OK, one more quick Anthony Weiner post and we can all get back to local issues or The Amazing World of Tomorrow, or whatever. This hyperbole in Joni Balter’s Ed cetera piece that’s otherwise a bit moralistic but fine is really bad.
Rep. Anthony Weiner embarrassed the House, the Democrats, himself, his wife and everyone by taking a picture of himself in his now famous gray undies, then tweeting it to a college student, and then standing up and facing the cameras and blaming a cyber-hoax.
Weiner, obviously. He’s embarrassed. His wife probably. The House, you could make a case, but it’s pretty weak. Democrats called for an investigation. Everyone? I’m not embarrassed by it. I liked him because for the most part I agreed with his policy agenda. But now there’s a serious black mark.
I commented in Darryl’s piece that the consent issues are the most important. If he’s just cheating, or whatever you call it with just pictures, then it’s between him and his family. If he sent the pictures to women who hadn’t given consent, then no doy, he’s got to go. So far he claims it was consensual and if that’s the case, his family and his constituents can decide if this is serious enough. And for the record, I thought Larry Craig shouldn’t step down even though he had committed a crime, because really it was none of my business.
But back to Joni Balter. Is everyone really embarrassed? Balter can’t think of a single person in the entire world who wasn’t embarrassed by this? In order I’d say he embarrassed:
Himself
His wife
His supporters who went on a limb for him
Possibly the women who he sent pictures to
NOBODY ELSE
Also, we need a better name for this scandal than “Weinergate.” Yes, I realize it’s a pun because his name sounds like a thing we call penises, but really it’s just the guy’s name and then “gate.” It might be easier if all scandals were scandalized person’s name gate, but otherwise, couldn’t half of all scandals in DC be called weinergate? Here’s a list off the top of my head of better names to call it. The list ignores that “gate” is a dumb suffix for scandal:
Undiegate
Boxerbriefsgate
Trousersgate
Twittergate
Textingladiesinappropriatepicturesgate
Gaitgate
Cockgate
Sextinggate
Anexcuseforthemediatouse”sexting”asifit’sarealwordgate
CreepyInternetdudewhoisalsoaCongressmangate
OK, maybe Weinergate isn’t as bad as I’d thought before I made this list, but I’m still unhappy with it.
funny how you skipped the inconvenient fact that he lied about the whole thing – and isnt that the real issue here?
the fact that he lied and tried to blame other people is more of an offense than the pics or the texts themselves.
but guess what….more pics and facts are coming out…LMFAO….we havent seen them all yet…
Well, I am sure there are some insecure males who were embarrassed by Weiner’s, um…turgescent briefs.
How about WeinersWorstGate or just WorstGate?
JT @1,
“but guess what….more pics and facts are coming out…LMFAO….we havent seen them all yet…”
You seem palpably titillated over the prospects of more pictures of Weiner’s worst, there, Squirt!
[Deleted — see HA Comment Policy]
@4
not at all – I just think we have not seen the last of the lying, and accompanying lefty defedning, from weiner.
and coming from an insecure person like yourself, I figured you could relate to weiner much better than most here.
[Deleted — see HA Comment Policy]
JT @ 6,
“I just think we have not seen the last of the lying, and accompanying lefty defedning, from weiner.”
But, but, but look here, Squirt, you were getting REAL excited over new PICTURES. Weiner already fessed-up to sending pictures, so that new pictures wouldn’t reveal “lies.” Your explanation is simply nonsensical.
What is the REAL reason that the thought of more Weiner images brings you such titillation?
A lot depends on an ethics investigation, which is welcome as opposed to scurrilous attacks and media churn around them.
Based only on what’s known at this point, it was stupid and embarrassing behavior, and politically damaging on credibility (minus to Weiner’s credibility for lying, and plus to Breitbart’s for not making up evidence for once). So damaging to the party and liberal causes Weiner had helped in any event.
I don’t see hypocrisy in this, since I don’t recall Weiner campaigning on family vales or declaiming others on morality.
Too early to call for resignation IMO.
@9: BTW, damaging to the party/causes in that Weiner was a major asset, and his voice on issues will be less sharp as a result of this.
The guy’s behavior seems disgusting to me, although there’s likely a half zillion people sending weird shit like that out. It’s a strange world we live in. He lied his ass off when maybe he should have said something like, “Fuck yeah, that’s my dick! Check it out! Now why the fuck isn’t your dick out there?”
