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Anthony Weiner of Twitter crotch photo fame by David Boyle
This is a sad day for progressives. According to the breaking news on MSNBC, CNN, and Huffington Post web sites, Congressman Anthony Weiner has told a friend he is resigning. Progressives have lost a powerful advocate. Weiner passionately defended the Public Option for health care, and defended the right of 9-11 cops, firefighters, and other workers to health care.
Weiner was not afraid to call out Republicans on their bullshit. He did it memorably on the House floor, beginning his comments with the sarcastic words, “what great courage,” as he stood up to Republicans who were stalling the health care 9-11 workers needed.
Oh yes, what great courage has been shown by Pres. Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schulz, and several of Weiner’s House and Senate colleagues. I’ll bet they’re popping champagne corks in Republican offices right now. If I were them, I would be.
Republicans have much to celebrate today. A powerful and effective adversary has been silenced. And over what–racy photos and comments tweeted to women he probably never even met.
If I were a Republican, I would be very gleeful right now. Imagine re-electing Sen. David Vitter, R-LA. The esteemed senator not only frequented prostitutes, but did so while wearing diapers. But most people don’t even know about it. The media failed to cover it. His Republican colleagues raised funds for his re-election. They knew they could count on the spinelessness of Democrats. Democrats never confronted them over Vitter.
Instead, Democrats confronted Weiner, and over what?
The most disgusting thing about this is that 56 percent of Weiner’s constituents wanted him to stay. Only 30 percent wanted him to resign. What the voters in his district wanted meant absolutely nothing.
Whenever Republicans count on Democrats to be spineless and destroy their best advocates, they win. The spinelessness Obama showed on this issue makes me very fearful about the future of Social Security and Medicare.
Goodbye Anthony Weiner. You will be missed.
If anyone has suggestions about who to vote for and volunteer for in 2012, I’m listening. It’s getting very hard to stomach the idea of supporting Democrats who could care less about their base.
23 Comments
sad day indeed…
And if he wants to try again for his seat, or another, after cleaning up his personal mess, then I’d welcome that. People in recovery do that every day.
Another indication that for DC Dems, voters do really count. Except on election days. Otherwise, don’t pay attention to those little people barely visible to Very Serious People; there are donor with real money to impress.
What would it have hurt to just say to the press that Rep. Weiner’s constituents will decide his fate?
Kind of interesting that the GAO report just came out saying ACORN did nothing wrong and should not have been defunded — and defriended by the DC Dems.
I fear the Democratic Party is going to be split along the Neolib Corporatist vs. Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party divide.
I don’t know how effective he was, except for AIPAC, and perhaps the 9/11 responders, and he wasn’t a member of the progressive caucus. At any rate, too bad he succumbed to the pressure, he would have been better for withstanding it. I would have liked to see him buck party bosses.
Can we draft Anthony to run in California’s 8th Congressional District? We need a progressive here.
Drat: That’s supposed read:
Another indication that for DC Dems, voters do NOT really count. Except on election days. Otherwise, don’t pay attention to those little people barely visible to Very Serious People; there are donor with real money to impress.
I might add:
And Republican attackers to roll over for. Media to bow to.
Breitbart is going to be unbearable.
I created a post of my fantasy of what I wish that Anthony Weiner had done.
So much for members of the Democratic Party sticking up for each other.
http://iflizwerequeen.com/?p=9030
Agree on all of your points. Don’t particularly see Weiner as progressive and dislike his stand with AIPAC.
That said, it’s ridiculous that Weiner feels compelled to resign over something as dumb as this. Would’ve loved to see him buck the trend and stand up for himself on this call. Too bad…
That’s the main reason why I’m more than annoyed with Weiner. For him to lend the slightest shred of credibility that that lying scumbag is a huge *demerit* against Weiner, imo. I don’t really give a sh*t about the photos, etc. Just my take.
