You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Jun 8, 2011 at 9:35pm
I get it that everyone loves a sex scandal. I get it that this is worth a few giggles. But I'm trying to find out what's happening in the world--I'm being charged by the minute for Internet access, so I'm in a hurry--and all I can see in the news, everywhere, is Reflections on Congressman Weiner's Weiner. Front page, every American news site, as if this were the only important story in the world.
Note to my fellow Americans: Have any interest in remaining globally relevant? Then get your minds out of the gutter and focus. We've got bigger problems.
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May '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
C'mon Claire...since when do "news feeds" represent what the American public is thinking?
Sep '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Oscar Meyer, call your office.
Jun '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Yeah...I thought this story was more important...but apparently not.
May '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Funny lady! Global Irrelevance is Official Administration Policy!
Now, repeat after me, "We're Number 6! We're Number 6!"
May '11
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
I think this is a critically important story, but it seems to get lost in the salacious elements.
A man has been using his position as a member of Congress to seduce women, apparently sometimes underaged women. This type of behavior has a long pedigree, at least since the Classical Greek times (see Aeschines' "Against Timarchus").
If a man is so driven to use power to seduce women in such sordid ways, then what can he be trusted to do? If he is so driven to protect his power so he can continue his sordid behavior that he will lie, insult, and intimidate citizens, then what limits does he have? How can we trust him?
I think it's an extremely important story, and one that needs to be framed from the standpoint of honor and trust and his lack of either. This is a man that the Democrat party has been lauding for his boorish behavior. This is a man that famously shouted at fellow congressmen to intimidate them. We can no longer trust him, if ever we could, and we need to challenge the democrats to explain their support of him.
Aug '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
My guess is that if he pronounced his last name "Whiner", a lot of this wouldn't be happening.
Who can resist a suggestive pun?
Sep '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
An American Congressman is caught doing something sleazy through his own incompetence. Then he lies about it and slanders people and encourages others to do the same. And then when caught out has to admit he is a lying piece of crap. But, hey, he's only a member of our government, who cares? If he was a ship's captain in the Navy he would be summarily fired a la Owen Honors. Why are members of congress held to a lesser standard than the military officers they appoint. On the contrary, It is an important story.
Oct '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Claire Berlinski, Ed.:
Note to my fellow Americans: Have any interest in remaining globally relevant? Then get your minds out of the gutter and focus. We've got bigger problems. ·
I figure that's the long and short of it.
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
For people who follow politics, Weinerama is a diversion. When everything else is Gotterdammerung, a little opera bouffe - or buff, if you wish - is a relief. It also has the throws a megawatt Klieg light on the various faults and failings of his supporters, and the OMG culture of cyber-courtesans who worshiped this hissy-spitting bantam. He seemed like an awesome dude who hated the right people AND would go halvsies on an abortion - i.e., a modern gallant.
For people who don’t follow politics - most people, in other words - it’s just a thread in the great braided rope of Celebrity Failings, intertwined with Paris Hilton’s bad ratings and J-Lo’s sex tape. I wouldn’t worry. Ten years ago no one suggested we couldn’t strike the Taliban as long as the question of Gary Condit’s complicity in the Chandra Levy case was still a question.
Weiner could have twittered his groinal engorgement to Erdogan himself, and few would care about the issue of rewriting the Turkish constitution after the election. The "Sleeping Giant" may be fearsome when wakened, but it also invented the snooze alarm.
Sep '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
And, oh, I didn't notice any post from you about how we've got bigger problems than an obsession with whether or not Sarah Palin had her revolutionary war history exactly right or communicated it perfectly. I take it that's of crucial importance to the future of the republic. Based upon the number of posts about it.
May '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
No we do not. An Australian infobabe is clearly vexed with me on Twitter because all we're talking about is Weiner instead of climate change. The climate can go hang, as far as we're concerned. But take away our Weiner jokes, and America will truly have lost a part of her soul.
Weiner jokes are the backbone of this nation. And a useful middle finger to extend to the world. This is what we're talking about, and nothing shall swerve us from it. Deal wit it, world.
Sep '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
We've got bigger problems.
Funny you say that as I just had to use my anti virus software to kill a pop up ad for Pippa Middleton's glute exercise secrets.
Nov '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
I was just going to write up a comment precisely about this --- the dude actually does not know how to pronounce his last name. Maybe I get a little annoyed with this because I speak German and have a certain respect for the language of Goethe and Kafka, but if we're referring to the "appendage" (and we can thank idiotic American advertising and Oscar Meyer for this ridiculous vernacular malapropism), then the proper orthography is "i" before "e," with the pronunciation "ee."
But Congressman "Whiner" ain't down with that, probably because he really is a complete . . . wiener.
Sep '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
I keep waiting for the unintentional google searches of Werner Klemperer and Pat Sajack.
Nov '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
You've been in this business long enough to know that if it bleeds it leads. Try living in the Midwest, where you have to damn near wipe out a town to get the kind of news coverage a pencil-necked pervert gets in D.C.
Dec '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Actually, the initial story is that he was hacked.
And half the people knew he was lying and acted as if it were a lie.
And half the people actually believed him.
Might not have been a big deal if it weren't for Chris Lee.. Also might not have been a big deal if Weiner had either resigned or told the truth.
Dec '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
An Australian infobabe is clearly vexed with me on Twitter because all we're talking about is Weiner instead of climate change.
Tell her you're in favor of climate change.
I am. The earth is too cold. Not today, but most of the time.
Besides, I live in Iowa. I'm pretty sure I've got a long wait until I get that sweet, sweet beachfront property.
May '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
AmishDude: An Australian infobabe is clearly vexed with me on Twitter because all we're talking about is Weiner instead of climate change.
Tell her you're in favor of climate change.
I am. The earth is too cold. Not today, but most of the time.
Besides, I live in Iowa. I'm pretty sure I've got a long wait until I get that sweet, sweet beachfront property. · Jun 8 at 11:21pm
Actually, it's kind of fun. She's an real reporter, in that she asks conservatives what we think, rather than telling us what we think. I was almost sad to tell her that Climate Change doesn't really register among our top 50 priorities.
We should really reciprocate by getting an Aussie (Tim Blair!) on the phone at some point. Her name is Wendy Carlisle, for those down under, and works for the AusBC. Don't browbeat her; she listens, which is the best we can expect.
Mar '11
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
Claire - my mind is always outa the gutter. I don't have any control over the American media.
btw: Weiner's weiner should be wiener - though it is easy to confuse the two, I must admit.
May '10
Re: You're Kidding About Congressman Weiner's Weiner, Right America?
I'm starting to seriously worry about Claire. First she's correcting the language of people at dinner. OK, at least she was aware of that problem. Now she's saying America isn't globally relevant, cause we're having too much fun mocking a prime target of mockery, as hasn't been delivered unto us in full many a moon. Also, she equates laziness with evil.
It's those Scandis, I tellya. Bleakly snowblind, in a Bergman film. Are there no Italians aboard to sing her canzones? No British to tell her jokes? Is there no dark-eyed Lothario to spin her round the floor with the promise of romance ever hovering in the air? What kind of cruise from Hell is this? This is almost scary enough for me to wish [shudder] cats upon her. Drink, gamble, anything would be healthier than this!