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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIn Defense of Carlos Danger
This is the true story of two men who, unfortunately for both of them, share the same body. Exhibit 1: Anthony Weiner—married politician, disgraced former congressman, mayoral candidate, public asshole. Exhibit 2: Carlos Danger—married man, habitual sexter, private dick. Let us now consider their respective “sins.”
As a congressman, Anthony Weiner was a spectacularly ineffective buffoon. A recent New York Times review of his tenure in the House paints a devastating portrait: Weiner was megalomaniacal, narcissistic, bad at navigating the political ropes, alienating to potential allies, alarmingly disinterested in making actual change and really, really mean to his staff (one former aide likened him to Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada). In his twelve-plus years in Congress, the Times notes, Weiner “sponsored and wrote only one bill that he steered to enactment: a measure pushed by a family friend who gave his campaigns tens of thousands of dollars in donations.” When Democrats controlled Congress in 2007–08, Weiner introduced fifty bills but didn’t get so much as a cosponsor on thirty-nine of them. According to a former staffer quoted by the Times, “He just never tried…. The point was to be able to say he introduced a bill.” Yes, Weiner squawked loudly about single-payer healthcare, but his interest in it always smacked of grandstanding opportunism. When the ACA finally came up for a vote, Weiner threatened to hold it up in committee unless he could introduce a single-payer amendment—a noble cause, which he bartered away not for any policy concessions but for a primetime speaking slot and a letter of recommendation from Nancy Pelosi.
And that’s just his record on domestic issues. When it comes to foreign policy, Weiner can give Liz Cheney a run for her money. He was one of eighty-two Democrats who voted for the Iraq War, and he continued to support its funding long after its flimsy rationale had evaporated. But it’s on the subject of Israel/Palestine that Weiner truly distinguishes himself. At least twice in public, he has insisted that the West Bank is not occupied, denying a fact that even right-wing former Israeli Prime Minister and settler movement architect Ariel Sharon admitted a decade ago (for a complete account and video of Weiner’s statements, see Ali Gharib’s report for The Daily Beast). He has also claimed that there is no Israeli military presence in the West Bank, which would be news to the IDF soldiers stationed there. As Stephen Zunes points out, Weiner’s denial fits squarely in a disturbing pattern of squelching criticism of the Israeli state and of making patently untrue statements to do so, including claiming that the United States recognizes the PLO as a “terrorist organization” twenty years after it ceased using that designation. These statements reveal Weiner to be a knowing liar or a willfully ignorant ideologue, either of which should disqualify him from holding public office.
Now let’s turn to Carlos Danger, Weiner’s online pseudonym and alter-id. Carlos Danger sexts—a lot. He is overly fond of his penis. He takes pictures of it and sends them to strange women he has never met. He has banal sexual fantasies that involve high heels, pulling hair, holding down wrists and a lot of wetness all around. He does not, apparently, understand the Internet very well, even though he spends a lot of time on it and even though the hackneyed conventions of Internet porn appear to be his Kama Sutra. His prolific sexting took place before, during and after his wife’s pregnancy. He was caught doing it, denied it, admitted it, promised not do it again, did it again and admitted it—again. All of this makes him stupid, boorish, adolescent and deceitful about sex, but no more so than the millions of men (and some women) who do the same thing. It might also make him a bad husband, but only his wife Huma Abedin can be the judge of that, and it is really none of our business what she thinks, what arrangement they do or do not have and whether or not she should leave him. Nothing Carlos Danger did was illegal or coercive, and, it should be pointed out, none of it actually involved physical contact. His behavior and his marriage are entirely unworthy of public concern.
Read more: In Defense of Carlos Danger | The Nation http://www.thenation.com/blog/175418/defense-carlos-danger#ixzz2a9HApsZM
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GeorgeGist
(25,322 posts)By Martha Stout. Recommended.
napoleon_in_rags
(3,991 posts)Chris Mathews the other night, paraphrasing:
"He needs to get out so we don't have to report on his sex scandals".
That's the big lump in the MSM's underwear, isn't it? That they HAVE TO, that they are FORCED TO turn away from a thousand huge issues effecting millions or billions of people to report on Wiener's wiener? Then I turn the channel an see MSM figures fawning over newborn King George. It has a cartoonish quality to it, all of it. I mean, deeply cartoonish. We're talking about a politician here. His wife doesn't care, but the MSM has to act like we are his lover, like we the voters have to be concerned that Wiener will screw only us, like a good politician, and not cheat on us. The whole thing reveals such a deep absurdity with the status quo, that I'm actually glad he's in the race. It helps us see the truth.
Divernan
(15,480 posts)Read more: In Defense of Carlos Danger | The Nation http://www.thenation.com/blog/175418/defense-carlos-danger#ixzz2a9LcsgJO
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And this comment followed the article at the link. I found it thoughtful, although I do not agree with it entirely, particularly its assumption that he is able to break his narcissistic patterns.
