A relevant article in HuffPo about the same issue.
Weiner is resigning; CNN just broke it.
Say what you will about Democratic leadership, he drew this out far longer than neeed - he was done for, and he knew it - No one survives this kind of scandal in DC these days, I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on.
The cynic in me says that if Democrats are going to keep any serious issues on the front burners in times like these, they will have to be hardcore, nut-cuttin’, never-say-die Democrats. They will have to be outspoken to the point of histrionics, and (sadly, given this is 2011) they will probably have to be White males. And I don’t see where we’re going to get them in the current political culture except from the regional, socio-political, and personality matrix that gave us Weiner and Grayson. They’re certainly not going to come from the ranks of nationally electable, “presidential” Democrats.
In short, we may have to put up with scandal of this type to have effective, progressive leadership. It’s not an issue of principle or character. It’s that you can’t get into office or get much done once you’re there unless you are a person of serious ego, who can make the world revolve around you. A person who will, figuratively at least, show the world his package.
It may be that Democrats need shock troops who can start (or stop!) important legislation, then bow out gracefully once the other side digs enough dirt up on them.
Has to be the right kind of shock. All Weiner did was utterly derail the Democrat’s agenda for a month. Dems can’t afford that kind of distraction. Not saying a few loud-mouthed loose cannon wouldn’t be a bad thing, but you still need 'em pointed in the right direction and firing the right kind of ammo, or it’s more than feet that’re going to get shot…
but it is OK with me if we hold politicians to certain standards rather than excuse every character defect and lack of integrity with “but he’s my guy! The other guys…”
Weiner showed a lack of integrity, same as ‘wide stance’, Gingrich and all the others we’ve been citing. I don’t necessarily expect pols to have a ton of integrity, but when we catch them selling congressional seats/with a freezer full of cash/whatever, I say we throw the bums out just to put off the Decline and Fall for as long as possible.
Breaking news item. Rep. Weiner has announced that he will run for President! And that he has chosen Attorney General Eric Holder to be his running mate.
Be sure to get your Weiner-Holder bumper stickers before they run out!
Remember - you heard it here first.
The Democratic Party lost most of its supply of balls when it lost its Weiner. A sad day. Another progressive voice gone. As the Democrat Party continues its drift to the right, and becomes more and more a party of mealymouthed snivellers, their only claim on progressive Dems’ votes is increasingly, “We’re not QUITE so bad as ACTUAL Republicans!” The Democratic leadership is reportedly overjoyed that their Weiner is gone, but they should not be … soonerr or later, they are going to have a third-party problem arising on the progressive side, if this keeps up. And it sure looks like it will …
If losing their balls is the cost of getting rid of a destructive hypocrite, then I say “Cut 'em off!”
Seriously - I’m finding it hard to credit the mourning over the loss of one more lying, self-absorbed ‘rules are for other people but not me’ hypocrite. He talked a good game,but when it came down to it, just another sleaze bag doing whatever pleased him.
Well if there were a lot of other Democrats around with balls and a progressive approach, I’d be with you, but there are not. And it matters, it matters a lot more than a bunch of damn silly email tweets. But hey, I see your interest in cheap self-aggrandizement via feelings of moral superiority matters a lot more to you than the affairs of the nation, so I guess you are getting the government you deserve. It’s just a shame I get the same government.
Smart-ass lefty snark-monkeys are not wildly beloved. Go figure.
He’s a liar. A destructive liar. He lied to you. He lied to me. He lied to his leadership. He can’t be trusted to tell the truth to his leadership..?! What can they trust him with? His lies caused a lot of his supporters to look like fools - thus damaging their credibility too.
And you think this is a good guy to keep around..?! What can he possibly do that is positive now..? The only thing left for him is to go form a left-side mirror of the Tea Party, 'case for certain he’s radioactive as hell.
I’m glad we don’t have the government you want.
Well some of you.
Yes man! I feel the exact same way. The republicans always circle the wagons when one of there own is in trouble. Not the dems. No way. Pussies. In fact, it’s a strategy of the Repubs to “take out” the strongest of the dems, and Weiner fits that to a T.