In a sad twist to the Weinergate scandal, the cybersexting Congressman’s wife is reportedly pregnant. Huma Abedin, 35, has been married to 46 year-old Congressman Anthony Weiner since just July of last year. Abedin is a longterm aide to Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton even officiated the Weiner’s wedding. (Hillary can probably teach Weiner’s wife a thing or two about managing the political fallout from a cheating spouse who lies about it to the press. Obviously Weiner learned nothing from Bill Clinton’s example.)
I would write that this is just a rumor and is not confirmed, but it’s a rumor in a blog from the NY Times, and they write that several sources have confirmed the news. Weiner of course claims his wife isn’t happy with his cyber sexing, but that she’s sticking by him for now. The story that she’s pregnant adds some perspective to her apparent decision to stay.
Representative Anthony D. Weiner and Huma Abedin are about to make news of a different kind: they are expecting their first child.
Ms. Abedin, 35, is in the early stages of pregnancy, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.
The pregnancy, which the couple has disclosed to close friends and family, adds a new dimension to questions about the future of their marriage.
Mr. Weiner, 46, has admitted to engaging in salacious online conversations with at least six women over the last few years, including an incident last month in which he sent a photograph of himself in underwear to a college student in Washington state. He apologized to his wife and declared that they have no intention of splitting up.
“We will weather this,” Mr. Weiner said on Monday, during his emotional news conference. “I love her very much, and she loves me.”
But Ms. Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton, has remained silent about the topic as she keeps up a hectic schedule at the State Department.
Ms. Abedin returned to work this week and departed on Wednesday for a trip to Northern Africa with Ms. Clinton.
A State Department spokesman declined to comment Wednesday afternoon.
[From Cityroom NYTimes.com]
Yesterday Bedhead pointed me to this article in the NY Post in which Sex and The City actor Chris Noth commented on Weinergate. He made some interesting observations. “Imagine if sex didn’t matter in politics, what would it be like?… I think media has changed our society not for the better. I think we would never have a John F. Kennedy with you guys around… I’d rather have [bleeped] some lady than [bleep] the country.” A lot of people agree with that last sentiment, and think that puts this all in perspective. If you have a good politician who fools around on his wife (and in this case just virtually as far as we know), what does it matter? I think the fact that the guy lied to multiple news outlets about it afterwards and was arrogant and evasive does matter, and that it speaks to his character. Plus he wasn’t just tweeting his dick to porn stars and single moms, he was sexting with 21 year-old college students. That’s technically legal, but it still makes him a skeeve.
Now that Weiner’s political future is up to question it leaves the field wide open for a potential Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City in 2013. Weiner was considering running for Mayor before we saw a photo of his dick in boxer briefs. (And a photo of his unclad erection has surfaced as well.)
Actor Alec Baldwin is reporting considering a run for mayor in 2013 in Weiner’s stead. His rep told Entertainment Weekly “I wouldn’t rule it out.” If Schwarzenegger can be governor of California I guess Baldwin can be mayor of New York. We already know that Baldwin has anger management issues, but some more dirt will probably come out on him if he enters politics. Chris Noth pretty much called it.
Photos of the happy couple are from 3/6/11 and 5/14/09. Credit: WENN.com
I really feel for her. He needs to resign already and try to save his marriage.
Imagine that the joy of finding out you are pregnant for the first time is overshadowed by the horror and embarrassment of finding out your husband is a skeeve.
Sucks.
This makes me dislike him even more. I just don’t like cheating. I feel super bad for Huma. I feel like the way his sexting conversations were going he would have, without hesitation, had sex with anyone of those women, but the moron outed his self. Thats the thing that makes me dislike him, if he hadn’t gotten caught he would have with out a doubt in my mind had sex with another woman.
LOL actually his sexting conversations were hilarious. I was watching The Daily Show last night, apparently one woman he was chatting with wanted to watch The Daily Show and Colbert Report while doing it but she said something about it not working but Weiner is all like “If I am behind you we can both watch it.” It was hilarious and disgusting all in the same swirl of emotion.
