A widely distributed news story yesterday from veteran political reporter Frederic Dicker stated that Bill and Hillary Clinton are "livid" that Huma Abedin/Anthony Weiner are comparing themselves to the former First Couple in the wake of Weiner's latest sexting scandal.
At risk of being the skunk at the Clinton's garden party, I'd suggest that the Clintons have little reason to climb upon their high moral horse. Sure, Huma Abedin is "standing by her man" in much the way Hillary Clinton did, but even in 1992 -- as we all know in mind-numbing detail from the '90's -- Bill was well-known to have a way with the ladies . . . in a much more up-close-and-personal way than Weiner.
Weiner has not been credibly accused of rape. Bill Clinton has.
Weiner has not been been credibly accused of workplace sexual harassment. Bill Clinton has.
Weiner has not received oral sex in the Oval Office while serving as our nation's president. Bill Clinton has.
Weiner has not, while Commander-in-Chief, received oral sex when on the phone with a congressman discussing troop deployments in Bosnia. Bill Clinton has.
Weiner has not lied to the country while serving as its highest elected official. Bill Clinton has.
Weiner has not been credibly accused of perjury, obstruction of justice, and witness-tampering while serving as the nation's chief law enforcement executive. Bill Clinton has.
Finally, Weiner's wife hasn't sought to minimize his conduct, mislead the country and destroy his accusers for decades -- despite having every reason to suspect that at least some of the charges leveled against him might be true. Bill Clinton's wife has.
Weiner's behavior is repugnant and appalling. He sounds like a deviant creep who has no business anywhere near public office. But the Clintons are, once again, unbelievable in their utter shamelessness. By any sensible measure, their conduct has been far worse and far more damaging to the country than anything Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner have done. Yet they are the ones who are "livid" about the Weiner/Clinton comparisons?
Without Bill and Hillary Clinton's example, Anthony Weiner would never even have thought about seeking the New York mayoralty. The Clintons -- both of them -- are the ones who taught a generation of up-and-coming would-be presidents that it is possible to behave in the most unbecoming ways imaginable without that behavior becoming a bar to high office.
Especially if the predatory politician husband is lucky enough to have a wife who is power-hungry enough to enable him.
The sad truth: The Clintons aren't "livid" about Weiner's behavior because it's wrong, inimical to the national interest, and unbecoming in one who would seek to be elevated as a leader. History proves that neither of them could care less about any of that. They're "livid" because it reminds Americans about just how repellent their own behavior has been, and risks upsetting the careful rehabilitation of their own images in the run-up to 2016.
And America deserves better than the Clintons OR the Weiners.