Politicians can survive sex scandals. Politicians can succeed with the last name “Weiner.” But it remains to be seen if a politician can survive both.
Disgraced former-Congressman Anthony Weiner is already seeing his hopes of becoming the next mayor of New York City go up in smoke. Thursday, New York governor and fellow Democrat, Andrew Cuomo, spanked Weiner, saying “shame on us” if we elect him. Tuesday, no less than The New York Times published a high-profile article slamming Weiner for his lack of a campaign infrastructure.
But Weiner’s largest problem is that (other than the left-wing Politico) almost no one is taking him seriously. Since the launch of his mayoral run earlier this week, Weiner is again becoming a national joke as one news outlet after another makes sport of his last name — something no one would’ve done prior to the revelations of his extra-marital sexting.
As I write this, the Drudge Report is having a high-old time:
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Desperate to be taken seriously, Weiner engaged in a wide-ranging telephone interview with the Associated Press wherein he said that he hopes his ideas “penetrate.”
The race to replace outgoing Mayor Bloomberg is expected to be extremely competitive.
If Weiner wants to penetrate, he’s going to have to stiffen and harden his resolve to overcome liabilities beyond the puns. Weiner can’t promise more lewd photos might not dribble out, nor can he reassure voters that all the girls he sexted with are of age.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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