That poor woman
Well I am a New Yorker (though he isn’t my Congressman) and I don’t think he should resign YET….What he did was really stupid but I still feel like it isn’t that important at the end of the day when there are so many real problems getting ignored by the media.
So yeah I agree with Chris Noth.
Ouch!
Chris Noth’s point is not valid. If a politician is dishonest with his most intimate commitments to spouse, family, and telling the truth when discovered in a lie…how can he be trusted to do the right thing in other areas of his outside life? Someone who disregards personal vows will not honor promises to the strangers he represents.
I think it is naive to believe that this kind of dishonest and immature behavior is magically contained to his personal sex life and does not have any effect on his work.
Bad judgment is bad judgment. And he has shown a whopping amount of it.
Meh, it wasn’t even a nude photo. (Not counting his skinny man tits photo. :p )NotBlake Lively could teach him a few things. Men troll side pieces and women also string along men in the same fashion. Side women pieces just know the power of tabloid money and media attention now-a-days. (and good for them. Keeping people’s *hit honest.) He wasn’t using taxpayer funds to go to Argentina for his sexy mamacita strange and lie about being on the Appl. Trail. He wasn’t soliciting gay airport bathroom BJs with odd foot signals. (We need more haha stories like that!)
If they keep their marriage together, I wouldn’t be surprised. People can work things out. Fancy that. Hell, she might be like me and share temp gfs with her husband. There could be a whole “what-they-trippin’-’bout-boo” side to this from her. Who knows and who cares…
He’s not abusing any of his political duties or laws- yet. He gets a gold star for having the surname Wiener and MAKING it into politics at all. LOL
Regardless of his personal kink level, Anthony Weiner has been extremely effective for New York..listening to talk radio yesterday, I think his constituency will continue to support him bc he fights hard for them.
As for what goes on btw him and his wife, that should remain between him and his wife. His tweeting photos has nothing to do with me if he’s fighting to bring jobs, safety, & opportunity to NYC.
I don’t expect my politicians to be boy scouts, nuns or live some sort of pure life. I expect them to fight for my interests as a tax-paying citizen and to be effective. This doesn’t exonerate him for what he did, but he hasn’t committed a crime. I just believe the only person he needs to answer to is Huma.
I don’t think it really matters what goes on between him & his wife. He LIED which shows he is deceptive and probably self serving with a major ego laced with insecurity. Yeah sure someone who is a shitty husband might be a good at his job so it’s all separate. I think people should demand more from their representatives. Nobody cares who you sleep with just don’t lie and expect people to see you as a man of integrity. Btw some people shouldn’t be married. It’s probably the whole image he needs.
Oh what Noth said is too utilitarian for me “yeah I might be a jerk husband but I do my job well” we are human and accept you f’ed up don’t lie.
I trust she will be fine and as for him, she will keep him closer than a pimple on a teen’s face trust me! I can see that lease growing tighter and tighter around his neck. He’ll learn now to think with his brain and not his weiner. 🙂
Jebus! What a terrible situation for her to be in. It is hard enough for women to leave their husbands when they have young children. This kid hasn’t even been born yet!
In my lifetime I have heard that these following policians have cheated: Thomas Jefferson, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Rudy Guliani, Newt Gingrich. (I am sure there are a ton of others…these just come to mind easily)
I don’t think it’s right. I don’t support it or condone it. It leaves a bad impression. I understand that there is much pain to innocent people in the wake of such goings-on.
That being said, and me being totally honest: if I had to choose between let’s say Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to be my president, I would not even hesitate. I would choose Clinton hands down.
Regardless of any affairs or scandel, brains and good sense would win out in my book. That is kind of how I feel about Weiner. Don’t like his private behavior in this case and HATE that he hurt his wife, but boy do I appreciate his political knowledge and passion.
