The voters in Wiener's district should decide his political fate, PERIOD.

[RBInMaine]

He did wrong, and caught in an embarassing situation he lied. Nothing different than what so many people have done at some time in their lives, but yeah, he's a political office holder and should be held to a high standard. At the same time, this was essentially PRIVATE behavior. No one died. He didn't actually meet with any of the women. No one was physically hurt. And it did not interfere with him representing his constituents well. I don't condone what he did, but some perspective has to be maintained.

Clinton did not resign and would have been elected to a third term, no doubt. David Vitter, the R who routinely shagged DC Madam prostitutes, didn't resign. Indeed, he was just re-elected to the Senate. Thomas Jefferson fathered children with his slave. Ben Franklin had affairs and children out of wedlock. That foot-tapping Senator from Idaho caught in the airport men's room didn't resign. (Though he didn't run again.) Look at Gingrich. He's running for President. And what about John McCain? He had an affair on his first wife with Cindy before they were married. Then he ran for President and has been re-elected to the Senate. How many people reading this now have "cheated" in some way at some time either on a spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend and then lied about it or tried to squirm out of it? Hm? Whose hands are entirely clean?

I know people are almost more upset about the attempt to cover it up than the act itself, but who doesn't lie about this kind of stuff? He was embarassed. Simple as that.

A person's entire life can't be judged based upon one aspect or episode of it. I say get some counseling and then let the people decide at the next election. It is still a democracy, and forgiveness and redemption are important values too.

[tekisui]

1. A rarity, I agree completely.

[villager]

5. A double rarity! Me, too!

;-)

[RBInMaine]

12. Well there you go. Common ground can be found. :-)

[still_one]

2. Though I have no use for weiner, you are absolutely right. /nt

[pnwmom]

3. I would have strongly agreed with you 10 days ago. n/t

[wtbymark]

4. agreed n/t

[Nye Bevan]

6. If he stands firm he could definitely win re-erection (nt)

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. His upright position will surely stand him in good head

...I mean "stead".

[liberalmuse]

8. Agreed.

I don't think he should resign, but that's my opinion. He didn't commit a crime. I'm sick of sex scandals where the persons involved were consenting and did nothing illegal. Our society seems much too obsessed with other's sex lives. Granted, he's a public figure, but not the freakin' pope, or one of those hypocritical Republicans who does things on the down low while demonizing others. I wish our media and a lot of our citizens would grow the fuck up and stop this obsessive fascination with 'le scandal'.

[DCBob]

9. Acually its Weiner decision entirely.. unless he's done someting illegal.

But Democrats also have the right make their opinion known on what he should do.

[RBInMaine]

10. I mean let the voters decide at the next election. He should not resign.

[DCBob]

15. If he doesnt resign this is going to be ugly for quite awhile...

ethics investigations... criminal investigations.. endless talk show commentary. I think its best for everyone, including his consituents, for him to resign.

[RBInMaine]

19. So he must resign but not David Vitter? etc...... Vitter was just Re-ELECTED after doing WORSE.

I think people are going to get tired of this foolishness and move on sooner than later. Bigger fish to fry.

[GentryDixon]

13. They are pandering to the press.

[Bluerthanblue]

11. I agree- I wish he'd had the guts to have recognized he'd only

make it worse to admit it, but he didn't. His constituents can make their voices heard, and they should be the ones to decide whether they support him.

It's really no ones business but the individuals involved. This kind of thing wouldn't have made the news if some 'average joe' had done it- do we really think that high profile people are somehow without issues?

:shrug:

[elocs]

14. True, but he can decide it himself as well, can't he?

It was so simple. Even after the pictures, which was monumentally stupid for a member of Congress who had 2 brain cells to rub together, he could have simply told the truth, but he chose to lie. It's about the deliberate and specific lying, not the pictures. I think Americans are more than willing to forgive somebody who made a mistake rather than somebody who lied about it.

It's about the lying and no matter how many other people have done it before it is wrong. Choices, consequences. He pissed away what could have been a great political career. I wonder if he thinks it was worth it?

[RBInMaine]

20. I hear you, but who doesn't lie about sex? Have you ever lied about an embarassing situation? Ever?

[vaberella]

16. He'll be voted back in unless he resigns and doesn't run again. n/t

[elfin]

17. No - this will drag this out until 2012

It will be page one news impacting the rest of the national races, including Obama.

The inevitable House Ethics hearings will drag on and on with various women revealing their communications, and perhaps much more. All resounding to to all the Congressional and Senatorial races.

he needs to fall on his sword (so to speak) for the betterment of the issues he has been so eloquent and effective about.

I only hope for a twofer -- get rid of Vitter at the same fell swoop.

[RBInMaine]

21. No it won't. It will die out nationally and only be an issue locally for the Pubs in NY. And it

won't work. He'll go back to NY, have town halls, make amends, and will be re-elected in that heavily Democratic district.

[RBInMaine]

23. Vitter just got re-elected. What are you thinking??? You are over-reacting to this.

[craigmatic]

18. The calls for him to resign speaks to the cowardly nature of some democratic politicians. They

refuse to fight for anything including each other. We were more united under Clinton and he actually had sex with an intern. Why are our leaders so weak?

[RBInMaine]

22. They should just say what I have: "We don't condone this in any way, but he and the voters of his

district should decide his political fate. No one else."

[quaker bill]

24. Correct, and I rather expect they will.

This is a place where you want a primary challenge, perhaps with a progressive woman candidate if one can be found.