| By Dr. Jeffrey Lant The resignation of Congressman Anthony Weiner, June 16, 2011. Throwing away "the dearest thing he owed as 'twere a careless trifle." Shakespeare, who knew a thing or two about delivering the right conclusions to move audiences, would, no doubt about it, have been underwhelmed by every aspect of U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner's resignation yesterday. News junkies like me were informed that, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, the man who was the butt of a million off-color jokes for which he was completely responsible, would come before the people of the 9th New York district, and the world, and have his say before he went on his way. News junkies and history buffs all know such moments can produce riveting theatre; Shakespeare knew it too... and he, like us, would have hunkered down to await a signature American moment after which we could well and truly say (as Malcolm in "Macbeth") "Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it". But we were disappointed -- and irritated. Anthony Weiner let us down... and himself, too. Politicians know public life has many vicissitudes, that ups and downs are inevitably part of the picture. The question is not whether there will be bad days; there will be. The question is how you handle them so that you squeeze the utmost advantage even from the grimmest days. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives 7 times, Anthony Weiner became well known to his colleagues as a characteristic New Yorker. For those who have never been to the Big Apple and don't know the genre, you're missing out on one of the world's most interesting political animals, for such people are feisty, opinionated, bare knuckle fighters who relish going mano a mano with their opponents. New York politics is a corrida, and aficionados watch every move with a severely jaundiced and critical eye. Anthony Weiner was one of the best... at just 46 a man to watch. Ole'! Planning for the end. From June 6, 2011, when the scandal broke, it became clearer with every passing day and one abashing revelation after another, that only a supremely gifted politician could survive a scandal that titillated the nation. Weiner is not that gifted. He mulled over his options day by day, and they diminished as members of his own Democratic party became ever more insistent that he get lost and, like old soldiers, just fade away. The sinless Pharisees lead by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made America nauseous by prating on about Weiner's duty to beat it when it was clear this self-serving crew cared only about their own hides, imperiled by Weiner's train of indiscretions. You might have thought such folks, who had once lavished superlatives on Weiner, would have said some remarks indicating just how truly sorry they were their brother in Congress had erred so and was hurting. After all, Weiner had served his party and its members well until he started texting crotch shots. But politicians don't work that way. They are quick with compliments when such compliments cost them nothing but some of the hot air which they always have, and to spare. However, when their dear old colleague and friend stumbles and falls, they seize the moment to demonstrate the art form hypocrisy becomes in their practiced hands... They quickly look in the mirror to ensure that they are sinless and then seeing what they want to see, they cast the first stone... the second... the third... and every stone necessary to kill off and remove their once lauded friend and colleague. It's disgusting... it'd odious... it's the way they play politics the Washington way... hold your nose if you plan to venture closer to this noisome midden. In such a situation Anthony Weiner needed to move carefully and with some of the discretion so remarkably absent from his own, about to be abbreviated career. What did he want his end to accomplish, so that nothing so became it? He wanted that end to keep his options open and position him for whatever he wanted to do in the future. These options include, but are not limited to, recapturing his seat, running for another office, or just leaving in such a way that his political reputation and legacy were secure, seen as important, valuable, worthwhile. But did he get what he needed? Over the last few days reports surfaced that Anthony Weiner was frail, disoriented, at sea. No wonder. His smug, self-satisfied colleagues (their scandals not yet on the nation's lips) hit him with brickbat after brickbat. They wanted him to disappear, and as he refused to accede to their insistent wishes, they hurt him the more. That a mere mortal should wilt in such circumstances is hardly surprising... He bought some time for himself by getting a two-week leave of absence from his congressional duties, the better to seek counseling and assistance. There was at least the possibility in this that he would use the extra time to get a breather and study his options carefully... so that he could capture the silver lining from the thunder cloud he created for himself. Anthony Weiner blew his Broadway moment. I imagine but do not know that Anthony Weiner, like most U.S. politicians, is a student of American history. As such Weiner knew, or should have known, that what our countryman like is a fighter, someone who faces adversity with the full panoply of American virtues: energy, a never-say-die grit, a smile that won't quit and total focus on the American people and improvinig their lives. I say Weiner should have known all this but one celebrated New York politician didn't. This guy's name was Thomas E. Dewey. He was twice a candidate for president on the Republican ticket. The first time he got the nomination (1944) because of his grit and courage. Franklin Roosevelt, another New Yorker, beat him but not disgracefully so. The GOP kept the man's name on its dance card... and gave him another shot in 1948. But instead of running for president, Dewey (widely regarded as the certain winner) gave America bromides and homilies, not a decent idea or a single indication that he believed in anything aside from winning. Harry Truman knew America better than Dewey and knew Americans respected fighters, the fighters they were themselves. Weiner needed to go out fighting... but he didn't. He needed not just to thank his neighbors in the 9th district. He needed to remind them why they'd elected him 7 times... and, with some soaring rhetoric entirely absent from the proceedings, make them feel the issues important to him. That man is flesh and tempted is true... but a man may sin and sin again and still do the people's work and fight the people's battles. I wanted to see stuffing in Anthony Weiner... and I saw nothing but platitudes delivered before the inevitable flags. It just wasn't good enough... not for those neighbors, not for New York, not for America... and not to revive a once promising career whose last moments were interrupted by hecklers, one being a writer for Howard Stern. And so Anthony Weiner had his chance... and failed to turn lemons into lemonade. And when it became clear that he couldn't or wouldn't seize his moment and rise to the occasion... he became just another politician who could dish out the words all right... but who didn't have the right stuff, the stuff to rouse, motivate, enthuse and excite; the right stuff Americans know and admire because it is the best of us. |
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