It makes things difficult.
On a related note: I have read that George W. Bush allegedly had an affair or affairs?? Can anyone enlighten me as to who that was with?
I just cannot even imagine that man fooling around with any woman.
He reminds me of Beeker from the Muppets.
Great post originalgracie. From what I know JFK didn’t even hide his affairs he had Marilyn Monroe singing him ‘Happy Birthday’ on national TV for heavens sakes, and FDR died while on vacation with his mistress (he was still in office). My problem is when they either break the law (Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards), are doing something that contradicts policies they support (Any Republican homosexual), or cases of sexual harrassment.
On GW I’ve never heard that but I have heard that George Sr had a mistress.
The man should resign already. If a school teacher did this, he would be fired. Period.
I feel for his wife, but I still think they have some kind of arrangement, a la Bill and Hillary.
Re: Chris Noth. We are not living in the 1960’s. That schmuck of a congressman should know that we are living in an age where privacy is practically non-existent; and if you are a public figure, people are going to be judgemental and nosey.
ALso, that comment about screwing a woman instead of screwing the country was originally said by Shirley Maclaine about JFK.
Meh. It’s between him and his wife. He wasn’t using taxpayer/government money or time so far as we know, and he didn’t do anything illegal. I don’t think it should affect his political career. This is pretty tame compared to what a lot of other politicians have done.
@mln76: Thank you! I totally agree with
and absolutely co-sign your points as well. I too especially detest the Family-Values-Anti-Gay-Rights Republican who ends up with his hand caught in the gay cookie jar. To vote for harsh policies against gays and then to be found to be one yourself is pretty low.
I may have to go and lie down with a cold towel on my head at your revelation that George Bush Sr. had a mistress! I would never, ever have imagined that. He was always so….crotchety. I guess you never know.
@Jamie: Nice logical fallacy. I’m sure you’ve never lied before and because of that, you are 100% trustworthy.
X =/= Y. If he does skeevy stuff with women online, this does not necessarily mean he’s a bad politician. Clinton was a skeeze, but an amazing politician.
This story would be so much more interesting if he were one of those family values wielding types.
I kind of love his article from Cosmo a few years back (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/anthony-weiner-cosmopolitan_n_872548.html) So much for those political plans, huh?
Great Post originalgracie! I get so frustrated that politicians continue to do stupid things but I get even more frustrated when they get caught and then lie about it. Has that worked for anyone yet? I would have had more respect for him if, like many posters here have suggested, he had said, “Yes, that was me but I’m only discussing that with my wife”. Politicians (and everyone else) have no responsibility to divulge their private lives/feelings all over the place like some reality star. It’s not what we pay them for.
And don’t get me started on the women who come out of the woodwork for their 15 minutes of fame after having sex/sexting/tapes/whatever with famous people. It is disgusting.
The only person that COULD have any credibility speaking about this issue is Weiner’s wife and if she wants to talk then I’ll listen. Everyone else, including Weiner, should STFU.
THAT’S why she’s staying with him. For now.
(Here’s a comment I wrote on previous thread on Wheeping Weiner, and it sums up how I still feel about this matter):
Like it or not, people in a position of power are held to a higher standard than us every-day Joes.
What I expect of the people I vote for is that they, at the very least, are able to conduct themselves in a way that A) is not embarrassing and B) doesn’t require bald-faced lies to me.
Since I’ve managed to live without sexting strangers and posting various body part pictures online, I don’t believe it’s asking too much of our elected officials to do the same.
EDIT: Since I was also taught personal responsibility, and to admit when I mess up (and apologise if necessary, I also don’t like people who try to duck, weave, and bob their way out of direct questions. And I really don’t like liars.
First of all, I have to laugh. Is there a such thing as a “good politican”? Aren’t they all, by the nature of the political machine, manipulators? What bugs me about this guy (and all the others) is the LYING and the HYPOCRISY.
