being forced to resign for this is utter bullshit. Somewhere David Vitter is laughing his ass off.

32 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:14:57am

re: #30 brownbagj

What do you think he does next? Obviously he is passionate, smart (except this issue of course) and does well on television.

Could he still be a player somehow nationally?

I didn’t always agree with him, but I hate to see people who really care be lost while those who only care about themselves carry on.

He can still run for Mayor of NYC, I’d say. He can go to a public policy think tank. He can be chief of staff for someone else. He can wait a few years, declare himself ‘cured’ and run for senator.

33 elizajane  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:15:01am

re: #25 Killgore Trout

Meh. People have survived much worse scandals than this. It was all pretty embarrassing but there was nothing illegal. I think he could have made it through this.

It was the pictures! Of course what he did was minor, but you can’t survive the pictures in the internet age. If we had pictures of what Vitter and indeed of what Bill Clinton did (eeuw!) they’d have gone down too.

34 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:15:25am

re: #33 elizajane

That’s a good point.

35 brownbagj  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:16:35am

re: #33 elizajane

True. Nothing really disappears in this day and age. Which is a good thing I think, but can also be abused.

36 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:16:51am

re: #33 elizajane

Uh… you need to include an “eeuw!” for Vitter also…

37 Targetpractice  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:17:06am

re: #33 elizajane

It was the pictures! Of course what he did was minor, but you can’t survive the pictures in the internet age. If we had pictures of what Vitter and indeed of what Bill Clinton did (eeuw!) they’d have gone down too.

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
“Mr. President, we’ve got pictures and video. Care to rethink your statement?”

38 brownbagj  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:17:31am

re: #36 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I don’t want pictures of either going down.

/

39 Stanghazi  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:18:31am

[Link: twitpic.com…]

Best photo from the Vancouver riots.

40 darthstar  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:19:59am

re: #33 elizajane

It was the pictures! Of course what he did was minor, but you can’t survive the pictures in the internet age. If we had pictures of what Vitter and indeed of what Bill Clinton did (eeuw!) they’d have gone down too.

Clinton didn’t do anything…he just sat there talking on the phone while Monica blew him.

Vitter’s another creature entirely…fecal fetishes are only okay if you’re a Republican I guess…he’s lucky there weren’t pictures of that.

41 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:20:05am

re: #31 dreggas

MBF…re: #39 Stanley Sea

Rawr.

42 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:20:28am

re: #41 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

yeah… that’s not supposed to look like that.

43 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:21:43am

re: #33 elizajane

yep if there had been no pictures it would have been easier to not be such a distraction. It’s still, in my estimation, bullshit but then again that’s the puritanical bullshit “culture” we have.

People can sit there and say “Oh my god we have no morals, just look at what’s on TV” well they’re patently full of it because if TV was any real indication of reality then Weiner would still have his job. Then again even our TV is overly censored.

True story, the other night my in-laws were watching a hispanic version of judge judy. A guy was suing his wife/gf over her enjoying sex/anal with another guy too much (they were swingers). Even as fake court drama you’d never see that on an english speaking station.

I’ve always said Australia got the better deal getting all the prisoners, we just got the damn puritans.

44 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:23:14am

re: #43 Dreggas

The GOP defunding programs that help provide health care to broke single mothers, and taking away their food programs too, are a jillion times more immoral and unethical than Weiner. But that’s too abstract. What Weiner dis was concrete. Rock hard, even.

45 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:23:37am

Right leaning Lizards have been blistered in the past for invoking the “magical balance fairy”.

Just want to let you know, bringing up Vitter doesn’t bother me. Because it is completely relevant to the discussion. Either side who engages in behavior like V&W did deserves whatever scorn they get once they’re busted.

46 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:24:07am

re: #44 Obdicut

yep it’s abstract until they start coming for you anyways. Bread and circuses for the masses while the figure out ways to fuck us over.

47 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:24:21am

re: #45 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Heh. I’d say people have brought up Clinton just as often, which is a recursively unbalanced fairy.