Your link brings up the important point. This was not a Republican plot (Breitbart is a cretin.) This was Anthony Weiner choosing to lie, to lie big and prolong the lie for days with inane little comments about “Certitude.” The standard of conduct for the House is not a question of legality or illegality. It is conducting yourself so as not to discredit the House. When a member of Congress lies so brazenly, while in the “House” (literally and figuratively,) it discredits the system of government and allows those that hate government to say in effect “see they all are liars.” This wasn’t a little fib, this was a plot to mislead and he brought great shame on himself (deserved) and on the institution (undeserved.)
Also, he wasn’t all that as far as being a progressive (still voted for health care reform without the public option,). Let him run for election in the district if he feels he got a raw deal.
“And over what–racy photos and comments tweeted to women he probably never even met.”
I suspect it was more over his initial and changing responses to the events. He was an abrasive guy who thought he was smarter than the average bear and he thought he could control and manipulate the story. He will be missed, but it was entirely his fault, not the media or his political opponents.
Another Puritan republican win. FU OBAMA for not standing up for your party faithful, scumbag sellout.
Notice how Mr Moral Compass called for Thomas to step down at the same time or is he a republican in democratic clothing, you decide.
Greybeard is right, it was his making from beginning to end. Yep, he boxed himself into a corner with his handling of the matter. The failed “coverup” only exponentionally compounded what essentially was merely just childish behavior. His initial behavior doesn’t lend much credence to that whole “the adults are in charge now” mantra of the Dems, now does it? But then again, the Dems are doing a bang-up job of destroying the Party brand without the help of Weiner’s weiner. But have no fear, with the purging of Weiner, the adults are now back in charge./s (and will continue to act like the red headed stepchild of the Repukes) Nothing new, move along.
Interesting. Do you think he’ll go straight to AIPAC for a job or will he look for something else for a year or so before going there, to make it look a little less obscene and blatant?
Only time will tell. I DO wonder… Weiner seems soooooo willing to capitulate over sooooo very very very little (and certainly far far far far less than any “Republican” has to capitulate over, if ever) that it makes me wonder what he’s got lined up and waiting for him as he exits stage left.
From what I’ve heard, his constituents – aka the “small people” – mostly don’t want Weiner to resign. But as we all know well, “small people” and our needs are *irrelevent* to the PTB and their lackeys who carry water for them.
Buh-bye…
Like Mark Sanford didn’t lie and obfuscate all the way to the Applacian Trail south of the border??? And what *consequences* did Sanford suffer (yes, I know Sanford is a State Gov & Weiner is in the House, yadda yadda).
Spare me. Yeah: Weiner lied but about what?? His tighty-whities??? shuh. Sanford was AWOL doing the red-hot Tango in Argentina, and even his Lt Gov didn’t know where he was. And yet, ReTHUGS rallied ’round Sanford – another Doug Coe “family” values member of the “Fellowship” who’s wife left him disgust.
So … Weiner lied. So???
Obama LIES daily. What about that?
I’d rather *endure* Anthony lying about his weiner, than listen to Obama LIE about torturing a US citizen on US soil.
JMHO, of course. Like minds may disagree.
It’s a sad day for progressives. Not because Weiner was such a great guy, but because he was a typical guy. Like many people, he had a problem, and he wanted to hide it. He was also someone who bucked the leadership in Congress. And what have we learned from this?
If you have something to hide, you don’t buck the leadership.
That’s why it’s a sad day.
I hope he switches teams.
If he ran again on the Green ticket, things could get interesting. I don’t think this is the last of Weiner. I’m hoping this could be a new beginning.
But just because others do it, it doesn’t make it right. He lied and was caught in the lie. He made himself look foolish. Sorry, I agree with BlueFloridian, he’s not really much of a loss.
Possibly the reason he is so willing to capitulate is that the worst hasn’t surfaced yet.
What did you expect? The same spineless party that threw Michael Moore, MoveOn.com, and ACORN overboard gave Anthony Weiner the same treatment. Par for the course.
You’re outta here, spammer.
Time for David Vitter to go. http://www.forcevitterout.com