@ Delta Juliet – No. Politicians are like gynecologists: a necessary evil.
What the guy did was skeevy but not illegal. Lying about it didn’t help anything but I think that’s something between him and his wife to figure out.
@Delta Juliet all politicians lie and are hypocrites. Even someone as hallowed as Abraham Lincoln lied and contradicted himself in order to preserve the Union but he is IMO our best president. The problem in this country is we concentrate on the wrong things. We like to buy the package that a politician sells us rather than see what they are capable of doing. That’s how the economy has ended up in this rut because for the last few decades we as a country have become less and less capable of actually of having any intelligent political discourse. I would rather a president who cheats on their wife(or husband) but is capable of protecting the economy, and national security than someone who is ‘moral’ but inept.
ITA, bellaluna….well said!
@ Quest exactly the word I thought
“ouch”
OriginalGracie wrote: “I may have to go and lie down with a cold towel on my head at your revelation that George Bush Sr. had a mistress! I would never, ever have imagined that.”
Personally I don’t find it much of a stretch, seriously did you ever see his wife? Hell, you slap a gray wig on any of her sons and they could pass for her in a pinch.
Luckily she seems to have a nice personality, which is more than I can say for myself after that comment…
I agree very much with your comments “from a previous post” #23, Bellaluna! I don’t expect elected officials to have SPOTLESS pasts. But during the period that one is currently elected as an official, is it too much to ask that one REFRAIN from deceitful, lewd and lascivious behavior?! #@$!*&
And since I’m new to this story and haven’t read any remarks about it yet, “Is his wife ridiculously beautiful — or is it just me seeing that?”
This is so sad. This should be the happiest time in her life and instead it’s probably the worst.
She needs to get herself tested for STDs (he claims he only sexted these women, but who knows if that’s not just another lie) and get a good divorce lawyer. There is no point trying to make a marriage work with someone like that. The Tigers and Arnolds are proof of that.
Incidentally, I disagree with Chris Noth. The fact that Weiner treats his wife with such disrespect also creates great blackmail material, which makes him a politician who’s easily compromised. A compromised politician doesn’t serve the people, he does whatever he has to to avoid being exposed.
@ Alexa – His wife is very beautiful
@ Violet – Excellent comment about “easily compromised politicians.” SPOT ON!
Oh god no. IF its true, she may not want to leave him now. What a mess. I feel for her in either case.
Isn’t Huma to be rumored as Hilary’s lesbian lover?
@originalgracie: but you CAN imagine someone fooling around with the WEINERGATOR ? EWWWWWWWWWW
I don’t think many people believe what he did was illegal. They are not asking him to step down because of that. They are asking him to step down because his ethics have been called in to question. If he’d been up front and said from the start “Yep, I did it, my bad. I’m working with my wife on this, and I’m sorry to my friends and family” Many many people would certainly understand. He didn’t and that’s why he’s in trouble. People are going to question what else he’s lied about that’s even more important, and in today’s political world, you have to be smart. If he’s not even smart enough to not do what he did knowing how easy it is to get caught, why would people vote for him for mayor? It’s a waste of money and time for his party, and a shame, but that’s just how it is. They’ll back someone who can be an ass, but only as long as people will vote for him/her. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you are on, that’s just how it is. Money for backing and votability, Weiner doesn’t have much of either anymore.
@min76: Spot on. I’m with Chris Noth as well. If we could put James McAvoy (as Xavier in XMen) on it, he’d say that just about all of those hypocrites in Washington/whereever cheat. I’d bet money it’s over 50%.
People lie. Everyone has lied at some point. I don’t think it’s anyone’s issue except his, his wife’s, and the women involved. That’s it. I haven’t been following this because it’s a non issue for me. It distracts us from the real issues, like the economy, wars, Medicare, etc. etc. etc.