48 JeffM70  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:24:57am

The media must be very disappointed as I’m sure talking about a politician’s penis is far more interesting for them than talking about issues that actually matter to people.

49 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:25:07am

re: #45 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Right leaning Lizards have been blistered in the past for invoking the “magical balance fairy”.

Just want to let you know, bringing up Vitter doesn’t bother me. Because it is completely relevant to the discussion. Either side who engages in behavior like V&W did deserves whatever scorn they get once they’re busted.

David Vitter got no scorn at all from the GOP. In fact, he gets standing ovations when he appears at Republican events.

He’s a hero to them. A diaper-wearing, prostitute-using hero.

50 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:25:13am

re: #47 Obdicut

You calling Clinton a “fairy”?

51 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:25:39am

re: #49 Charles

Shudder.

52 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:26:22am

If Wiener had come clean right away, it might have blown over, but alas, it turned into a (s)meg(ma)-scandal and he has to withdraw from the (w)hole show…

53 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:27:43am

re: #49 Charles

Honestly? I didn’t even know about Vitter’s “shitters” until Weiner was busted.

I can’t believe he wasn’t wiped (pardon the pun) from congress immediately.

54 jamesfirecat  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:27:44am

I’m sure David Vitter who BROKE THE LAW by cavorting with ACTUAL PHYSICAL PROSTITUTES will be resigning at any moment now as well to show that America doesn’t all have a painfully partisan response to political scandals…. I’m sure of it…..

(Not that Weiner shouldn’t step down but a single standard would be nice…)

55 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:27:51am

re: #45 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

the only scorn I have for Weiner is that A) he folded and resigned and B) he should have known that what happens on the internet does not always stay on the internet.

The scorn I have for Vitter (and republicans in general) is that they proclaim themselves the party of morality and “family values” (whatever the hell that means). Then in private they go and wind up screwing hookers while wearing diapers and cheating on their wives. Or they wind up soliciting gay sex in mens’ restrooms. To use a twist on the old “It’s the economy stupid!” i have to say “It’s the hypocrisy stupid”.

Of course I also disagree with their 18th/19th century agenda as well, but that’s another story.

56 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:29:10am

re: #55 Dreggas

His stupendous lack of judgement doesn’t bother you?

57 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:30:09am

re: #52 ralphieboy

I believe weiner is jewish so I am sure smegma is not an issue

//rimshot.

But I do agree, if he had owned up to it off the bat and said “So what, I sent a suggestive pic or two and you’re just jealous because you’re not as hung as me” I would have applauded. Instead time was spent defending him when he denied it then finally came clean about it.

58 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:30:31am

re: #49 Charles

David Vitter got no scorn at all from the GOP. In fact, he gets standing ovations when he appears at Republican events.

He’s a hero to them. A diaper-wearing, prostitute-using hero.

Okay, so while we ARE invoking Magical Balance Fairies, so did Gerry Studds when he appeared at Dem events

I think FBV’s larger point was that we (conservatives) here often get excoriated for introducing the MBF into a converstion while at the same time (now) that the topic is Weiner there’s a lot of Vittering going on!

59 iossarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:30:38am

re: #48 JeffM70

The media must be very disappointed as I’m sure talking about a politician’s penis is far more interesting for them than talking about issues that actually matter to people.

Sadly, the media cover shit like the Weiner story because that’s what sells. If people wanted to read about the issues that “actually matter to people”, the media would immediately cover them. They’re not doing this for fun or as part of some nefarious plot. They’re just making money.

Of course, this is what makes the existence of independent non-profit media organizations a key element of any functioning democracy.

60 leftynyc  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:31:42am

re: #33 elizajane

It was the pictures! Of course what he did was minor, but you can’t survive the pictures in the internet age. If we had pictures of what Vitter and indeed of what Bill Clinton did (eeuw!) they’d have gone down too.

I think it was the lies. He had his colleagues and supporters defending him loudly. If you want people on your side, you don’t lie to them and make them look like fools.

