As expected, Anthony Weiner is out. Unless he decides to run again, this story -- blessedly, and at long last -- is over. In keeping with the circus-like nature of this entire odyssey, Weiner was loudly heckled throughout his brief speech, including a memorable outburst immediately after he announced his intention to resign. This is the only video I can find at the moment; check back later for a complete clip:
Weiner is not the only public official to have resigned in disgrace over a moral failing, and he won't be the last. As many have pointed out, others -- like Republican Senator David Vitter -- choose not to step aside, and manage to survive. Ultimately, it was Weiner's habitual inapporpriate online behavior and his week-long, lie-filled media tour that did him in. The story wouldn't die, and Democrats forced him out. I'll leave you a few wise words from Peggy Noonan, writing in the Wall Street Journal last weekend:
Sometimes all of Washington has to put up its hand up like a traffic cop and say no. It has to say: That doesn't go here, it's not acceptable, it's not among the normal human transgressions of back stairs, love affairs and the congressman on the take. This is decadence. It is pornography. We can't let the world, and the young, know it's "politically survivable." Because that will hurt us, not him, and define us, not him. So: enough.
Enough, indeed.
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