Sigh! I still want to hold my politicians to a higher standard. And I do try to look at the bright side. At least he didn’t stoop as low as a Republican, say being caught doing some diaper thing with a creature not of our species. heh- So Weiner at least has that going for him.
I’d like to see his ass resign and then go the fuck away. Eh, fat chance of that, huh? At least the going away part. I bet some shit-fer-brains at CNN is already trying to put together a deal for a show starring Weiner and Spitzer.
But is it really damaging to his party? Look at his district. If he gets primaried and he’s out the party suffers no consequences. Is his district going to elect an R over this if he’s running? Not bloody likely.
Republican bleating about how awful Pelosi is doesn’t mean squat. She’s the Dem from a heavily D district. They’re in the same situation with Weiner.
As for lying, its been litigated that lies in politics aren’t illegal. Its legal to air a campaign commercial that’s totally false. Sorry Jethro, but unless you can vote in the Bronx, you can complain all you want about lying and it doesn’t mean squat.
The amount of attention righties are lavishing on Weiner’s Undies suggests they don’t want any attention at all lavished on their plans to eviscerate Medicare and plunge the Treasury into default and the nascent economic recovery into the toilet.
Sarah Palin is turning out to be a useful campaign prop — for Democrats.
http://politicalticker.blogs.c.....ore-162342
Universal Bumper Sticker
Here’s a bumper sticker anyone, of any political persuasion, can put on their car:
RUN, SARAH, RUN!
Instructions: If Republican put on rear bumper; if Democrat put on front bumper.
McCain, who has gone senile, predicts Palin would beat Obama in a head-to-head matchup.*
* Note, history tells us Palin couldn’t even beat Biden in a head-to-head matchup.
http://politicalticker.blogs.c.....eat-obama/
It would not suprise me to see this on an episode of South Park. AARP has an article about the growing use of sexting in people 50 or over. Because of the lack of privacy sexting is not a good idea for public figures. I am glad he apologized and hope to see him back doing the job he were meant to do. Sexting never: forclosed on anyone, started any wars, killed anyone, laundered any money, or robbed a bank.
@15.
Besides being off topic its about as funny as putting crosshairs on a map.
Can we all agree? Implied violence in political debate is not cool.
Dear Joni,
What Mr. Wiener did with his wiener shows a lack of self control, judgement, and decorum that should get him booted from congress. But, this isn’t an embarrassment to the congress (look to their votes on ethanol subsides for that), everyone, or even the people of his district. This is an embarrassment to congressman Wiener. The rest of us played no role in this saga. The embarrassment is his and his alone.
@17
True, but if you can’t trust the guy on the little things can you trust him on the big ones?
@18 I stole that one from a Republican website back when they were using it against Hillary Clinton.
@18 My answer to your complaint is that when they stop this sort of thing, so will I.
I would also point out that wingers don’t stop at “implied” violence; they’re overt it about it, openly talking about civil war and killing liberals.
@20 When was the last time we could trust any congress critter on anything?
@12: I’m not thinking in terms of the media-typical partisan morality scoreboarding.
It’s damaging to the party in that Rep. Weiner is a rare smart, forceful progressive voice in Congress that will be dulled by this scandal.
If he stays in Congress, the next time he stands up and takes on the Republicans on the usual obvious hypocrisy, Rush and Fox will just run his comments over the photos, make a penis joke, and that will be the end of it. It could take 10-20 years for him to regain any kind of gravitas.
If Weiner is primaried out in favor of another typical low-profile status quo Democrat, the Democrats and the left generally lose progressive conscience in Congress in favor of the usual milquetoast compromise.
So it’s a loss to the party and to Progressive issues. See Roger @13 and Michael @19. Agreed, and both illustrate the point.
@23
Good point. But, the way I see it you’re furthering my point.
We need to demand a greater sense of responsibility and decorum from people who choose to take leadership positions in our society.
And besides, in demanding a greater greater sense of responsibility and decorum from the people in congress the Democrats would lose 1 for every 4 Republicans that had to step down.
How ’bout Boehnergate. It’s really only a matter of time with that guy.
@26
I’m really hoping Norm Dicks doesn’t get and bright ideas…
@24
Do the progressives Weiner speaks and advocates for give a rats ass what Rush or Hannity play or will they continue to repost Weiner handing the Rs their ass on the house floor? Will it be that hard to find a Park Slope progressive Dem to run in the primary? Oooohhh, thrice married drug addict says a Dem is a philanderer, scary.
I’m suggesting that the damage here is very transitory. It will linger for a long time only among those who didn’t like him in the first place.