61 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:32:03am

re: #58 sattv4u2

Okay, so while we ARE invoking Magical Balance Fairies, so did Gerry Studds when he appeared at Dem events

Uh, excuse me, but he was censured by the House of Representatives.

62 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:32:17am

re: #55 Dreggas

The scorn I have for Vitter (and republicans in general) is that they proclaim themselves the party of morality and “family values” (whatever the hell that means)

So as long as one doesn’t verbally aspire to be moral they can be forgiven when they are not moral?

63 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:32:35am

re: #61 Charles

Uh, excuse me, but he was censured by the House of Representatives.

And given a standing ovation upon his return

64 jamesfirecat  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:32:50am

re: #58 sattv4u2

Okay, so while we ARE invoking Magical Balance Fairies, so did Gerry Studds when he appeared at Dem events

I think FBV’s larger point was that we (conservatives) here often get excoriated for introducing the MBF into a converstion while at the same time (now) that the topic is Weiner there’s a lot of Vittering going on!

To me the magical balance fairy is the magical balance fairy because it believes that one bad example on side B can make up for several bad examples on side A.

IE: A single racist statement by a democrat is equal to the countless bits of race baiting we’ve seen from the modern GOP.

Thus in my opinion directly comparing Vitter and Weiner is not a MBF because its comparing two singular examples, one from side A and one from side B.

65 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:33:02am

re: #58 sattv4u2

Okay, so while we ARE invoking Magical Balance Fairies, so did Gerry Studds when he appeared at Dem events

I think FBV’s larger point was that we (conservatives) here often get excoriated for introducing the MBF into a converstion while at the same time (now) that the topic is Weiner there’s a lot of Vittering going on!

Hate to break it to ya but while what Studds did got him censured it wasn’t flat out illegal.

66 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:34:24am

re: #65 Dreggas

Hate to break it to ya but while what Studds did got him censured it wasn’t flat out illegal.

And neither was what Weiner did

Nor Dan Crane

67 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:34:24am

re: #62 sattv4u2

The scorn I have for Vitter (and republicans in general) is that they proclaim themselves the party of morality and “family values” (whatever the hell that means)

So as long as one doesn’t verbally aspire to be moral they can be forgiven when they are not moral?

Are you deliberately being obtuse?

The point is the massive hypocrisy of making a political career out of “family values” and anti-gay hate speech, then practicing your wide stance in public bathrooms and whorehouses when no one’s watching.

68 Bubblehead II  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:34:31am

Crap like this is probably another reason he is resigning. The longer he staid in office, more pics of him doing creepy and stupid stuff were bound to surface.

69 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:34:55am

re: #65 Dreggas

add to that he didn’t resign or back down. He stuck it out despite the witch hunt. What he did was inappropriate but not something he was ever arrested for or could have been arrested for (so it seems or I am sure he would have been).

Vitter BROKE THE LAW all while claiming to be morally upright and preaching family values, big difference.

70 Buck  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:35:02am

re: #55 Dreggas

Somehow that sounds to me like you are saying Weiner had no base morality and therefore when he lies and acts in this childish way he is at least not being a hypocrite.

Somehow I think Weiner would have said that he would be against people who lie to the media and the voters. He certainly knew his behavior was wrong when he chose to cover it up. So I think he was also acting out as a hypocrite.

71 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:35:14am

re: #58 sattv4u2

My point was I don’t mind when lefties do it. IF it is relevant. As it is often when brought up righties.

But, since when does me “minding” have anything to do with anything.

72 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:36:46am

re: #58 sattv4u2

I’m not sure you really get the idea of the magical balance fairy.


If one guy has taken $100,000 from a known gangster, and the guy running against him has taken $100,000 from another known gangster, pointing that out isn’t invoking the magic balance fairy.

If one guy has taken $100,000 from a known gangster, and the guy running against him has taken $10 from a cousin of a gangster, then citing that is the magical balance fairy.

Does that make sense?

