by Daphna Berman
Anthony Weiner is used to being in the headlines, but for once, the outspoken congressman is trying to retreat—though perhaps ungracefully— from the public eye. The latest Weiner brouhaha started Friday, after a close up of a man’s crotch was sent from Weiner’s Twitter account. The Democrat from Queens insisted it was an Internet prank and tried his best to put the matter to rest, but in neglecting to have law enforcement authorities look into the matter, he just raised more eyebrows. In an interview with MSNBC meant to clear the air and clamp down on the media blitz, Weiner seems to have only made things worse; he told a reporter he couldn’t say “with certitude” that the man in the lewd photo wasn’t him.
Everyone, including Weiner’s long-time pal Jon Stewart, appears to be weighing in. And despite their long-standing friendship, Stewart isn’t holding anything back. “My memory is this cat had a lot more Anthony and a lot less Weiner,” he said, expressing doubts over the veracity of the story.
Indeed, the issue doesn’t seem to be dying, because as Weiner recently boasted to Moment, “I’m a big deal.”