@25 More than anything else, we need to get leadership from our leaders. See, e.g., Gregoire and Obama as cases in point. The state is now dismantling public services and contracting out the University of Washington to Asian countries because Gregoire failed to lead on tax reform so the state would be less dependent on sales taxes and have the revenues it’s going to need in the future. And unemployment is still above 9% because Obama failed to take his economic advisers’ advice and get out in front of the public and sell a strong stimulus package, and then caved in to rightwing pressure and steered his administration away from Keynesian economics toward Hooverism. Gutless Democrats abound, but we seem to have no one in our party able to lead the public to solutions, rather our Democratic electeds are all being led by the GOP Noise Machine like cows with metal rings in their noses.
@28 You’re probably right. The Democrats’ larger problem is structural: Lack of skeletal fortitude.
@25
Why? In an age where a carefully dropped sex tape can turn a pretty rich girl into a media empire, why? Why are we wringing our hands over people who aren’t saintly unless they have publically claimed they are? Why would I expect more from an elected person than I would from friends?
I don’t trust anyone of my generation who didn’t try drugs and premarital sex. To me, that is a moral rigidity or allegiance to a faith. It tells me that you are the sort who probably would like to impose your moral ideals onto all through the force of law.
The only embarrassment that I see is that of U.S. Representative who seems to have had too much time on his hands. Maybe we should start requiring our elected government representatives to file weekly time sheets, stating how they spent their week. Some of them sure don’t seem to be overworked.
@31
The guy sent a picture of his crotch to a young woman whom he didn’t know and didn’t ask for it. I find that creepy. If one of my friends did a similar thing they’d be on my shit list.
A good portion of my friends could lose their jobs over doing something like that. I could lose my job over something like that. Why should a congressman be able to get away doing something that would cost a “normal person” their job?
Yes, we live in a age where this can happen, but is that a good thing?
Asking for a little more decorum and self control, when you have people emailing crotch-shots around, and asking people to be saintly are two different things.
The House Code of Official Conduct starts with Rule One, which states:
“1. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.”
This is the catch-all provision which is quoted most frequently as the probable charge which would be brought against Weiner.
Note that according to the Republicans, it’s okay to hold up unemployment benefits during the country’s second-worst economic crisis in over a century, in return for tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. It’s okay to turn our airport security over to private firms who will hire minimum-wage jobs with minimal training, just so their buddies can make a huge profit in the process. It’s okay to intentially skuttle any economic recovery measures, in the hopes that continued high unemployment will continue long enough for them to have a chance at winning the next election. It’s even okay to put young American’s lives at risk by cherry-picking intelligence to justify going to war with a country which didn’t have an active WMD program and where Al Quida was non-existent (at the time).
But send an underwear picture???? Oh, the horror!
You know, I’m angry that he lied about it, but at least none of my friends are going to die as a result. Can you say that about the last occupant of the White House, when Republicans were somehow not so outraged?
The guy sent a picture of his crotch to a young woman whom he didn’t know and didn’t ask for it.
I plead ignorance. After all there is more important stuff going on like the highest rate of long-term unemployment since the, uh, Great Depression.
What evidence is there that any of this crap was non consensual beyond he-said, she-said or Weiner maybe fat fingering his blackberry?
@28: Sure, I see what you mean. It’s not impressing a Hannity or Rush per se that’s important, and yes progressives will see past this in a hurry.
But the center in Congress keeps moving right, and we need strong voices with integrity who can act as the progressive conscience pulling back at the center. More Paul Wellstones, people the right hate, the center might consider idealists, but whom all can respect.
This is the check on the far right, whom the center left would rather make deals with than fight, and whom the media largely don’t question on their own.
@33
You’re explicitly stating what “You” want and your notion of consent is kind of outdated. Are you a voter in Weiner’s district? If not, it doesn’t matter what YOU want. Are you a young professional, the type of person who is the bigger demographic of Weiner’s district? I doubt it.
Let me put it this way. My wife and I have a friend who is about 15 years younger than us. She tells us a story about this guy she went on a few dates with. They don’t talk on the phone. Ever. They text or Facebook. They sext each other and it’s clear that they are about to move into a physical relationship and she sends him a semi-nude text. He sends her a text of his penis. She also told me about a guy she knows accidentally sending a similar photo to her when he meant to send it to his girlfriend who’s first three letters in her name are the same. She’s not offended, doesn’t pay any attention and embarrasses the hell out of him the next time she sees him. This is normal reality for her generation.