73 leftynyc  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:36:59am

re: #62 sattv4u2

The scorn I have for Vitter (and republicans in general) is that they proclaim themselves the party of morality and “family values” (whatever the hell that means)

So as long as one doesn’t verbally aspire to be moral they can be forgiven when they are not moral?

They aren’t verbally aspiring to be anything. They’re trying to convince people that they are a morally superior person/party and the Democrats are degenerates. Meanwhile they have a senator who likes to have his dirty diapers changed by hookers given a standing ovation. That’s the difference.

74 jamesfirecat  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:37:19am

re: #70 Buck

Somehow that sounds to me like you are saying Weiner had no base morality and therefore when he lies and acts in this childish way he is at least not being a hypocrite.

Somehow I think Weiner would have said that he would be against people who lie to the media and the voters. He certainly knew his behavior was wrong when he chose to cover it up. So I think he was also acting out as a hypocrite.

The cover up was hypocritical, but the act itself which lead to the cover up was not, where as when a Republican like David Vitter cavorts with women of negotiable affection while claiming to be all about family values he is a hypocrite just for the act itself regardless of the fallout which results from it.

Democrats need to learn to own up to our sex scandals with a smile, if Clinton had done it we would have needed to spend so much of his second term wasiting time on impeachment hearings.

75 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:37:33am

re: #70 Buck

If weiner had come out ranting against people like this (ala the family values “conservatives”) then yes it would mean more to me. If he had come out like Spitzer did against prostitutes and then gets caught with them, then yeah it would be a bigger deal to me.

If people can’t practice what they preach then they need to quit preaching. If they say do as I say, not as I do then they’ve lost all credibility with me. When they judge others but feel it is wrong when they are judged then yeah I have a problem with it.

76 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:37:57am

re: #72 Obdicut

Does that make sense?

No,, because 9 times out of 10 here thats not what transpires

77 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:39:07am

Back to work. DON’T BE HATIN’!

78 Cannadian Club Akbar  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:39:09am

I hope Weiner runs for President. With Eric Holder as his running mate.
WEINER/HOLDER 2012!!!
///last joke, I promise:)

79 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:39:18am

re: #70 Buck

Somehow that sounds to me like you are saying Weiner had no base morality and therefore when he lies and acts in this childish way he is at least not being a hypocrite.

No, Buck. Weiner didn’t present himself as a holier-than-thou upstanding moral citizen, and he didn’t demonize and attack people who chose different lifestyles than he did.

The Republican Party has a complete monopoly on that kind of holy hypocrite.

80 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:39:20am

re: #62 sattv4u2

as long as one doesn’t tell me I should be moral and try to enforce their so called morality on me on one hand then violate their own “morals” on the other, then yeah it doesn’t bother me. To each their own.

81 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:40:18am

re: #78 Cannadian Club Akbar

Holder/Weiner sounds funnier. I’m just sayin’.

82 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:40:28am

re: #78 Cannadian Club Akbar

I hope Weiner runs for President. With Eric Holder as his running mate.
WEINER/HOLDER 2012!!!
///last joke, I promise:)

I want Eliot Spitzer to do an hour special interview

CNN can call it Spitz On Weiner

83 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:40:28am

re: #76 sattv4u2

Does that make sense?

No,, because 9 times out of 10 here thats not what transpires

I think you’re mistaken. For example, the numerous times Robert Byrd was invoked to show tolerance for racism on the Democratic side was a MBF argument, because Byrd was not only anomalous, but hat publicly apologized and repudiated his previous racist stances. So, bringing him up is a MBF argument.

I haven’t done any scientific analysis on this or anything, but anytime I invoke the MBF it’s for comparisons of things of vastly different import.

84 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:41:36am

re: #83 Obdicut


I haven’t done any scientific analysis on this or anything

Obviously, neither do I

Just observational

85 iossarian  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:41:36am

re: #73 leftynyc

They aren’t verbally aspiring to be anything. They’re trying to convince people that they are a morally superior person/party and the Democrats are degenerates. Meanwhile they have a senator who likes to have his dirty diapers changed by hookers given a standing ovation. That’s the difference.

