I’m sure Weiner cares, and I’m sure his wife cares. But the only thing that is of moderate interest to me is the fact that a significant portion of the right side of the blogosphere is so firmly convinced that Weiner (a man of the liberal persuasion) is at fault here that almost no amount of proof could convince them otherwise. And I am just as firmly convinced that, if the parties were reversed, it would be the left side of the blogosphere doing the same thing, and that it would be an even bigger story in the MSM.
And I’m also moderately certain that part of the attraction to the story is the Congressman’s last name, plus the fact that the whole thing occurred on Twitter, a word that seems to bring to mind a combination of “titter,” “twit,” and “titillate.”
I am also aware that politicians are unusually susceptible to the seductions of seduction coupled with power. But I have come to the point of not caring, unless (and the following list is not necessarily all-inclusive, but it’s all I can think of at the moment) (a) the act involved is with an employee and constitutes some sort of abuse of power; and/or (b) it is accompanied by coercion or violence, as with the allegations about Strauss-Kahn (remember him?); and/or (c) the recipient of the attentions is underage; and/or (d) the perpetrator is a crusader against the acts in question (especially if such acts are illegal), such as Eliot Spitzer using call girls.
If you read this blog enough you know that I am a big proponent of don't ask, don't tell. Frankly, I don't want to know who Meredith Baxter, Bob Dole, Hugh Hefner, Rosie O'Donnell, Kevin Spacey, Ricky Martin, Lady Gay Gay or anyone else is having sex with. Actually, the whole thought of most people having sex with anyone makes me want to jab a red hot poker into my brain.
But if you read this blog, you also know that I have a theory that with politicians it's not the things they tell you that empowers them but the things they won't. Barney Frank is gay. Has that stopped him from being elected? But when Larry "give me three taps" Craig is trolling department store bathroom stalls, he loses his job. Why? Because if you are so ashamed of your sexual conduct that you will do whatever it takes to protect it's privacy, you are now the target of extortion and blackmail in public office.
What if a lobbyist has pictures of Weiner's weiner in a compromising position and he is willing to be blackmailed into supporting their agenda to keep his wife from finding out?
That's why it matters.
Trust me, I don't seek out pictures of some guy's junk for shits and giggles. But just watch Weiner wiggle and tell me what he will or won't do to protect his sexual proclivities from being exposed?
Plus the whole name thing makes it too funny.
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