We old people should recognize that decorum for us isn’t decorum any more. We have two choices. Let other people live their lives or become the scolding moralists that dominate the Republican party.
It may not be a good thing, but I’m not naive enough to think we can get that Djinn back into the bottle. All you need to do is look at how lost a cause gay marriage is for today’s older republicans. Sometimes you need to accept the inevitable rather than being the Luddite.
I’m younger than Wiener by a pretty good stretch. ;->
I’d probably lose my job if I were in a similar situation as Wiener. So would a bunch of my friends, who are also younger than Wiener. Why should a member of the upper class be able to something that a member of the working class can not?
@38
It would seem that among the people that disagree with you would be one Anthony Weiner:
See, even he says it was inappropriate.
@36
I guess you have somehow missed all the other stuff he was doing that has been on the news.
now there are “around 6 women”(his words) invovled. Holy Shit, he cant even remember? so when the number goes to 10 or so, can say “I said around 6 women”
this guy is a POS – and you love him….you just cant bring yourself to admit that this POS needs to step down…
ex-porn star now involved…LMFAO..
yep, this guy is a first class douchebag…
the next shoe to drop will be that he was doing this from a congressional computer(not his home computer)…
@43
Actually, that one’s already dropped.
after YLBleeder’s unwavering support of John Edwards, it should be no surprise that he is sticking up for Weiner.
YLB wins today’s Partison Douchebag Award….
@44
I must have missed it.
Weiner will be gone in a week.
who is taking bets on how many women were involved?
Im gonna say 10…
and the gall this asshole has to say he isnt stepping down..
one word: Douchebag.
I also got $$ that says his old lady dumps his ass within a year.
Asshat moron @ 41
You didn’t answer my question you fool.
At least two people whose opinions I’m in agreement with a lot of time have hinted outright that non-consensual activity was involved.
What solid evidence is there of that you idiot, you asshat, you miserable Monson-loving POC?
Yes I’ve been paying attention to other things other than the latest Breitbart race/sex baiting bullshit.
I supported him until he threw in the towel, then I supported Obama.
So?
You support Monson always even when he gets called out on the carpet for having one of his patented shrimp cocktail meltdowns over a Key Arena service for people who died in an apartment fire.
Weiner twitter quote”
“this thing’s gonna do some damage” – talking about his boner…
HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAH..what a douche!
not only a douchebag…but one that is TEH GEHY!
LOL! That’s gotta go down as the richest irony of the year.
To paraphrase Puddybud you STINK right. Wow do you stink!
@49
last I checked, Monson wasnt an elected official running for the prez’s office, who used his wife’s cancer to get a sympathy vote, only to fucking some nutty photog at the same time!
douchebag facter is off the charts! and you love him! to this day!
your attempt at moral equivalency is TEH FAYLE!
YLB loves TEH WEENUR
I bet you would still vote for him if you could…which shows what kind of man you are..in other words, not much of one. But we already knew that.
the whole weiner episode is just funny as chit…
“this thing is gonna do some damage”…LMFAO…
DUMBASS ALERT! DING, DING, DING!
John Edwards did not hold elected office at any time during his affair with Rielle Hunter. He has not held elected office since 2004!
Thanks for again making my point about being a dumbass Monson tool. You’re PERFECT for his audience.
“I’d probably lose my job if I were in a similar situation as Wiener.”
Really? You work for a place that looks at your personal correspondence? You wouldn’t go after them hard for wrongful termination?
if it is true that this was being done on a company owned computer then there’s a case. But if this was intercepted from a personal account (I don’t think the U.S. Gov. signs up congressmen for Twitter accounts so it is by definition, personal) then the employer could be charged with a crime.
Your employer does not have the right to access your personal e-mail or social media without consent. Now if you’re the type who’s dumb enough to allow your boss on your Facebook, then, well, you’re an idiot. Or if you’re the type who’s dumb enough to “sext” on your york computer, then, well, you’re an idiot.
Has anyone yet answered my question about the non-consensual tweets?
@55
another fail for YLB, desperately trying to defend his man-love for John Edwards.
Will you visit Edwards in jail too?
@56
if he accessed the twitter account from a congressional computer, then he is toast.
58 – LMAO at a dumbass tool who thinks JE was in elected office in 2008.
@60
LMFAO @ the she-man who has an undying man-love for john edwards.
you seem to have a fixation and attachement with douchebags..why is that?