I can’t believe that people think there’s a debate here.

Party A says gays are evil and should be denied basic rights. Party B says gays are people just like anyone else. Party A says that people who break the law are to be punished, party B says they should be helped.

If a member of party A turns out to be a gay lawbreaker who subsequently appeals for help, this is obviously far more hypocritical than similar behavior by a member of party B, even if that person was concealing that behavior because of residual social opprobrium.

And note that said opprobrium is largely the fruit of party A’s continuing efforts to demonize people.

86 Cannadian Club Akbar  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:42:41am

bbiab.

87 Obdicut  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:42:43am

re: #75 Dreggas

I kind of disagree. If a doctor tells me to stop smoking for my health, that’s going to be true, and I should listen to him, regardless as to whether or not he smokes.

Where it diverges is if he says that people who smoke are moral and ethical cowards, sinful people, and he also secretly smokes. That’s where you get the rich, deep veins of hypocrisy.

88 Decatur Deb  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:43:20am

re: #78 Cannadian Club Akbar

I hope Weiner runs for President. With Eric Holder as his running mate.
WEINER/HOLDER 2012!!!
///last joke, I promise:)

re: #82 sattv4u2

I want Eliot Spitzer to do an hour special interview

CNN can call it Spitz On Weiner

Don’t stop now. Rep Dipshit damaged the party that has any chance to keep up from spinning off into a globalized 3rd world colony. That should be made painful.

89 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:43:22am

re: #63 sattv4u2

And given a standing ovation upon his return

Uh, again. That’s just not true.

Studds received two standing ovations from supporters in his home district at his first town meeting following his congressional censure.

Not from the House of Representatives, from his constituents.

90 sattv4u2  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:48:56am

re: #89 Charles

Uh, again. That’s just not true.

Not from the House of Representatives, from his constituents.

Correct
Sorry, relying on a memory from 30 years ago is at times an adventure

btw ,, anyone seen my keys!?!?

91 OhCrapIHaveACrushOnSarahPalin  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:49:44am

re: #53 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Honestly? I didn’t even know about Vitter’s “shitters” until Weiner was busted.

I can’t believe he wasn’t wiped (pardon the pun) from congress immediately.

Really?

92 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:49:48am

re: #68 Bubblehead II

Crap like this is probably another reason he is resigning. The longer he staid in office, more pics of him doing creepy and stupid stuff were bound to surface.

There were also pictures of Rudy Giuliani wearing a dress, attending some Gay Pride event. As I recall this got the FReepers into a frenzy of RINO bellowing.

93 recusancy  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:50:38am
94 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:51:31am

A scathing editorial from the Jerusalem Post….
Godspeed to Jerusalem, Glenn Beck

So wackos like Beck and Palin and Bachmann love us – but only as long as we go on fighting their enemies. If we ever make peace with them, our dear, devoted Republican friends will not be amused. Neither will the likes of Danny Danon, of course, so the American Right and Israeli Right have become the closest, most natural of allies.

Incidentally, who, more than anybody else, forged this covenant? Netanyahu, starting about 30 years ago, and along the way gaining the admiration of every major crackpot, Islamophobic evangelical preacher, from the late Jerry Falwell to Pat Robertson to John Hagee and on.

And what the Glenn Beck rally will do is proclaim this covenant in blazing fashion. It will sear into the consciousness of Israelis and Americans, but above all American Jews, what this country now stands for. By showing them who Israel’s friends are, it will show them what Israel is.

Who are Israel’s friends? Right-wing meshuggenehs. What is Israel? A right-wing meshugge country.


Ouch!

95 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:53:18am

re: #94 Killgore Trout

A scathing editorial from the Jerusalem Post…
Godspeed to Jerusalem, Glenn Beck

Ouch!

That’s Larry Derfner. He’s a moonbat freak. But still, this was low-hanging fruit.

96 Killgore Trout  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:57:20am

re: #95 Alouette

That’s Larry Derfner. He’s a moonbat freak. But still, this was low-hanging fruit.

Yeah, I should have googled him first. Sorry about that.

