COMMENTARY | As the news of Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and his tweeting habits spread across the news channels, it became clear that New York state had once again managed to elect another perverted politician. As a resident of New York, I can say that. Rep. Weiner follows in the footsteps of a line of politicians who ultimately confessed to inappropriate deeds while in office. New York has survived the news of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's prostitutes, and his successor David Patterson's extramarital affairs confession. "Weinergate" is just the latest sexting scandal.
The news of Weiner's Twitter photos and connections to a number of women through online relationships puts the congressman on the same level as any other 46-year-old married man using the Internet to have pseudo-affairs. This is one the most disconcerting aspects of the scandal. Our elected officials should have more important things to do in their spare time. These types of scandals also leave doubt in voters minds.
Weiner's initial reactions to this incident are the biggest hurdle he will have to face in the future of his political career. As a voter, I can accept inappropriate tweeting much easier than outright lying. In this case, Rep. Weiner has failed. Somewhere between the broadcast of Twitter underwear photos and online liaisons was the truth. Unfortunately, he chose to deny the allegations until all doubt was erased by the technology of social media. His confession means little after lying about his Twitter use in the first place.
Weinergate will eventually pass, even though Anthony Weiner has chosen not to resign. The most recent resignation came from Rep. Chris Lee when he was caught posting shirtless photos on Craigslist. Prior to that, New York had the Spitzer resignation in 2008. As a resident of New York, the resignations are little consolation to the bad behavior while in office of our elected politicians.
Ultimately, what Rep. Weiner did on his Twitter time will not matter. He has to live with his choices, his wife has to live with him, and voters will need to decide whether our elected officials have the kind of moral compass that will give them the sense to avoid social media scandals in the first place.
Source: Weiner's busted. Can he survive?, Alan Silverstein, CNN, June 7, 2011.
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