Great news. Then every Republican who has a twitter account can just pack their bags and leave DC.
I agree – who needs ’em..
epic farce.
61 – You seem to have a fixation for dumbasses and douchebags.
You just can’t get over Dori Monson and..
YOU OWN DUMBASS SELF!
Further reflection?
You work at a place that tells you who you can be involved with romantically who is over the age of consent? You work at a place that will fire you if you have an affair?
Sounds like a shit job. Or more likely, sounds like a rationalization to make your moral scolding more palatable in your own mind.
Uhh. I don’t listen to Dori Monson or wear my ass as a hat like you.
@63
ummm…try this on for size:
he works at a place that requires him to be honest with the public.
If you are gonna call a press conferenc(es) to explain your side, then you better fucking be honest….or be prepared to face the consequences.
like most politicians, weiner is too much of a scuzzy douchebag to man-up and take his medicine like a real man.
which is another reason I am not surprised why spineless jellyfish she-men like YLB support him.
Yeah don’t be a douchebag like the typical Dori Monson type.
Sorry I don’t listen to Dori Monson or wear my ass as a hat – unlike some name-changing dork who trolls these threads.
@68, 69
Christ man, is that all you have?
no wonder your old lady is about done with you..
TEH LAYME!
WeinerGate is most appropriate for this scandal. It was his Weiner picture he sent and his last name is Weiner. So WeinerGate is most appropriate.
He survives this so far because he’s one of the DNCC’s favorite far left attack dogs. When the Obama Israel speech occurred Weiner said nothing negative about it even though his district is heavily Jewish.
@64
We covered that. You can lie, legally without impunity, as a politician. You can put out an ad that you know is 100% false.
As a voter, you get to decide at election time if a lie is reason enough for voting against a candidate.
So again, unless you reside in Weiner’s district, it doesn’t matter at all what you think about what he did. I’m guessing if he’s up for reelection his constituents will decide if they want an R who does not share their values and beliefs at all or the guy who is kind of a perv but votes how they feel on most social and economic issues, they’resending him back.
I’m hearing the claim that one of the women called Weiner and his secretary answered so that’s proof that he used Govt property. So if a Comgressman’s wife girlfriend, accountant calls the office on a personal matter and the secretary answers, he’s committed an ethics violation? Hard to imagine that doesn’t happen.
There was a recent peace demonstration in Israel. Most if not all of the participants favor a return to the 1967 borders as a starting point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsMjVp9IR-Y
Does a good Jewish Congressman condemn that?
@56
If I we’re caught sending sex-texts from my work phone, regardless of wether they were consensual or not, I’m sure the board of directors would remove me. If they found out I was sending unsolicited pictures of my privates around outside of work hours and not on my work phone they could have me removed. Would you want someone who does things like that working with vulnerable adults?
Same goes for a whole lot of other people.
@56
The key here is unsolicited. Which it sounds like they were.
Did some right wing dumbass asshat say something?
The key here is unsolicited.
Women have been known to send unsolicited texts as well.
We’ve only “seen” one side of the story.
Not that we should see more. The quicker this goes away the better. THERE ARE MORE COMPELLING THINGS RIGHT NOW.
However as many have remarked this might bring the whole “sexting” thing out of the shadows. It’s been there FOREVER – it goes back to freaking polaroids. I remember someone telling me about a tour they took of a film lab – it was freaking everywhere – negatives coming off the production line of everything you can imagine so the housewife or husband or girlfriend or boyfriend could conveniently take delivery at the Costco or local drugstore.
@74
Yup, if the company handed you the phone and pays the bill and you’re using it to sext, well, then you’re an idiot. Don’t know about Congressmen but most people fall under safe harbor. That is, they may get a discount on the phone and get reimbursed for part of the bill. For accounting and legal purposes that phone us the property of the employee and no, your employer does not have the right to search it.
As to unsolicited, this is a new area. If you are having a conversation via text and you receive something you find objectionable it probably isn’t illegal unless there’s a power/employer harassment relationship. That said if a person explicitly says they don’t want to receive similar speech and you do it again, you’ve opened yourself up.
I haven’t heard any evidence that Weiner was in a position of direct power over these individuals or that anyone received correspondence from Weiner AFTER asking him to stop.
Again, you seem to be substituting how you wish someone would behave for what is legal.
@56
All I’m saying is that members of congress should be held to the same standard that work for social workers, health care, education, public libraries, police & fire…
A friend of mine is a childrens librarian, what do you think would happen if she was caught sending crotch shots from her work computer?
