Lose a House Seat, Gain a Senate Seat?

The House seat vacated by Anthony Weiner was filled last night by Republican Bob Turner. To put things in perspective, this particular district has been a Democratic stronghold for about 100 years, and although registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by a margin of 3 to 1 in NY-9, Turner came away with a win over Democratic nominee David Weprin by a 53-47 margin. There are some arguments that despite the district being Democratic, it's a conservative one. Take that for what you will, but I don't recall Anthony Weiner being very conservative.

That news doesn't bode well for 2012 in my opinion, but this does:

Elizabeth Warren officially announced her candidacy for Senate in Massachusetts on Wednesday morning in a short video posted to a new campaign website, www.elizabethwarren.com.

...Warren will attempt to take on Scott Brown, the Republican who won Edward M. Kennedy’s Senate seat in a special election after the veteran senator died in late 2009.

I hope the people of Massachusetts do the right thing this time.

Weiner Resigns - UPDATED

Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned from office Thursday, saying, "Unfortunately, the distraction that I have created" has made it "impossible" to continue his work in Congress.

Weiner apologized "for the personal mistakes I have made and for the embarrassment I have caused" to his neighbors, his constituents, and his wife.

It's a shame it had to end this way. But when I happened to catch the local news at 5pm yesterday and witnessed them leading with yet another Weiner picture, I knew the distraction was just too much for anyone to bear and that eventually he'd have to resign.

And he did just that today. In Anthony Weiner's resignation, he knew that he had no one to blame but himself and that there was just too much of a feeding frenzy for him to be effective at his job.

On a side note, the decorum of the heckler at the conference was atrocious. I hope he gets what he deserves, namely being run over by a truck on the way out of the conference.


UPDATE (8:20pm): Via Bob Cesca: "Sounds like Benji from the Stern show was back — shouting 'pervert' and 'are you seven inches' at Weiner during his statement."

Really? A Howard Stern lackey was heckling Weiner? Is this the same shock jock who has porn stars take off their clothes in his studio to ride orgasm inducing machines on the air? (Link is NSFW) And he's sending fuckwads to belittle Anthony Weiner? Gimme a break.

The New York Post Is So Classy

Breitbart's 1 for 4

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

He Really Was Dumb Enough

Until New York Representative Anthony Weiner stood behind a podium and admitted his Twitter indiscretions, nothing anyone could have said would have changed my initial thought of giving him the benefit of the doubt. Part of the reason for this is because of who broke the story. Andrew Breitbart, after all, has cried wolf a few too many times (ACORN, Shirley Sherrod, Planned Parenthood, etc.) for me to view him as a credible source. For as much as he believes he is non-partisan, you'd have to have shit in your head where your brain should be not to realize that Breitbart has an agenda. Show me where he's gone after a Republican as fiercely and I'll reconsider.

And part of the reason I believed Weiner is because I never thought he would be so dumb as to use social media that's out there in the ether to send "lewd" photos of himself. A guy as sharp as Anthony Weiner could never put his career in jeopardy by doing something so frivolous.

I was wrong. He really was dumb enough.

I'm not one to judge someone's moral integrity, unless they tout themselves as holier than thou and wind up being a hypocrite, so I'm not going to start here. I'm sure more details will be revealed during the ethics investigation called for by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and if Weiner violated ethics rules (using Congressional equipment to send these tweets) then he'll be called to account. But until then, I'm glad that Weiner as of this point has taken the Republican lead and decided not to resign.

What he did was disappointing to me, and reprehensible conduct for a married man, but he did nothing technically illegal. He didn't engage prostitutes like David Vitter or Eliot Spitzer. He didn't have a child in an affair like John Edwards or Arnold Schwarzenegger. He didn't get arrested for soliciting gay sex in an airport bathroom. None of these examples exonerates Weiner's actions, but it helps in putting things in perspective.

If his career is coming to an end, it's a shame because he is a talented, smart politician who really cares about his constituency, regardless of his private failings.

As far as Breitbart is concerned, yeah, he won one. So what? The man is still a scumbag who feeds on gutter news, and his "classiness" was on display for all to see as he hijacked the Weiner press conference before Weiner even spoke. It'll take more that one story for Breitbart to have credibility in my eyes.

Remember the Other Wiener?

POSTED BY JHW22

Well, Allan at Angry Black Lady does. And as he strongly connects and concludes:

... allegations that Anthony Weiner sexually harassed a young African American woman just appeared out of the blue at the very moment when Weiner’s campaign to discredit Clarence Thomas was peaking.

Thanks to Vera Lynn, for the link. This was a good one!