97 thecommodore  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:58:07am

re: #14 Charles

He’s a creep who engaged in stupid risky behavior, and lied about it, …

In my view, he would only be a creep if he had been sexting someone who was underage, and that did not happen.* He definitely should have been more discreet, but he broke no laws, and there was really no reason for him to resign. Both he and the party would have weathered this, I think, especially because his constituents wanted him to stay.

This was another Democratic cave in. Pure and simple. And to Andrew Fucking Breitbart of all people. I swear, it makes me cringe to think how many in the Democratic Party are actually afraid of that fraud - Shirley Sherrod was fired by Tom Vilsack because of the fraudulent video Breitbart posted on his website. Every time I think of that, all I can say is, “Are you fucking kidding me???”

If Democrats had even a microscopic scotal sack and stood up to even half of the easily disproven right wing bullshit flying around the internet, talk radio, and Fox “News,” they wouldn’t have lost 63 seats in the House last year.

They’re actually AFRAID of these nutjobs, and they willingly handed over Weiner’s scalp.

It makes me SICK!!!

*At least as far as we know now. If it comes to light that one of his tweet girls was underage, then I take all of this back and hope he goes to jail.

98 engineer cat  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 9:59:48am

Edwards Sex Tape

sounds like a good product, but other methods of repair should be considered if your sex is seriously broken

99 sagehen  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:02:00am

as always, one of TNC’s commentariat boils it down:

He’s a congressman. It’s his job to get things done in government for people who need things done. Is the VA screwing you over on benefits? Call your congressman. Are you having trouble with your student loan servicer? Call your congressman. Etc. There’s a problem here if your congressman thinks he’s allowed to proposition any attractive woman who contacts him. It’s a problem directly analogous to the creepy boss problem.

Wiener isn’t Ms. Cordoba’s representative. But the way his “consensual” dalliances started shows a pattern: Wiener gets contacted by a female, he friends said female and sends banter that progresses into sexual banter. If that’s his pattern, what female constituent would feel totally comfortable contacting him? It just isn’t right for half his constituents to think they might have to exchange sexting for getting him to take seriously their problems with government agencies.

(plus, of course, being spokescritter and standard-bearer for the caucus, and lying to Nancy Pelosi).

100 Decatur Deb  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:04:02am

re: #95 Alouette

That’s Larry Derfner. He’s a moonbat freak. But still, this was low-hanging fruit.

Freak or not, he points out that there is a cost in betting the wrong horse. Better there should be a sanitary zone between US and Israeli party politics.

101 HappyWarrior  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:09:00am

So when is David Vitter doing the same? I have to say I was amused by the right’s self righteous reaction to the whole story. Weiner’s a creep no doubt but to act like they’re pure as snow on tehse sort of things is ridiculous to say the least.

102 Charles Johnson  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:12:10am

re: #97 thecommodore

I have to say I think it’s pretty creepy that he was engaging in this kind of risky behavior (not sexually risky, because there was no real sex involved, but risky politically and career-wise), while married with a pregnant wife.

But I agree that the calls for his resignation were absurdly out of proportion to what he actually did.

103 OhCrapIHaveACrushOnSarahPalin  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:15:14am

re: #100 Decatur Deb

Freak or not, he points out that there is a cost in betting the wrong horse. Better there should be a sanitary zone between US and Israeli party politics.

Christian Zionist rwnjs can’t be trusted. He is right to point that much out.

104 wee fury  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:21:12am

Resignation.
(a fine word)

105 Varek Raith  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:24:05am

re: #104 wee fury

Resignation.
(a fine word)

So when are you all gonna force Vitter to resign???

106 wee fury  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:28:19am

re: #105 Varek Raith

So when are you all gonna force Vitter to resign???

I am not forcing anyone to resign.
Resignation is a fine word.
Make if my sentence what you will.

107 Varek Raith  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:34:43am

re: #106 wee fury

Heh.
All this talk from the GOP that Wiener must resign and we get crickets when it comes to GOP Reps who have done far worse, sometimes illegal, and still remain.

