COMMENTARY | The public distractions of New York Congressman Anthony Weiner are hurting the Democrat brand. What else could turn new Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz from the cautious language she used when the scandal first broke?
The official DNC version is now clear from Wasserman's comments on Sunday's edition of "Meet the Press." After calling Weiner's photo tweeting indulgences a "personal matter" two weeks ago, Wasserman Schultz was blunt: "We have made clear that he (Weiner) needs to resign. He needs to focus on getting his own personal issues in order, focus on his family and do the right thing for his constituents."
The complete life plan for Weiner, compliments of the DNC. First, Weiner must resign. Second, Weiner must receive treatment for his "personal issues." Thirdly, the congressman should "do the right thing for his constituents."
Adding to the weight of opinion of the DNC chair was the strong condemnation of President Barack Obama in an interview with NBC's Ann Curry.
"Obviously, what he did was highly inappropriate. He's embarrassed himself -- he's embarrassed his wife and his family. If it was me, I'd resign," said the president.
Not only did top Democrats lay out a life plan for Weiner, the president's condemnations on NBC conjured the political equivalent of the "perp walk," that part of criminal procedure in which the accused is paraded before the television cameras.
What else could official Democrats do now but point the way out? The question continues to be a large distraction for Democrats as the president faces issues like the debt ceiling, jobs and unemployment, Middle East instability, and his own reelection campaign, to name just a few.
Yet, in every statement that comes from the growing list of Democrats who are urging Weiner to resign, there is a mild sort of disclaimer added on.
"Ultimately there's going to be a decision for him and his constituents," said President Obama.
In other words, Weiner could continue to brazen it out, go to some sort of therapy wherein he faces his personal issues, and then declare himself cured and ready once more to serve his constituents.
From the human side, that would be acceptable to some people. On the political side, it's dangerous to the Democrat's re-election plans. Democrats may call for Weiner's resignation but they must also prepare for the possibility that he could stay.
Weiner's constituency is a small but highly committed coalition of left-liberal and blue-collar New Yorkers who are angry at the Democrats' official line. This faction takes the psychological rather than moral view that Weiner's problems stem from relatively unimportant personality issues which can be remediated.
Weiner's official supporters may be dwindling, but there is anger among some loyalists, who can be described more as tribal than political.
Weiner is one of the city's progeny. He spent his toddler years in a controversial Queens housing project called Rochdale Village Mitchell-Lama, was raised in Brooklyn, educated in the public schools, and ultimately became the protege of New York's better known Congressman Chuck Schumer.
Yet, nowhere is winning in the rat race held in higher esteem than in New York City. New York Democrats want badly to win. It is inevitable that Weiner will end up "under the bus," along with other fallen competitors.
Anthony Ventre is a freelance writer who has written for several weekly and daily newspapers, for Demand Studios, and for AOL Online. He is a frequent Yahoo contributor, concentrating in news and financial writing.