@56
Ps. I work in one of the fields listed above and have never been making a strictly legal argument. I’ll leave the legal stuff to the lawyers.
@77
yup, one of college summer jobs was a one hour photo. Not a week went by that someone dropped off nekkid pictures. Sometimes it was a classmate or a couple times a friend’s parents. we printed them and handed them over. Debate over age or consent never came up.
I also vividly remember my female friend handing me the pictures from a trip to Hawaii with her boyfriend and then realizing by the look on my face that the topless photo of her was still in there. I suppose I didn’t aquiesce to seeing her boobs but I didn’t feel harrassed either.
@79.
She works with children and states have laws specifically dealing with that. Those laws dint apply to Congressmen.
“i think… should”. I know I’ve covered that.
Whomever said at 67:
“he works at a place that requires him to be honest with the public.”
I’m still in hysterics at that one.
Weiner works for (in) the U.S. House of Representatives. If lying to the public is a disqualifying factor, then that’s going to be a very empty place!
Of course, Boener and his GOP colleagues would have to be the first ones out the door.
Well, as long as it’s ok with Michael Medved. A few weeks ago, he was ranting that McGinn was the most corrupt politician in the history of the US. A poster mentioned Marion Berry and Medved immediately qualified his statement to only include official duties. Said Medved, “Well he did clean up DC”
So while this is being bandied about and why Weiner should stick around…
If the house couldn’t come up with the 2/3rds vote to get rid of William Jefferson or Charlie Rangel, what makes you think anything stronger than sanction is even possible in his case.
Yeah, politics is damn ugly sometimes but, I’ll say it again, the only people who have a say in whether Weiner stays or goes are Rep. Weiner and the voters in his district at the next election.
Good luck with that Righties.
@84
Medved, student of history. Ever hear of Tea Pot Dome? Ever hear of the Reagan administration?
I guess Medved doesn’t know what corruption means. But that’s his style. “Quote” facts and statistics and then hang up or talk over anyone who actually knows he’s makin’ shit up. More Corrupt than Mayor Daley? I doubt McGinn cracks the top 500.
I’ve had time to think about this. I think he should resign. Not because he was having digital affairs, but because he lied about them for a week. I know we are losing a rare smart, forceful progressive voice, but I no longer trust his judgment. What else are they going to black mail him with?
rhp6033,
“If lying to the public is a disqualifying factor, then that’s going to be a very empty place!”
Indeed! Suppose we held accountable Representatives peddling these lies: “Obamacare is a government takeover of health care!”, “Obamacare has death panels!”, “cutting taxes creates more tax revenue!”, and “Social Security is broke!” About half the House of Representatives would have to resign.
I, along with Bart Simpson, welcome you all to Bonerland. It was founded a long time ago by some guy, for all you right wing history buffs.
@88
Sounds like a plan!
This sex hypocrisy from right wingers is just plain stupid. I mean look what Dan Burton of Indiana got away with for many, many years:
http://www.russbaker.com/archi.....%20all.htm
Supposedly that scumbag has always been known as “Mr. Conservative”. He’s “served” or should I say been “serviced” for a long time.
Weiner should be given one more chance to settle down, be a family man with his wife and serve his district. No, we don’t need an internet styled Dan Burton on the D side.
@87
It’s mostly about the lack of impulse control, good judgement, and lying for me. The ick factor plays a role, but it’s a minor one.
I don’t think having a good congressman has to be such a rarified thing. I think we’ve gotten into a situation where they are rarified because we defend everyone of them because they’re on our side (D or R) instead of because they’re good.
It’s kinda funny hearing the righties go ballistic over this as the worst thing they can say about Weiner is that he was acting like one of them.
Weiner will get a letter saying that he’s been a naughty boy and he’ll promise to be a good boy in the future. Then they’ll all go back to snorting coke with the lobbyists from Cargill and BP. ;->
@94
OK, maybe that one was a bit overblown and dark.
If Weiner resigns for virtual adultery, can he run for President?
You know, just like actual serial adulterer Newt Gingrich?
Just a thought on Ginger Lee. I guess I have to reassess my stereotype of porn stars. That she knew who Weiner was and described him as her hero makes her more aware of political events and possibly smarter than a lot of people I know.
So, do we need to change the old journalistic saw from “if it bleeds it leads” to “if it has a penis it leads?”
@71
Wrong!
No one will come near the guy.