Breitbart Busted... AGAIN

Stef at the Daily Kos does a great job with the chronology of the Weiner underwear tweet controversy and how one particular anti-Weiner Twitter user named @PatriotUSA76 (complete with a portrait of St. Ronald Reagan as his icon) was most likely behind it.

Whether the intrepid Andrew Breitbart knew about it ahead of time or reported on it without checking facts and sources is irrelevant. It shows Breitbart to be all too eager to smear anyone not in line with his ideology regardless of facts.

Open your FRICKING EEEEAAARRRSSSSS!!!

POSTED BY JHW22

I heard Congressman Anthony Weiner tell Dana Bash of CNN, "It was a prank." Now to me, a mere layperson, that sounds EXACTLY like an answer to the bizarrely-repeated question of the week: "What happened?"

Someone sent a wiener photo from Weiner's Twitter account to a woman the Congressman follows on Twitter.

And now the press is FREAKING OUT because the member of Congress, who consistently tries to stay ON MESSAGE and knows what's important and what's A PRANK, won't spend resources to find out the who, what, when, why, how of A PRANK! If he says it was a prank, and it makes NO SENSE otherwise, what other answers do we need?

Now, whether they believe him or not is another point. If they think he's covering up some lurid creep show, then fine. After some of the crap members of Congress have pulled, fine. BUT he has answered the question. At least QUIT saying "He's not answering the question."

He answered it. You just don't like the answer. Now it's YOUR job to do more than waste a Congressman's time who has made it clear he doesn't want to waste time on this crap that he says was created by a jerk playing a prank.

We need to STOP allowing rabble-rousers to dictate our news coverage. When a jerk-wad plays a prank, don't give it any coverage UNTIL you've done the due-diligence of investigating -- OFF CAMERA. Quit wasting the American people's time while you bumble and warp and suppose and ASSume and feign shocked.

James O'Keefe, the girl with the "B" carved in her face, Shirley Sherrod, Balloon Boy WASTED OUR TIME. GET THE FACTS BEFORE YOU WASTE OUR TIME and don't force a member of Congress to do YOUR job for you while he's trying to do his.

He says it was a prank. I don't want him wasting a second proving it to satisfy the fucking lazy-ass press!

And sorry, but no time for links at the moment. :) Just had to vent my RAGE at the press and their inability to LISTEN, report properly and know that they are part of the problem of American's inability to focus on important issues and wait until facts are in before we shape a damn story.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Some links have been added after publishing.

WEINER!

Rep. Anthony Weiner to GOP: Did you get your feelings hurt? Get over it.

Via Crooks and Liars:

Anthony Weiner at the Congressional Correspondents' Dinner

Very, very funny! It's too bad Weiner wasn't asked to participate in the Donald Trump Roast.

Among the favorites: "Is Michele Bachmann here? She's probably not -- she's campaigning in Iowa and organizing in that important caucus state because she's running for president. ...That's really all I have for that joke."

Anthony Weiner: Get Rid of Click and Clack

Rep. Anthony Weiner took to the floor of the House and outwardly mocked his Republican colleagues (and rightly so) for suspending House rules and calling an emergency session to... discuss the UN Resulution to impose a no fly zone over Libya? No. ...Vote for the US involvement for airstrikes in Libya with France and Britian? No. ...Oh, right, it was to vote for defunding NPR because of yet another edited video by hack James O'Keefe. Nothing about nuclear power plant safety, nothing about creating jobs. Just the GOP falling for another scam.

This is an instant classic.

Through The Looking Glass

Have I gone absolutely insane? All but twelve Republicans voted against health care for 9/11 responders and all the intrepid Joe Scarborough and Clueless Mika can do is show disdain toward Anthony Weiner for the anger he displayed on the House floor.

Give me a break.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Weiner Vs. King II: The Bitchslap Heard 'Round the World

Why Does The GOP Hate America's Heroes? - UPDATED

Remember back in the day, long, long ago when no one voted against anything 9/11 related lest they be called a traitor to their country? Ah, simpler times.

A bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to people sickened by World Trade Center dust fell short in the House on Thursday...

The bill would have provided free health care and compensation payments to 9/11 rescue and recovery workers who fell ill after working in the trade center ruins.

It failed to win the needed two-thirds majority, 255-159. The vote was largely along party lines, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats supporting the measure.

Proof positive that the Republican Party will vote against anything perceived as a Democratic or Obama Administration legislative accomplishment. Voting against taking care of those who risked their lives during 9/11 and are suffering illness in the aftermath.

Well Anthony Weiner is sick and tired of it and gave the Republicans a well-deserved tongue lashing.



Why does the Republican Party hate America's heroes?


