Matthew and I have assiduously avoided covering the Anthony Weiner scandal. Not because we think that such a story is below us, quite the contrary. We have avoided it for the simple reason that we could not resist make every juvenile joke in the book. As funny as some of the jokes would be (and I had several zingers), we did not want to be those guys.
So now that Rep. Weiner has admitted what everyone else already knew, I have a few things to say.
This is all about power.
Weiner sent the pics because he relishes the power of his position. In any other walk of life, well, you know. Because of his position, he had power and he felt that this made him attractive in some pathetic way.
So his power led him to do something repulsive. It is also his addiction to power that allows him to remain.
He sent the lewd pics to a young woman barely out of childhood.
He lied about it. Repeatedly.
He yelled at reporters.
He made further lewd jokes to a female reported in a repulsive attempt to dismiss the topic.
He accused others of lying when he knew all along it was him.
He accused nameless others of illegal activity when he knew all along it was him.
He betrayed his marriage vows.
He made all his defenders look like fools.
And yet. He will not resign. He still feels qualified to lead.
When you can still feel shame, you still have dignity. In the absence of either, power is all that is left. Weiner clings to power as a drowning man to a buoy.
Rep. Weiner, you can either choose to be a man or to be a congressman. You can’t be both.
June 7, 2011 at 4:21 am
Scandal. You get the mill stone, I will get the river.
June 7, 2011 at 5:03 am
It's really not a topic where it's possible to NOT make inappropriate jokes, even if you don't mean to. (May be a side effect of a few years in the Navy, but I spent fifteen minutes trying to find a way to mention the topic WITHOUT having double meanings possible.)
June 7, 2011 at 1:16 pm
It's George Bush's fault.
Oh, and global warming.
Oh, yeah, his father abused him as a child.
June 7, 2011 at 4:49 pm
But didn't you see him cry? Is his name actually Whiner? Those were tears of "Please let me keep my job!…Even though it is true that I have been sexting on the job…stalking women and sending pornographic photos of myself…I am not like the one from NY (do you know who I am?)…See me cry, I weep!"
June 7, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Pretty sure the proper way to say the name is "Whiner." (Like the ie in stein.)
June 7, 2011 at 4:56 pm
What a bigtime baby. Sext on your own dime, pal, not the taxpayers. Stalk the ladies on the facebook and enjoy it and leave the responsibility and the heavy lifting to someone who can handle it appropriately and with dignity. Apologize to your wife and be a better husband on your own, leave the electorate out of it.
June 7, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Yes, it's all about power. No woman in her right mind would get near that creepy little weasel if he didn't have political power and money. She gambled it would be pleasant notoriety and dignified power. She lost.