How do these people even feel the confidence to run, and find the support to run for such high office? Some of us come from cultures where even a wrong word uttered makes us feel ashamed for a long time. That is one extreme, and Weiner-like guys the other - no shame whatsoever.
Weiner's personal life is not that important as his Congressional record. It is mediocre, one sided and very unimpressive.
These narcissistic and entitled guys feel no shame and no basic self awareness. What this man did is not just an affair or internet intimacy between consenting adults (single or married) - which is none of our business. His peccadilloes seems to be a pattern of juvenile sexual distraction and obsession that borders on perversion and addiction. He is yet to admit to this pattern, understand its addictions and dangers and break that pattern. His internet last name was "Danger"...which implies his "need for doing things that are a taboo, controversial, exhibitionistic or a political volcano" for macho narcissistic attention. Not a healthy man psychologically.
His wife looks tired, exhausted, tied down or dragged into this. She did not look like she had forgiven him or believed him totally...while he hovered over her like a control freak. She is a nice woman and needs to get a divorce before he ruins her life and their kid's in irreversible ways.
You cannot compare him with Clinton (as some Republicans have been doing). Couples who choose to have an open marriage, or allow their partners to have intimate relationship with other consenting adults for a range of reasons are not giving their partners permission to harass or sexually tease, taunt or manipulate another...and to pursue without taste, decorum, respect and sensible discretion.
If this man had one night stands with adult women prostitutes (for relief and relaxation) with his personal money on his private time (with his wife's knowledge and permission) I would have more respect for him.
His personal life has become a center of his candidacy because he has nothing to offer politically.
This comment makes the opimistic assumption that Weiner could alter his values and behaviors.
Narcissism is rarely, if ever, cured - the likelihood diminishes with the age of the individual. Narcissists sometimes seek therapy after major disasters - losing a job, a spouse, etc., but therapy rarely helps - "success" is viewed as teaching them how to conceal their sense of superiority and lack of empathy.
The biggest problem facing the healing of a Narcissist is the Narcissist themselves. Firstly, Narcissists would have to admit that something was wrong with them in order to go and seek any form of therapy. Given their grandiose nature this is unlikely unless a traumatic life event such as divorce, loss of job, imprisonment, serious illness etc. takes place. When they enter therapy they may do so only to treat their symptoms not the underlying problem or they may do so to learn how to become "perfect".http://www.echo.me.uk/npd5.htm
Secondly, when they do find the strength to go to therapy they will be looking to extract narcissistic supplies from their Therapist. They will interact in the same way they do with others and begin the cycle of inflation (where the Therapist is respected by the patient) and devaluation of the Therapist (where they are seen as incompetent). The Narcissist will also project/transfer their feelings on to the Therapist who must decipher and deal with it in a manner that ensures the patient doesn't feel that they are being attacked or "bad" to have these feelings.
Thirdly, Narcissists may become disillusioned with their treatment and give up seeing it as a waste of time because "the cure" doesn't happen fast enough. The Therapists work is repetitive in nature as the patient resists their efforts to help them heal, so it may appear to the Narcissist that no progress is being made. Narcissism is difficult to treat and it can take years to make a break thorough (if a break through ever occurs). Not surprising really when you think that the Therapist is in essence trying to re-parent their patient in the hopes of helping them to develop a sense of Self and awareness of others separateness and value.
Fourthly, some Therapists will give up on the hope of helping the Narcissist too early. In conjunction with the behaviour described above Narcissistic patients can be ungrateful and critical of their Therapist, show anger at not receiving special treatment they feel they are entitled to e.g. not being accommodated for being late to an appointment, the Therapist taking a week off for a holiday or being off sick etc.
Narcissists do not take demands for change or criticisms lying down. They will defend their arrogance. As the eminently narcissistic architect, Frank Lloyd Wright said: “Early in life, I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance and have seen no reason to change." Such self-adoration may be forgivable in Wright, whose buildings have long since outlived his personal failings. Weiner offers no such redemptive contributions to society for his behaviors.
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/27/narcissists-know-theyre-obnoxious-but-love-themselves-anyway/#ixzz2a9USXZoy
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)His record actually sucks. Found out about that here.
I don't like his pro-israel "at any cost" stance at all.
cali
(114,904 posts)into a high profile spokesman but he never walked the walk.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Pity, we have so few real progressives in office.
cali
(114,904 posts)to live in Vermont. My congressional delegation is Progressive, but beyond that we have a strong back bench of progressives. My delegation to Congress is pretty old. Sanders and Leahy are over 70. Peter Welch is in his late sixties, I believe.
Vermont has the only viable third party in the country. It's the VT Progressive Party and they hold seats in both the VT Senate and House. There are some pretty kick ass Progressives in office- and not just from the Progressive Party but from the Democratic Party.
Puzzledtraveller
(5,937 posts)When people give themselves their own names something is wrong. Carlos Danger is not a serial killer but he has some serious issues that need to be worked out. Away from the public and away from public office.