108 thecommodore  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:40:21am

re: #102 Charles

I have to say I think it’s pretty creepy that he was engaging in this kind of risky behavior (not sexually risky, because there was no real sex involved, but risky politically and career-wise), while married with a pregnant wife.

Well, that’s between him and his wife. And the only reason it’s risky is because of the hysterically puritanical religious reich that freaks out over anything sexual (although they probably get pretty freaky themselves. See Vitter, Newt, all those right wing Congressmen Larry Flynt exposed during that ridiculous impeachment debacle…). It goes back to what I said before, the only reason it’s risky is because they allow it to be, and they allow it to be because they’re afraid of these kooks, when there really isn’t anything to be afraid of.

109 Eventual Carrion  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:50:19am

re: #58 sattv4u2

Okay, so while we ARE invoking Magical Balance Fairies, so did Gerry Studds when he appeared at Dem events

I think FBV’s larger point was that we (conservatives) here often get excoriated for introducing the MBF into a converstion while at the same time (now) that the topic is Weiner there’s a lot of Vittering going on!

My thought on the whole thing with this ‘comparing’ comes down to one thing, “Is it illegal!”. That is it. Would I have ended up in jail if I had done the same thing and gotten caught. If it isn’t illegal, then it doesn’t mean shit. If it is illegal, then it means a whole pile of shit. As far as we know Weiner did nothing illegal, Vitter did. If I senda picture of my junk to a girl I was having an ongoing conversation with on the net (and she was of age of course) it is nobodys business but mine and hers (and of course there is always the wife angle, but still not illegal). If I proposition and have sex with a prostitute I am breaking the law (except in some parts of Nevada).

No comparison.

110 Eventual Carrion  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 10:55:22am

re: #63 sattv4u2

And given a standing ovation upon his return

Was what he did against the law? Is 17 the age of consent where it happened? Might have been unethical his partner being a page, so technically Studds was in a superior position. But still for me comes back to, was it illegal.

111 gamark  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 11:05:56am

re: #110 RayFerd

How about Alcee Hastings? Impeached for bribery, but I don’t recall him being told he couldn’t run for Congress as a Democrat. Or Charlie Rangel? Or William Jefferson. There are no shortage of corrupt (morally and legally) national politicians. Clearly, violating the law does not bar someone from running for office for either party. Weiner’s “crime” was that he was hurting the Democratic Party in its primary goal (gaining more political power in the 2012 election). That sort of crime is not one either party is going to stand for.

112 Feline Fearless Leader  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 11:19:31am

Maybe Vitter is supported in the GOP circles because someone *does* have the film and thus they know that his career is under their thumb and thus he will be tractable when push comes to shove over an issue.
/

(Which is why good behavior by officials is necessary in a society that makes and breaks people based on actions against a perceived set of moral expectations. Otherwise they become open to blackmail if the bad behavior occurs and is secretly documented. The whole “honey trap” sting that takes place in intelligence operations.)

113 Buck  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 11:23:25am

[Link: twitter.com…]

KO thinks he can start a campaign to fix the imbalance between the Vitter story and Weiner.

114 Eventual Carrion  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 11:25:34am

re: #111 gamark

How about Alcee Hastings? Impeached for bribery, but I don’t recall him being told he couldn’t run for Congress as a Democrat. Or Charlie Rangel? Or William Jefferson. There are no shortage of corrupt (morally and legally) national politicians. Clearly, violating the law does not bar someone from running for office for either party. Weiner’s “crime” was that he was hurting the Democratic Party in its primary goal (gaining more political power in the 2012 election). That sort of crime is not one either party is going to stand for.

If it was illegal, they should go. Don’t care what letter they sport after their name, if it was illegal they should go and be prosecuted same as I would be if I did the deed. If it was not illegal, it should be up to the voters next election.

115 aagcobb  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 11:49:38am

It would be very interesting to find out how many Congressmen haven’t propositioned staff or pages, hired prostitutes, or engaged in adulterous activity. You have that for every one who’s been caught, several haven’t.