And, on a practical issue, if you want this guy to resign, make sure that other politician — who slept with HOOKERS — resigns as well. Vitters? He’s still in the senate!
i’m not happy about the round of interviews where he lied… i’ve given up worrying about what politicians do in their private lives. i really liked rep. weiner until he lied in those interviews.
PS — his wife is beautiful.
Good Congressman. Terrible husband.
Ms. Abedin has a choice on her hands. I hope, for her sake, that she isn’t deluded into believing he will change. She is too smart for that, I am sure. This is part of who he is. It also appears to be a trait that co-exists with charismatic, smart politicians. (Not saying you have to be an adulterer to be a god politician)
He does great work legislatively, in my opinion. I don’t think the fact that he is reprehensible in his personal relationships NECESSARILY carries over to his behavior as a politician. Clinton is a perfect example of that.
It’s kind of pathetic that they leaked this pregnancy story in order to sway public opinion and for him to stay in office. Really disgusting, I guess this marriage is all about power.
Ted Kennedy killed a woman & remained a lifer in Congress & a liberal hero to boot. Sadly, I don’t expect much to come of this.
Ok, if Weiner was a woman and sent pics of her wet underwear or a close-up of her vulva- she would be shamed and called a whore and asked to resign that day- don’t you think? Her politics would mean nothing- even if she was an amazing, brilliant congresswoman. I’m just saying.
What jamie said.
Love me some Chris Noth, but he’s totally off-base here. To compartmentalize your life and do dishonest things in one sector, while maintaining integrity in all others, is not possible. Those who think they actually can do this are called ….sociopaths.
Does that mean other lying politicians (oxymoron) are sociopaths? Yeah, maybe.
@Poopie: Yeah, I hear you and I know what you mean.
But to me, Bush Sr. always just seemed like such a crabby old man that I couldn’t imagine him gettin’ some on the down low.
Weiner is not classically handsome or anything, but he is very, very smart (politically…not affair-wise) and he is wicked funny. Those traits tend to make a man more attractive.
Does anyone remember the episode of The Simpsons where Marge and Homer lived next door to Bush Sr. and Barbara? Hilarious shit.
She’s lovely. I really feel badly for her, this has to be so awful.
I hate that he lied about it, but nothing he did was illegal, just incredibly stupid and lousy, and should be dealt with privately within their family. Resignation should only be demanded if it was something illegal (like Vitter’s hookers!) or affects their job – or their life too much to do their job.
My daughter and I went to a rally in Maine where Bill Clinton was coming in to bolster the vote for Libby Mitchell. We stood outside in the f*ing freezing cold for almost 2 hours to get to stand in front. We were literally right behind where Bill was speaking. He has absolutely killer charisma and the man is so smart politically that it’s downright amazing to hear him speak.
Afterwards he did a sweep of everyone in the front section to say hi, hello, thanks for coming and shake hands. He came in close and shook my daughters hand and then he reached over and took my hand and squeezed it and wow, it was like electricity.
I don’t know what it is about him, but damn, the man has it going on.
@Embee: “I don’t think the fact that he is reprehensible in his personal relationships NECESSARILY carries over to his behavior as a politician. Clinton is a perfect example of that.”
This is brilliant and absolutely how I feel. So well stated.
#7 Jamie – I agree with you. A person who shows disregard for their loved ones will show the same (maybe more) for those that they know peripherally. He can’t be trusted. He breached a trust with his pregnant spouse, so what type of duplicitous behavior will he show in his work?
Every time I hear about this cheating d-bag husbands, I’m happy that I’m not married. Poor woman. Imagine how she feels carrying this idiot’s baby and he’s trolling for some strange on the internet.
@Autumnstars, actually several of the pictures were taken in his office, and there’s evidence he used his office equipment (computer, etc.) to communicate with these women. Also, he probably doesn’t pay for his own cell phone, so that’s probably taxpayer-funded equipment as well.
Heh. Equipment. Heh heh.
