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Anthony Weiner's real sin is putting ambition before party Anthony Weiner's real sin is putting ambition before party
(2 months later)
Even before the atrocity to decorum and human dignity that was Tuesday's press conference with New York mayoral candidate Anthony "Carlos Danger" Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin, there were more than a few excellent reasons not to cast a vote for the disgraced former congressman.Even before the atrocity to decorum and human dignity that was Tuesday's press conference with New York mayoral candidate Anthony "Carlos Danger" Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin, there were more than a few excellent reasons not to cast a vote for the disgraced former congressman.
There was his lack of legislative accomplishments as a public official. There were the facts that he stands for nothing, has no clear policy agenda outside of well-worn liberal platitudes and appears to be seeking higher office largely out of a desire for personal self-aggrandizement. There is his offputting obnoxiousness and slipperiness. There's the fact that he sent pictures of his erect penis to a woman not his wife and lied about it.There was his lack of legislative accomplishments as a public official. There were the facts that he stands for nothing, has no clear policy agenda outside of well-worn liberal platitudes and appears to be seeking higher office largely out of a desire for personal self-aggrandizement. There is his offputting obnoxiousness and slipperiness. There's the fact that he sent pictures of his erect penis to a woman not his wife and lied about it.
And finally, there is the fact that it's really difficult to look at Weiner … and not immediately harken back to that mental image of his dick.And finally, there is the fact that it's really difficult to look at Weiner … and not immediately harken back to that mental image of his dick.
All of these points made it difficult for this particular New Yorker to consider casting a vote for Weiner. The thought of being subjected to his smarminess was simply too much to bear – and I lived here when Giuliani was mayor.All of these points made it difficult for this particular New Yorker to consider casting a vote for Weiner. The thought of being subjected to his smarminess was simply too much to bear – and I lived here when Giuliani was mayor.
No one could accuse Giuliani of excessive gallantry: remember that he informed his wife, Donna Hanover, of his plans to seek a divorce via a mayoral press conference. But at least when Giuliani threw his wife under the bus, it was from afar. At Tuesday's hastily convened press call, Weiner dragged along his inexplicably loyal and, frankly, too-complicit wife to vouch for him in a display so wretched and manipulative it was difficult even to watch.No one could accuse Giuliani of excessive gallantry: remember that he informed his wife, Donna Hanover, of his plans to seek a divorce via a mayoral press conference. But at least when Giuliani threw his wife under the bus, it was from afar. At Tuesday's hastily convened press call, Weiner dragged along his inexplicably loyal and, frankly, too-complicit wife to vouch for him in a display so wretched and manipulative it was difficult even to watch.
From that perspective, these revelations were not the final straw, but yet another reminder that Weiner is as personally repellent as he is politically uninteresting. But as sordid as Weiner's sexting addiction might seem, that really is the least of his failings.From that perspective, these revelations were not the final straw, but yet another reminder that Weiner is as personally repellent as he is politically uninteresting. But as sordid as Weiner's sexting addiction might seem, that really is the least of his failings.
This is a man who clearly has very real impulse-control issues, evidence of compulsive and addictive tendencies, and a narcissistic streak that, even for a politician, is hard to quantify. In ordinary circumstances, a person so clearly afflicted with such a diverse array of personality disorders might deserve our sympathy. But for such a person to be running for New York mayor is not an ordinary circumstance.This is a man who clearly has very real impulse-control issues, evidence of compulsive and addictive tendencies, and a narcissistic streak that, even for a politician, is hard to quantify. In ordinary circumstances, a person so clearly afflicted with such a diverse array of personality disorders might deserve our sympathy. But for such a person to be running for New York mayor is not an ordinary circumstance.
Less forgivable are Weiner's empty reservoir of good sense and his lack of otherwise redeeming qualities as a politician. Amazingly, he was ahead in the polls in the Democratic primary contest for New York mayor – at least, he was until we learned that not only did his sexting ways continue well after he resigned his office in 2011, but that he was obviously aware of his own continuing and failing struggle to resist such compulsive and damaging behavior. In that regard, Weiner's offense is not the sexual indiscretion; it's the fact that he covered it up – even as he was masterminding his Abedin-enabled political comeback.Less forgivable are Weiner's empty reservoir of good sense and his lack of otherwise redeeming qualities as a politician. Amazingly, he was ahead in the polls in the Democratic primary contest for New York mayor – at least, he was until we learned that not only did his sexting ways continue well after he resigned his office in 2011, but that he was obviously aware of his own continuing and failing struggle to resist such compulsive and damaging behavior. In that regard, Weiner's offense is not the sexual indiscretion; it's the fact that he covered it up – even as he was masterminding his Abedin-enabled political comeback.
