Former Rep. Anthony Weiner is laying the groundwork for a political comeback, possibly as a startling addition to this year’s mayoral race, sources said yesterday.
Political insiders were abuzz at news that Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, had granted a lengthy magazine interview for the first time since his resignation in an embarrassing sexting scandal in 2011.
“The magazine piece is step one of a two-step process for him to run citywide this year,” said one Democratic Party source.
“He’s looking at public advocate and comptroller, but he really thinks he can use this to get back in and run for mayor.”
Weiner issued a terse “no comment” when asked about his plans.
Weiner has $4.3 million left in his campaign account, including $248,710 that would be matched 6-to-1 under the public-financing system.
A second source said Weiner has been contacting former staffers to prepare for his re-entry into politics.
Weiner’s entry into the Democratic primary for mayor would make it more difficult for any of the five candidates now in the race to get at least 40 percent of the vote and avoid a runoff.
This guy needs to grow up and get real freaking job.
You know, one where you actually have to, like, do stuff.
Weiner has never had a real job outside of politics, probably cannot conceive of doing something out of politics, and seems to need the attention people in politics get the way must of us need oxygen.
Frankly, he's a pathetic sight, trying to re-emerge and "redeem" himself through politics.
But he's not the first to do so.
Mark Sanford, he of the "Old Appalachian Trail, is the Republican candidate for Congress in a South Carolina District and David Vitter, the Senator who showed up in a madam's book as a fellow who liked to hire prostitutes, wear diapers and be a bad baby, never did resign and now has very high poll numbers.
Still, I think Weiner would grow into a better human being if stayed out of politics and trained in another career.
But it's apparent that's just not who he is.
In the end, I doubt he joins the mayor's race and runs instead for comptroller or public advocate.
I don't think he wins either race, not this time around, but maybe in the near future voters will forgive and forget and elect him to something,
I wish he would take his Twitter feed and his handset and just go away.
I bet Christine Quinnfeels the same way.
If Weiner joins the mayor's race, it hurts her the most.
If she loses even one or two percentage points to Weiner, it could be the difference between getting over the 40% in the primary and avoiding a runoff or getting under and having one.
Maybe he can't win, but he will come out and say how he has changed, and he is a family man now. His wife being an ally of Hillary Clinton will help him enormously (even if it keeps him just from being attacked by others).
ReplyDeleteHe definitely hurts Quinn the most, thereby also hurting Mayor Napoleon, which is not the worst outcome. He has got a war chest as you mentioned, high enough to see where the "Wall Street/Bloomberg" money goes, and he becomes a nice wild card factor.
Is he a career politician? Yes, but who other than the Bloomberg Party (Non-dems) candidates, who isn't a career politician? And if Mark Sanford can run, and he actually disappeared from his family for a week, what the heck is the difference about what Weiner did? All he did was text pictures of his junk in his underwear to folks. Sleazy? Yes. Dumb? Yes. Unforgettable? Yes, even he has to know that that will be the first issue brought up against him, so it lasts two days, big deal. I say the more that run, the better. The more that puts Quinn/Bloomberg under the spotlight, the better.
I understand that we all wish that most of the politicians should be lined up and shot, after the bankers/hedge funders first, but you get the point. The bigger the circus the better. Education policy will be at the forefront of the race regardless of who is in it, and the more the merrier as far as I am concerned.
VOTE MORE! DOWN WITH MULGREW!
In terms of hurting Quinn, you're right, Weiner in would be a good thing.
DeleteI doubt he will jump into that race and instead will jump in public advocate or comptroller instead.
I just dislike this guy so much - Weiner is an arrogant, venal prick with no core convictions or beliefs other than assuaging his own ego.
New Action is switching its endorsement from Thompson to Weiner.
ReplyDeleteI guess one tool is as good as another.
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