Top Links: ‘Carlos Danger’–a reminder that money still rules politics

Top Story: The question people should be asking isn’t “Why” but rather “How is Anthony Weiner still in the race for mayor of New York City?”

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• Anthony Weiner is sticking with this mayoral race thing, and it’s not because the latest poll numbers look good for him. Not. At. All. (First Read)

• “Poll numbers aside, only two things force #Weiner out — shame and money. He’s got none of former and lots of latter. Ergo, he stays.” (Robert George)

• Earlier this month Weiner reported over $800,000 raised — in just two months. (Capital)

• Overall, the latest fundraising totals he’s filed with the city show he’s got a war chest of about $5.7 million, which is second only to front-runner Christine Quinn’s $7.5 million. (New York City Campaign Finance Board)

• “He’s also been spending less than many of his competitors.” (Politicker)

• You see, among the many things Weiner’s been tapping is the Clinton donor list. (The Wall Street Journal) and (The Atlantic Wire)

• However, break down those latest fundraising numbers, and we see that Weiner isn’t the candidate of the middle class, as he repeatedly likes to claim. No, he’s the candidate of the big-spending donor. He has a smaller percentage of small-dollar donors (under $175/per) contributing to his campaign than any of the other candidates. Plus, Weiner’s average donation — $1,312 — dwarfs that of Christine Quinn and Bill Thompson by, roughly, about $400 each and almost doubles that of Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. (New York City Campaign Finance Board)

• And that is how a man with no credibility — and no real record to speak of — can quite literally afford to be labeled a “sociopath” for staying in a race out of sheer vanity. (Josh Barro)

• All of which is a bit ironic (I mean, what isn’t with this guy) because when Weiner bowed out of the race in 2009, he bemoaned Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s billions in a New York Times op/ed: “The sad truth for a political candidate without deep pockets is that while money isn’t the only thing, it does matter.” And cue the violins. (Anthony Weiner)

• Oh, and did I mention wife Huma Abedin’s mother and sister both gave the max to Weiner’s campaign —12 days before he was forced to admit that, yes, he was Carlos Danger? Yeah, he’s a charmer, that one. (New York City Campaign Finance Board)

• “I am a good capitalist.” Yes you are, sir. Yes. You. Are. (The New York Times)