Weiner is such an arrogant prick. The Democrats want him gone because I suspect they know there is more to come on this story. It will only get worse for him and them. Weiner lied before, why in the world would you think he is telling the whole truth now?
Oh I’m glad I’m not an Oscar Meyer Weiner!
@71
More:
@96. Darryl spews:
If Weiner resigns for virtual adultery, can he run for President?
You know, just like actual serial adulterer Newt Gingrich?
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this is so democrat, a libhole gets caught and the dems make childish excuses. First weenie was an innocent victim of republican dirty tricks, and when that falls apart, it’s those republicans do it too. Both sides lie, but it’s the dems who come up with the childish excuses. If there is one fundamental difference between libs and conservatives I think it must be the consistent immaturity of the libs, even the able ones like Clinton show it.
Could we talk about something else, something that might actually matter?
Americafirst @ 102,
“this is so democrat, a libhole gets caught and the dems make childish excuses.
Everyone knows…I’m a Republican. But whose making excuses?!?! I’ve been making fun of Weiner for days.
“First weenie was an innocent victim of republican dirty tricks”
Where have I made such a claim??
“and when that falls apart, it’s those republicans do it too.”
But, of course, its true.
“Both sides lie, but it’s the dems who come up with the childish excuses.”
Again, where have I made excuses?
“If there is one fundamental difference between libs and conservatives I think it must be the consistent immaturity of the libs, even the able ones like Clinton show it.”
Man…you need to loosen the fuck up, there, Squirt, and get you a sense of humor! Your sphincter is wound up so tight, you’re scavenging atmospheric CO2 and shitting tiny diamonds!
proudleftist @ 103,
“Could we talk about something else, something that might actually matter?”
Sure…but not in this thread…
@102
I hate to go the, “your side did it too” route…
You do recall that Rs voted to change house rules when DeLay was indicted (you know, criminally charged) so he could stay on as speaker? Had to overturn that vote when the public and the punditry class called it out. So maturity for you is taking your ball and founding a new league when things don’t go your way with the ref?
Let me know when Weiner is indicted and then maybe you’ll have equivalence.
One thing I found really funny about this whole Weiner sexting scandal is Jon Stewart saying, “I remember a lot more Anthony and a lot less Weiner.”
And Weiner’s detractors are all like…”No, no, no…we know that that huge c**k really belongs to Weiner!!!!”
102: ” First weenie was an innocent victim of republican dirty tricks”
In what universe do you live, AF? Your tired projection gets, well, tiresome.
who gives a shit?
the gop lies every day. they lie about taxes, the deficit, jobs, government the whole shebang.
btw
kennedy screwed around
FDR — in his heart.
Nixon — probably tried, couldn’t get any.
jefferson — yup.
clinton — yup. also had a surplus, jobs and peace.
the fascination with all this is part of a right wing plot to distract us, to make politics and government not serious, not about the ongoing big lies they puch on us to take our money wreck our economy and get half the people in america to go along with them.
let’s have every gop leader come forward and say they lied when they said lowering taxes will lead to job growth. they know it’s a lie; since reaganism took hold in 1981, we’ve seen a stagnant middle class. they, the gop, and this means you fuddypudger, know full well how we got out of the depression with big governm,ent leading the way…how we grew for decades with high marginal tax rates….yet every day they lie lie lie lie lie lie so when they say about weiner the bad part is the lie?
that’d be yet another lie.
@108
apparently you missed RHP’s(and others here) saying that the whole deal was caused be republican agents(read: breitbart) hacking into the weenurs twitter account…and of course weenur himself stated the same.
where the fuck have you been on this?
@102 “If there is one fundamental difference between libs and conservatives I think it must be the consistent immaturity of the libs”
This statement, by itself, proves the immaturity of … well, of you.
@105 Thanks for the reminder, Darryl! I almost forgot that anything of substance is off-topic in this thread.
I have to be careful or my comments will get puddyized.
I doubt the right-wing is that smart or that organized. It looks like it was one guy that had some sort of beef with Weiner, that spent his days trolling all things Weiner, trying to catch him with his pants down. When he did he caught Weiner with a with a whopper! Which he then fed to Breitbart. The righties just saw meat and went a little nuts. They’ll run out of steam and deflate in a day or two.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have a problem. We have a problem. I’d deal with this problem the same way I’d deal with a whole bunch of other problem folks that I see and have seen in The House. I’d kick them out.
We need to take the above way more seriously than we currently do and the whole “well everyone else is doing it” or “the kids all think it’s fine” is a bunch of lame rubbish, Weiner’s a baby boomer (just barely) after all.
