UPDATED
Here’s full video of a decidedly testy exchange Weiner had with reporters this afternoon, spearheaded by Dana Bash.
Here’s some of what I’m seeing on Twitter:
DanaBashCNN Dana Bash: Just had a surprisingly confrontational q and a session w/ @repweiner. He came out to talk to us, but wouldn’t answer unanswered questions
rickklein Rick Klein: Rep. Weiner: “I’m not going to talk about this anymore.”
joshtpm Josh Marshall: Weiner On Twitter ‘Hack’: ‘I’m Not Going To Talk About This Anymore’
pressler Jessica Pressler “Evasive Weiner Draws Suspicion” is a headline currently on New York magazine’s homepage. http://nymag.com/
Look over at DailyKos (and sometimes I do because I’m paid to) and you see even that lot is abandoning him in bunches. From ABC and New York to TPM and Kos — that’s quite a center-left sample that is unsatisfied with the congressman’s unsatisfying answers. If he thinks he’s not going to have to talk about this any more, he’s wrong.
The long-term impact of this unfolding story, to my mind, is less about the safety of Weiner’s House seat than it is his ambitions. Folks around the Hill will tell you Weiner’s at heart uninterested — even bored — by Congress, and that he’s there only as a resume filler while waiting for the day Mike Bloomberg decides he wants to retire. So presuming Weiner can hold down his sliver of Brooklyn and Queens, the interesting question is whether something like this going to make Democratic players in the city at large look less favorably on a mayoral run?
Thinking long-term, if Weiner is in the wrong here and is forced to admit it, maybe the best thing for him to do is resign now and hope for a Spitzer-esque bounce-back from the inevitable tanking of his popularity. This town ain’t exactly the capital of marital faithfulness.
Anyway, it’s hard to see Weiner resigning at this point, but we’ve learned with this kind of story that things can change pretty quickly.
Actually if you look at Daily Kos there isn't any article about this story on the first 3 pages at all. That doesn't exactly qualify as "abandoning him in bunches".
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse(Snicker! Chortle!)
Daniel, dude, do NOT tell me this thread title isn't a pun, I won't believe you.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOne of the worst press conferences I have ever seen by a federal office holder. I'm not sure he could have made it worse for himself, even if that was his intent.
When, in the middle of your press conference, you call one of the reporters a "j*ck*ss", you probably need a new strategy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@ hughman
As I type this, on Kos there are two Weiner stories on the front<---- page in the "Recommended" box.
All the Kos people want to do in this case is pummel Breitbart. But if you read the original post on BigGoverment you will find that it asked three times if Weiner's site was hacked. It never said he definitely sent that photo. They even blacked out the name of person the photo went to, and they tried contacting Weiner's office for a statement. Kos people are so beyond neurotic.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAHA!!! The EVASIVE WEINER!!!!!!!
..come out come out where-EVVVVVVVVVer you are.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh, hughman. We all know you're stunningly full of it most of the time, but never have you been "I-found-the-source-you-claim-doesn't-exist-in-10-seconds-on-a-website-I-avoid-like-the-plague" full of it before. I don't think.
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Stop making me do that work, you're not worth it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell there you go: Nothing says "not guilty" like calling CNN's Congressional Producer a "jack - ass". Case closed!
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Anyway, it’s hard to see Weiner resigning at this point, but we’ve learned with this kind of story that things can change pretty quickly."
Resign? Dude, he'd have to have some sense of shame before he would even consider resigning.
Weiner proves he's shameless every time he opens his mouth.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Schadenfreude Scherzo.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't care what Weiner's ambitions are, this is about fair play. If a GOP Congressman can be thrown out for sending a shirtless pic, then Weiner should CERTAINLY be thrown out for this lewd pic. Weiner spends much of his time on twitter mocking and slurring the good people of the Tea Party, not to mention Republicans. This called Karma. What goes around comes around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen you are caught in a lie, when your programs fail or poll horribly, when you cannot rebut the obvious by all means, seize control of the narrative.
Weiner has no defense so he claims this line of questioning is inoperative, inappropriate and (suddenly) utterly meaningless to anyone. He's "moved on" and, since HE controls the narrative, everyone else must move on.
This is effective if the major media complies. Who imagines that any news outlet will let another reporter subject themselves to being called a "jacka..." by a congressman?
The only thing surprising is how brazen this episode has become. Its over, so declares the object of the indecent act. So be it, no?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh I'm glad I am not Anthony Weiner,
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat is who I'm truly glad not to be,
Because if I were Anthony Weiner,
The press will eventually stop covering for me.
Is there a less likeable guy in the House? (Note I said "guy," thereby excluding Nancy Pelosi from the discussion.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCocky little SOB isn't he?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh come on, prickly? Will the puns never end?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOkay, Congressman. Since you insist, let's go with your analogy of the pie thrower during a speech you're giving. Can we therefore assume that you from the back of the auditorium didn't throw the pie at you the speaker? I.e., you seem to be saying it wasn't you who sent the tweet. Else, why would someone throw a pie at themselves?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWow. The "did-he-or-didn't-he" question had remained in the "I don't know" category in my mind until I saw this. He did it, I'd bet my house on it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe only thing worse than a "non-denial denial" is NO denial. Anyone who was innocent of anything and was asked about it by the press, let alone a guy who has never met a camera and mike he didn't like (until now, anyhow) like Wiener, would certainly, somewhere in the midst of all that blather about it being a distraction and such say "No, it's not me." and "No, I didn't do it."
The ONLY reasonable reason NOT to deny something is that you are concerned you'll be found out later....or even sooner. He didn't walk away and say nothing. He talked and talked but never, ever once answered or even simply said. "I'm innocent." Pax wise defense attorneys, that's what the "jury" of public opinion wants to hear from somebody in this situation before they're willing to overlook all of the other inconsistencies in his "hacking" stories and his unwillingness to file charges or ask for an investigation by law enforcement.
As a man who has NEVER in his political life been..er..brief in the usual..er...jockeying for position with the press, a veritable...er...boxer in his pugilistic style, what we can all agree on is that this kind of avoidance in the face of controversy has never, until now, been among the Congressman's...er... shortcomings. But regarding the headline for this posting, maybe we're being overly critical--after all, Rep. Wiener's demeanor regarding virtually ANY issue he's ever spoken on has always been prickly indeed...one might even say cocky, too.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThanks Mr. Foster.
Too funny...absolutely too funny...tremendous. We could only trust that the consumate lib-progressive know-it-all gets all that is coming to him!!!
What fun!!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou know, he might still be innocent. Really: Weiner's that obnoxious even on good days.
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