New Anthony Weiner “sexting” photos appeared on Tuesday, sparking a social media frenzy and prompting a press conference by the New York City mayoral candidate. Weiner was flanked by his wife, Huma, who spoke out publicly for the first time to support her husband despite his digital, and very public, indiscretions.
Weiner may have earned his wife’s forgiveness but msnbc’s Chris Matthews is holding him to a higher standard. “How could anybody say they want him to be Mayor of New York City?” he asked his guests on Hardball Tuesday evening.
“Let’s get straight what we’re talking about here,” Matthews said. “This guy, who wants to represent the greatest city in the country, was sending frontal nude pictures of himself, apparently to strangers whom he is, as of tonight, asking their forgiveness for any ‘inconvenience’ that those pictures have caused them. What can you say? This man breathes chutzpah! It hasn’t stopped and may never stop. Only the form of exhibition has changed, from sexting to running out there live for public office.”
Later in the segment Matthews remarked: “After Rudy [Giuliani] cleaned up the city, and Bloomberg’s done just a famous job of cleaning up the city, making it proud for the whole country–everybody likes New York now–bring in Weiner to mess it all up again.”
Weiner insisted that he’ll stay in the race. Will he remain the frontrunner in the Democratic primary? Win the mayoral election? Send any more texts? Watch more of Chris’ conversation here:
Ali Vitali is MS NOW's senior congressional correspondent and the host of "Way Too Early." She is the author of "Electable: Why America Hasn’t Put a Woman in the White House … Yet." Recommended