@112
Try to keep your posts rigid and inflated on this thread!
@115
Yes, the clause is in the house rules, but so is a 2/3rds requirement for removal. And it still seems like you’re imposing your set of behavioral mores onto all.
There are minorities who would argue that having a drink reflects badly on the house. Being gay reflects badly, to some. Using the Lords name in vain is a big one with some folks. But they don’t get to set the rules unless 2/3rds agree with them.
Why is changing attitudes over time, “a bunch of lame rubbish?” Does America still think men with long hair is aberrant? Do we still, as a society, feel that women should not leave the house with their ankles showing?
Is puritanism still the norm or have we moved on?
Show us on the right where a congressman sported a hardon in his skivvies and sent it out to a woman!
That’s not even close to any moral equivalence Michael.
Um Michael… has any prominent DUMMOCRAPT called for him to resign yet? Distancing and calling for one’s resignation are two distinct different things.
Maybe to you but my salary delta has increased way over $100K+ since 1981. Right Moral Choices dude, choices!
And that has what to do with Weiner? Weiner has stagnated the middle class supporting policies killing the middle class last year. Look at how many ObummerCare waivers have been issued since Weiner the attack dog champeened ObummerCare.
Weiner is the Republicans best friend. To the moron above, one of the receiving line ladies sent the Weinerschnitzel to Breitbart. But keep reading the Daily Kooks and other lefty web sites who SUCK!
Looking back at these leftist WeinerGate blog threads it proves how moronic the left is to jump on the bandwagon immediately. You all seem to do it all the time too.
DUmmies…
Will Darryl post this Cenk video in the Friday Night Funnies about his continual love for the WeinerGate?
Wow Cenk that’s how your ugly ASS built interpersonal relationships with the opposite sex.
Still sticking “up for the Weiner”
C L A S S Y
P R I C E L E S S
Looks like being truthful was never a requirement to work for PMSNBC!
I did like the piece on TV last night, showing the republicans consistently saying when republicans were caught doing illegal things with hookers, that it was a matter between the politician and his electorate, but when a Democrat gets caught doing legal but unethical things with women, the republicans demand the Democrat should resign.
The hypocrisy is staggering as usual.
“Show us on the right where a congressman sported a hardon in his skivvies and sent it out to a woman!”
http://www.republicanoffenders.com/Pedophiles.html
Hmm, let’s see. We’ve got wingnut farm animal fuckers, wingnuts who pay to blow big black guys in park toilets, wingnut pedophiles wearing animal costumes, and a few hundred other perverted wingnut acts. Need pics? Take a look. In fact, a street corner loon could rummage through all of these documented wingnut perversions, create a wingnut perversion databaze and report his findings to somebody who gives a flying fuck.
The GOP is the party of pedophiles and goatfuckers. That one Dem tweeted a pic of his dick does not change this fact. The Dems will see to it that Weiner leaves. The party of Vitter has no moral standing on this matter. Wingnuts can just STFU.
How’s about Thegateformerlyknownasweirnergate or doofusgate?
@1;
Yeah, he lied about it, big deal. Ensign lied, Craig lied – it’s pretty standard that when someone is in congress and gets outed in any way for sexual activity, they lie about it. Because there are people out there that care only about real or perceived sexual impropriety instead of how someone votes on things like health care and jobs.
@118
Yeah, I guess Weiner would have to have gotten caught with a hooker.
“That’s not even close to any moral equivalence Michael”
Good grief! Look at how wingnuts get a Jones over a Dem’s dick and want to get all moral on us.
But here’s their truth.
http://www.republicanoffenders.com/Pedophiles.html
There’s five pages full of wingnut pedophiles on that site alone, not to mention all the other perverts they bother to document. And that’s not the half of them, overlooking scum like our own Republican State Rep Richard Curtis, who after stiffing, heh-, a male prostitute for his fee, was wearing a dress when he was later pulled over by the WSP. Hell, that site has to categorize all the wingnut perversions just to sort the bastards out. A street corner loon comes here to speak of moral equivalencies? What a fucking joke. Here’s a fucking moral equivalency for you fucktard trolls. The Republican party and perversion go together like stink goes with shit.
@126
Puddy’s trying to argue with me when we’re on the same side on The Weiner Man. Too funny.
I have two words for the puddybitch…
…David
…Vitter.
[Deleted — see HA Comment Policy]
re 128: Hey! Better put a diaper on that one!