Maybe I’ve just become de-sensitized with the wake of all these sex scandals, but I agree with Chris Noth. I don’t care what any of them do with their wieners anymore. And the whole “he LIED” argument is not really valid to me. They all lie.
This scandal is the funniest in a while….I mean the guys name is Weiner! How classic. I thought it was a joke when the news first broke.
He is one creepy dude. Trying to hang on to his job by releasing that his wife is pregnant and saying his wife wants him in Congress? So what, why should we care what his wife, or for that matter what he wants? He blew it now it’s time to go. Job over, Mr. Ding Dong.
@Jamie @Francesca @Violet: I completely agree. You cannot compartmentalize and a compromised politician is trouble.
For anyone saying this is ‘just business as usual,’ you are accepting a societal problem that is really sexist and patriarchal. What happened to basic civility and decency as a human being and spouse? To say it’s just men being men is accepting a double standard that is really sexist and needs to change. Why is it okay for these politicians to treat their wives as expendable campaigning tools and cheat on them? Only because they still went to office and did part of their job? That’s what is required, not what is to be rewarded with looking away when sleazy lies like this surface. It just means society is even MORE effed up than you should accept.
There is a nude photo out, and a long transcript of his “sexts” with the blackjack dealer. Makes him sound like a total sexist pig. I am so disappointed in this guy. I feel terrible for poor Huma. She is a million times too good for him.
I’d just like to put out there that we don’t have any idea what their marriage is like. Or any politician, or public figure. His wife could very well have known about this, plenty of people negotiate open marriages. That being said, she can and should be seriously giving him a verbal beat down if that’s not the case. We just don’t know.
Apropos of nothing, I frigging LOVE her dress in the top photo. I would totally wear it. Not as well, but I would do it.
the reason why this ISN”T just about him and his wife is this: he was using his official twitter and facebook pages to pick up chicks. I mean, one of the women said she called him hot and he was dming her within an hour. It’s like what a dumb ass. I mean him and his wife can sort out the infidelity issues, but he is still responsible for explainin why he was using his station of power to get some pu ssy. I don’t think he should resign but I do think his career is over now, and all for soem dumb words with a 40 year old black jack dealier. LOL
Ugh hate to be defending him because he is an idiot but in the real world you don’t fire a person for cheating on their wife, unless it’s proven that he’s done something financial, illegal, or is guilty of actual harassment I do consider this a personal matter. It’s basically up to his constituents to decide whether they want him gone and up to his wife to either kick him out on his ass (what he deserves) or forgive him.
@sonoa sorry that doesn’t fly all the official means in the case of Facebook/Twitter is that it’s verified that it is infact him and not someone pretending to be him. Facebook and Twitter are both free services so no tax payer money went to this.
He is not obligated to resign. Neither is she obligated to freaking stay with a stupid, sexually reckless, unethical bastard. Poor woman. This beyond sucks for her.
I only hope they are not faking pregnancy rumors for a sympathy ploy. Either situation is bad.
What a lovely woman! But a cheater is a cheater, even a dweeby looking guy like Congressman Weiner.
Hmmm-quikie divorce, full custody of child for Wener’s wife because he is too busy being a congressman?
Anthony is more than just a “Weiner”…he’s a real PUTZ!
I don’t really get why porn stars and single mom’s are lumped together in the category of “more acceptable than a college student to tweet a picture of your dick to”… ???
poor thing.
I understand that a person’s private life may not directly affect how they perform at their job, but I still think honesty is a virtue. Call me crazy, but I too think that if a man would lie to his wife, it doesn’t bode well for the rest of us that he’d be honest to us about his policies or his creed. Like the wife, he probably tells us what we want to hear.
Tony Weiner left wing leaner
Sent some pics of that weiner
To a girl with a neener
Must have thought that it was keener
But only received as being meaner
Than if at first her had seen-her
Now Tony says he’ll make it cleaner …
If sending again will use a screen-er
Pledges to all to change that demeanor
And stop the looking for grasses greener