Weiner is on a temporary leave of absence, in treatment for an undisclosed disorder at an undisclosed location. The MassLive readers have taken a variety of stances on the issue.
Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., is questioned by the media near his home in the Queens borough of New York, Saturday, June 11, 2011. The 46-year-old congressman acknowledged Friday that he had online contact with a 17-year-old girl from Delaware but said there was nothing inappropriate. (AP Photo/David Karp)WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Anthony Weiner's behavior has been "inappropriate" and "a distraction," the White House said Monday as the House returned to work for the first time since eruption of the sexting scandal that has brought calls for the New York Democrat's resignation.
White House spokesman Jay Carney wouldn't say whether President Barack Obama believes Weiner should resign — as other Democratic leaders have said.
Weiner is on a temporary leave of absence, in treatment for an undisclosed disorder at an undisclosed location. He has acknowledged exchanging messages and photos that ranged from sexually suggestive to explicit, with several women online. The latest to surface appeared on the gossip website TMZ.
"The president feels, we feel in the White House, that this is a distraction, obviously," Carney said in response to questions from reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One to North Carolina. "As Congressman Weiner has said himself, his behavior was inappropriate, his dishonesty was inappropriate. But the president is focused on his job which is getting the economy continuing to grow, creating jobs, and obviously ensuring the safety and security of the American people."
The MassLive readers have taken a variety of stances on the issue. Here is what some of them had to say:
Halloween says: The dems desperately want Weiner to resign because they fear a continuing series of revelations. Obviously, Weiner’s been at this for some time and the dems consider it likely more women will come forward and more tweets/photo’s or other embarrassments will, over time, manifest themselves.
If Weiner resigned, then any future revelations will have little impact on the Democratic Party.
In this matter, the dems should follow the lead of the repubs where in similar circumstances they quickly resigned. Sleaze is not confined to any one party.
buddystone says: btw, you want to talk about hypocrites, wasn't Weiner working on a bill governing the use of electronic media for "sexting" to make cyberspace safer?
memd says: He needs help all right, he needs help packing up his office and to stop being an embarrassment to his family
Vernon Hill says: Professional treatment? But I thought he said he had done nothing wrong.
What's you take on the Weiner scandal? Should he resign already? Is too big of a deal being made of all this? Chime in below and join the conversation.