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| Dan Savage, image from Joe.My.God. |
[Original Post]
Quote Of the Day - Dan Savage
"A reporter asks if Weiner was drinking or using drugs—if he has a problem—because only a man who has a drinking problem or a drug problem could get caught up in something like this. Do reporters know what men are like? (And lots of women too?) This desire to pathologize behavior that isn't sick—that is, indeed, very common and human and completely and instantly understandable—is itself pathological. Weiner does not have a problem. He has a computer. The whole world has Weiner's problem: same old horniness, brand new box." - Dan Savage, live-blogging Weiner's press conference.
Source: Joe.My.God.
Savage is right (as he usually is). But I'm severely disappointed in Weiner for not having the balls (no pun intended) to be honest about it when he was caught. With all his blunt and fiery rhetoric on the House floor, he is the last person I would have expected to go weasel and untruthfully deny it. I'm still waiting for a politician to have the guts to stand up and say "My private life is no one's business but my wife's; I have no further comment." Instead, he contributed to the perception that sexting (and by extension, sex) is shameful and deviant.
ReplyDeleteI think a large part of the anger with Weiner over the dishonesty is disappointment in his lack of courage, given his courage on other issues.
I wonder if the stupid sex scandals that brought down Spitzer and Weiner (and almost Bill Clinton) are the dark side of the same coin that launched them into prominence -- a personality that is willing to take risks and seek thrills.
I lso think Savage nails it. things like this probably have been happening since the cavemen were drawing on cave walls.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being surprised- nah, most politicians are full of themselves and think they are too smart to get caught.
From Dan
Jill, I think the biggest stumbling block for Weiner was admitting. . .well, that's a photo of his wiener. And KNOWING that he probably had a bunch of comprimising pix out there, he was just hoping that he could avoid the tidal wave of embarrassment. Instead he made it worse.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dan, I agree with you. But I also think in this case "getting caught" was only an issue because he lied about it for a week. If he'd have owned up right away, we might not even be talking about it anymore.