Weiner Takes Beating

Image via Wikipedia

While I will write a more substantial blog for tomorrow, I would be remiss not to make a few comments about Anthony Weiner’s recent press conference.

As many began to suspect, Weiner sent the photo in question and admitted that he lied about the mater. At this point, that was no real surprise. However, the press conference did have some surprises.

First, Weiner did not blame anyone or anything and took full responsibility. Rather than blame the media, he apologized to them for his lies. Rather than blame the seducing power of Twitter and Facebook, he made it clear that his actions were his own. When asked about using alcohol or drugs, he denied both and accepted responsibility. This is, of course, the right thing to do and is somewhat unusual in this day. The usual recourse is to blame someone or something else. While Weiner was right to accept responsibility, he was clearly wrong to have waited so long.

Second, Weiner faced the media without dodging questions for almost thirty minutes. The standard tactic is, of course, to avoid the “lame stream” media and their “gotcha” questions. Weiner stood there and took the beating, answering every serious question that was asked. That was, to say the least, somewhat unusual. I almost suspect that his wife played a role in his public confession: he had a look that I had seen on other men who had been forced by their wives to do the right thing.

Third, Weiner’s wife was not present. The standard deal is that the shamed spouse is forced to stand at her husband’s side, enduring the cameras and the questions of the media. If Weiner spared his wife, then he did the right thing. If she refused to be part of the show, then she did the right thing.

Weiner might be able to recover from this, but he clearly has a lot of work to do.