And it's the fact that in his efforts over the past year to present New Yorkers with the sanitized image of a rehabilitated pol who had learned the error of his ways – when he said in People magazine that "he felt like a different person" – he was blatantly lying. In the process, he was putting his own political future in the crosshairs. Far worse, he opened himself to blackmail and even ran the risk of costing Democrats a chance to reclaim City Hall if these revelations had come out after he had won the party primary and prepared to face off in a general election against a Republican opponent.And it's the fact that in his efforts over the past year to present New Yorkers with the sanitized image of a rehabilitated pol who had learned the error of his ways – when he said in People magazine that "he felt like a different person" – he was blatantly lying. In the process, he was putting his own political future in the crosshairs. Far worse, he opened himself to blackmail and even ran the risk of costing Democrats a chance to reclaim City Hall if these revelations had come out after he had won the party primary and prepared to face off in a general election against a Republican opponent.
And for what? A politician whose greatest claim to fame is probably the number of cable TV shoutfests he's appeared on.And for what? A politician whose greatest claim to fame is probably the number of cable TV shoutfests he's appeared on.
Weiner's mistakes, of course, follow in a tragically rich tradition of poor judgment from wayward national-stage politicians. Former presidential candidate John Edwards' crime was cheating on his wife who was dying of cancer. But what compounded the mistake was the fact that, as a Democratic presidential candidate, he put not just his candidacy but, potentially, his entire party in danger by engaging in such damaging behavior. Likewise, Bill Clinton's wrongdoing wasn't so much that he had an affair (as bad as that was); it was that he put his presidency and the hopes and aspirations of those who voted for him at risk – and, by his actions, contributed directly to the election of George W Bush in 2000.Weiner's mistakes, of course, follow in a tragically rich tradition of poor judgment from wayward national-stage politicians. Former presidential candidate John Edwards' crime was cheating on his wife who was dying of cancer. But what compounded the mistake was the fact that, as a Democratic presidential candidate, he put not just his candidacy but, potentially, his entire party in danger by engaging in such damaging behavior. Likewise, Bill Clinton's wrongdoing wasn't so much that he had an affair (as bad as that was); it was that he put his presidency and the hopes and aspirations of those who voted for him at risk – and, by his actions, contributed directly to the election of George W Bush in 2000.
Like many Americans, I am willing to forgive the politician who makes a mistake, even if that mistake is having an affair and cheating on one's spouse. Separating the personal from the public in our elected leaders is a form of compartmentalization to which Americans have become long accustomed. A ready instance is at hand: like many New Yorkers, I will be casting a ballot for the disgraced former Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, in his race for the position of New York city comptroller.Like many Americans, I am willing to forgive the politician who makes a mistake, even if that mistake is having an affair and cheating on one's spouse. Separating the personal from the public in our elected leaders is a form of compartmentalization to which Americans have become long accustomed. A ready instance is at hand: like many New Yorkers, I will be casting a ballot for the disgraced former Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, in his race for the position of New York city comptroller.
At least in Spitzer's case, he has a track record as a crusader against Wall Street greed. And for Clinton, he more than balanced his unseemly affair with Monica Lewinsky by presiding over a sustained period of peace and economic prosperity.At least in Spitzer's case, he has a track record as a crusader against Wall Street greed. And for Clinton, he more than balanced his unseemly affair with Monica Lewinsky by presiding over a sustained period of peace and economic prosperity.
Far less forgivable is the politician like Edwards, and now Weiner, whose narcissism is so pervasive, judgment so poor and other political attributes so absent that there really is no reason for right-minded citizens to consider casting a ballot for him.Far less forgivable is the politician like Edwards, and now Weiner, whose narcissism is so pervasive, judgment so poor and other political attributes so absent that there really is no reason for right-minded citizens to consider casting a ballot for him.
After Tuesday's press conference, this New Yorker can only hope we've heard the last of "Carlos Danger's" political aspirations.After Tuesday's press conference, this New Yorker can only hope we've heard the last of "Carlos Danger's" political aspirations.
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