116 TedStriker  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 2:31:08pm

Somewhere in DC, Boehner, Vitter and most of the GOP muckety-mucks are licking their lips and rubbing their hands in glee, because they will have won.

117 Spocomptonite  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 2:32:52pm

I find this unfortunate. I never cared about what politicians did in their off-time—it’s the job they do I care about, and that job is not their entire lives. He’s done some awesome stuff on the floor of the HoR for his constituents, and I hope it’s not forgotten because of some stupid pictures and the ensuing scandal that really had nothing to do with his job.

Though ironically, he’s come full circle and it is now he who is THE GENTLEMEN [that] IS CORRECT IN SITTING DOWN

118 Achilles Tang  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 2:49:01pm

re: #117 Spocomptonite

I find this unfortunate. I never cared about what politicians did in their off-time—it’s the job they do I care about, and that job is not their entire lives. He’s done some awesome stuff on the floor of the HoR for his constituents, and I hope it’s not forgotten because of some stupid pictures and the ensuing scandal that really had nothing to do with his job.

Though ironically, he’s come full circle and it is now he who is THE GENTLEMEN [that] IS CORRECT IN SITTING DOWN

It has everything to do with his job and not simply because of the poor example it makes, but because of the lack of self control and judgement it shows, which has to extend to his professional life even though it may not be as obvious there. Would YOU hire him to be responsible for your affairs?

…and he is not a gentleman by sitting down (I presume you mean quitting). I doubt he would have done so had he not been told to, by everyone from the president down.

119 Spocomptonite  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 3:36:14pm

re: #118 Naso Tang

Sorry, but I’m pragmatic. If I took that approach with everyone, then I’d be the only one that could be “responsible for my affairs”. No one is perfect, and demanding them to be both in and out of work is impossible. The best you can ask is to do the job right. And given who else he works with and has a similar/higher position (climate change deniers, bible thumpers, discriminators of gender and sexual orientation and race and religion), lying about his personal life which has no direct impact on his work is meaningless compared to who else has done what else. Is anyone getting kicked out for lying about planned parenthood? ACORN? Making up facts while on the Senate/House floor for the sole purpose of promoting their own agenda? No. This is a huge double standard and if you’re going to take that stance on this, you should take it on everyone else as well.

Have fun trying to find someone for the job who does not lie and has a perfect personal life outside of their job.

Further, the “gentlemen” thing was not a reflection of his character, but of a quote he said while screaming on the house floor while Republicans tried to interrupt him and make him STFU. That rant of his was very good.

120 Achilles Tang  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 3:56:49pm

re: #119 Spocomptonite

No. This is a huge double standard and if you’re going to take that stance on this, you should take it on everyone else as well.

Have fun trying to find someone for the job who does not lie and has a perfect personal life outside of their job.

I see, you are one of those who accept almost anything as long as you can point to someone, anyone, who has done something similar or worse.

It makes me wonder how you amuse yourself with twitter and email.

121 Spocomptonite  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 4:48:31pm

re: #120 Naso Tang

I see, you are one of those who accept almost anything as long as you can point to someone, anyone, who has done something similar or worse.

It makes me wonder how you amuse yourself with twitter and email.

No, I determine beforehand what I will and won’t accept and apply those standards objectively. I don’t care what any politician does in their personal life, and the only time I’ll bring it up is when they are committing the hypocrisy of telling other people how to live their own life. All I ask is that they do their job, during their job hours, well. Rely on facts to make points and fight for people’s best interests, not their own interests. Anthony Weiner met this standard pretty well, but there are those in congress right now who blatantly do not, and yet they aren’t being ousted.

Also, I don’t use twitter. Seems silly.

122 Achilles Tang  Thu, Jun 16, 2011 6:07:43pm

Clearly we have different standards on this. I think others should have been ousted too, but the fact that they weren’t doesn’t excuse another similar flaw; but I’ve already said that so I won’t repeat myself more.

I do agree with you about Twitter though.

Moving on.


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