NOW Launches Attack Against Weiner And Spitzer

From Politicker:

The National Organization for Women is urging voters to stay far, far away from this election’s two comeback candidates: disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who is running for comptroller, and former Congressman Anthony Weiner, a candidate for mayor.

Advocates with the pro-women’s group, which has endorsed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for mayor, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall today where they slammed the two redemption-seeking polls as anti-women.

“We need to be very clear that this prostitution scandal is not a victimless crime. His prostitution scandal is a crime, a crime for which he has yet to answer for. A crime that he has not been held accountable for.  And Eliot Spitzer is not above the law,” said NOW-NYC President Sonio Ossorio, who stood in front of a row of women holding signs reading, “Can’t trust a John with our DOUGH,” and, “Spitzer: woman won’t forget.”

Ms. Ossorio lumped Mr. Spitzer, who was forced to resign as governor five years ago in a prostitution scandal, together with Mr. Weiner, who was forced to resign as congressman after a sexting scandal, and disgraced ex-Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who has been accused of sexually harassing staffers and is now running for City Council.

“Eliot Spitzer, Anthony Weiner and Vito Lopez, all three think they can mistreat women and that women voters are going to dash to the polls to bring them back, to elect them to represent them,” she said. “Let’s not let that happen. The question for voters is: Are these men really going to be in tune to the needs of women or are they just going to see us as objects? … We expect more from out elected leaders.”

She further questioned both men’s judgement in allowing themselves to put their careers at risk in exchange for sexual satisfaction. “When you risk so much and you just throw  it all down the drain ’cause you want to send pictures of your genitalia to women? I mean, we can do better that. There are so many smart, great candidates,” she said.

So Weiner's gone from getting great press last week for how well people were reacting to him on the campaign trail to stories where's he's being lumped in with Eliot Spitzer and Vito Lopez as untrustworthy and misogynistic.

I bet even Weiner never forsaw this coming.

We'll see when the next slate of public polls comes out whether this publicity is hurting Weiner's support.

But it surely has taken him off message and derailed his campaign momentum while emboldening his rivals to start attacking him on his ethics.