UPDATE (9:07pm): To put Weiner's outburst into perspective, here he is on Hardball putting his remarks into context.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And leave it to Chuck Todd to ask if he's sorry for the "anger" and trying to suggest that it was the Democrats who are using "procedural tricks" in not allowing Republicans to add amendments to this bill. If there was ever a bill that should be a stand alone bill with a straight up or down vote, wouldn't this be it, Chuck, you fucking tool?

Why I Love Rep. Anthony Weiner

Weiner: “I follow Twitter for the Tea Party and just show up to fuck with them... No, I don’t do that. I just sit at my desk and they send me talcum powder every couple of weeks.”

Anthony Weiner Targeted

Breaking news from MSNBC reports that Rep. Anthony Weiner's Queens, New York office was targeted.

David Shuster: "Law enforcement officials say a package with white  powder was sent to Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner's Queen[s] office.  One source says a preliminary reviews shows a letter in part complaining about the health care legislation. New York's Police Department and an FBI spokesman are only confirming that they are responding to the scene."


Adding... And yet, Eric Cantor continues to be a dick, blaming the Democrats and accusing them of politicizing the issue.  Please show me where angry rhetoric by Democratic political leaders akin to "You lie!" or "Baby killer!" has been used to raise campaign money.

Must Reads

Veritas Nihilum Vincet: Meet The Palins

Paul Krugman: Senator Bunning's Universe

Glenn Greenwald: The Full-Scale Collapse: From Murrow to Blitzer

Rep. Anthony Weiner: Let's Put the Public Option to a Vote

Steve Benen: Cheney Faces Blowback Over Cheap DOJ Smear

driftglass: What?

Michael Moore: An Open Letter: President Obama: Replace Rahm with Me

Every Vote Is Important...

...not just Joe Lieberman's, or Ben Nelson's, or Olympia Snowe's. And while these Senators are wielding their power because of an elusive 60th vote and making health care legislation exponentially weaker in the process, the White House assumes that the liberal votes will be there in the end. They shouldn't be so quick to count on those votes if they keep stepping on the throats of liberals and progressives instead of the extortionists they've been trying to appease for the last three months.

Now that the Senate Democratic leadership has stripped the last vestige of the public option — the Medicare buy-in provision — from its bill, progressives are feeling doubly betrayed.

“It’s time for the president to get his hands dirty,” Representative Anthony Weiner, Democrat of New York, said in a statement this week. “Some of us have compromised our compromised compromise. We need the president to stand up for the values our party shares.”

...“I don’t sleep well,” [Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie] Sanders said. “I am struggling with this issue very hard, trying to sort out what is positive in this bill, what is negative in the bill, what it means for our country if there is no health insurance legislation, when we will come back to it.”

This in combination with Ben Nelson's new movement of the goalposts for his vote is having everyone walking a fine, thread-bare tightrope.

Although I still think this whole thing may backfire, as I believe not passing anything would be a more devastating blow to the Democratic party and the progressive agenda than passing a weak bill, I really do want to see liberals and progressives push back hard and let it be known that they can't be taken for granted. Their votes count just as much.

Progressives Fight Back

I'm expecting (hoping) more progressives push back on the acquiescence of the "get anything passed" mindset just to show that they can't be pushed around.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said late Wednesday that he cannot support the Democrats' healthcare reform legislation in its current form.

Asked by Fox Business Network's Neil Cavuto asked Sanders if he could support the compromise bill. The senator replied "I’m struggling with this. As of this point I am not voting for the bill..."

Rep. Anthony Weiner says the Senate bill is getting worse:

"Every time conservatives or those that are concerned about costs step forward and say they have a problem, they take out something that helps reduce costs. You know, the public option was something that increased competition for private insurance companies and drove down costs; they took it out. Expanding Medicare to allow people not just 65 but 64, 55, the most expensive group to insure get covered under Medicare, now that's been dropped out," adds Weiner. "You know what's puzzling about all this is the very same people who say they're concerned about cost are the ones responsible for stripping out cost savings measures, so it really is a frustrating process to watch going on in the Senate."

This is going to come to a breaking point.

Must Reads - UPDATED

Dan Froomkin: Cheney Still Manipulating People -- Now In Public

Bob Cesca: The Public Option is Popular, Moral and Inexpensive, Therefore it Must Die

The Rude Pundit: In the Realm of "You Have to Be Fucking Kidding": Obama's School Speech Makes Conservatives Cry

Michael Winship: Coming Soon to a Democracy Near You...

David Sirota: Progressives Pay the Price for Confusing a Party With a Movement

John Nichols: Give States an Option to Lead on Single-Payer

Richard Wolf: White House to reveal visitor names

Megan Tady: Will ‘Astroturf’ Groups Block Net Neutrality Reform?

MUST SEE: Anthony Weiner Blasts Critics of Health Reform VIDEO (You can catch a ton of other Weiner videos as well.)

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