Why are you picking a fight with me about this? I made a prediction. Maybe people are more able to accept the abstract notion of infidelity, but get squicked out when they actually see the guy’s erect penis. Giulliani’s political career fared fine, whereas Elliott Spitzer’s didn’t. But what the hell do I know? You seem to be the definitive authority. Do you need to be right about this? Okay, you’re right and I’m wrong. Feel better?
You. Are. Wrong. Flat. Out. Dead. Wrong. And on this, given that it’s a factual matter and not merely an opinion based on a guess, don’t think for a second that I will concede. You’re. WRONG. Period.
I think it’s a shame when we concede that we expect our elected officials to lie, regardless of political affiliation.
If you’d lie to protect your marriage, would you lie to protect your seat in congress?
But no outrage here, lying is just the status quo anymore.
So go for it congressman Weiner, the American people apparently just don’t care.
I predict a handily won reelection for this trustworthy member of congress, or election to whatever other office he seeks. He has the credentials to go far in American politics.
Who the hell thinks that, as Congressman whom millions know, he can send such pictures via email/twitter and not have them come out one day?
I can see some random Joe doing this, since nobody knows them enough to care about their shirtless pics and crotch shots, but a Congressman?
Even if we exclude any considerations about him “cheating” on his wife, or lying to the country, the sheer stupidity of what he did means that he is not fit to have his job.
I’m not picking a fight. I was trying to discuss whether or not the guy has any kind of political future, and I don’t think it’s impossible that he might. An ethics inquiry would be a blow because it keeps the story alive. The idea that he violated Congressional ethics rules by perhaps making a phone call from his office is sort of picayune but he doesn’t need any more embarrassments. I guess his support is less certain than I thought.
If I’m remembering correctly, according to Rachel Maddow, there’s an excellent chance that Weiner’s seat is going to be gerrymandered out of existence anyway. I have no idea whether or not Weiner has a shot at mayor after all this, but I must say that if I were an NYC resident, I would be a bit less likely to vote for him because of his blatant and stupid lies. This whole thing would have been nothing if he hadn’t lied so publicly about it in the first place.
But, guys, in general, maybe I’m old-fashioned, but throughout my many years of dating, I can think of few ways to guarantee that I would have nothing to do with you better than sending me a picture of your junk, and I doubt that I’m the only woman who feels that way. I know you’re proud of it, but seriously, it’s just not very attractive.
I’m not sure he was sending the pictures unbidden. But you have to figure at least one of the recipients was unhappy or she wouldn’t have cooperated with Breitbart- which is only one of the many, many good reasons not to do something like this.
Um…she may or may not be wrong, but your link points to a more-or-less fluff article which has whole bunch of other lawmakers saying that voting present is either a pretty weenie move or that it’s no big deal and everyone does it or that it’s a fine, upstanding tradition.
This is hardly “factual”. It’s a bunch of conflicting and contradictory opinions.
My comment was intended more generally than this. Admittedly, if a woman asked for a picture of one’s equipment, presumably it would not be a turn-off for her to get it.
Probably not nothing, but a lot less that it became.
Some people would surely have wondered why a seemingly responsible Congressman is engaging in skeevy, risky, juvenile behavior. Plenty of others would have said, sure, but at least when he was found out he had the guts to stand up and admit to behavior that’s inappropriate but not illegal.
As he decided to play it, the lying has become the big issue. Few (other than Dio) will be quick to brush that off.
This assumes the “strong advocate” part. By all indications Weiner is far more interested in the strong rhetoric he can display on the cable TV gabfests than in the gruntwork that actually gets things done on the Hill.
This was a calculated move to build his recognition citywide at relatively little expense or effort, but it came at the cost of his relations with congresscritters of both parties.
Why do you think Nancy Pelosi is showing no particular hangups in hanging him out to dry now, when she has gone to the mat for other representatives in trouble in the past?
What was a calculated move? You mean getting himself on TV?
I think it has more to do with her judgment about how much harm the scandal could do to the party’s agenda and not so much her personal relationship with Weiner.
I’m waiting for a Fox operative to call Pelosi’s move a ‘vast left-wing conspiracy created to cover up the real issues [that Obama is responsible for]’.
