When the Anthony Weiner sex scandal first broke a couple of years ago, I was openly critical, not just of him, but of the Democratic apologists who were lining up to assure us that it was really no big deal. As his seven-term congressional career crumbled, I focused not on his pursuit of online dalliances with young women, but on his subsequent lying about it. My basic contention was, why should we the public trust a politician who so easily and so doggedly lies so much to the people who love and trust him the most?
This past July, I wrote another piece after Weiner found himself mired in yet another sexting scandal, this time as he campaigned to become mayor of New York. I broached the possibility that he might be an addict. There is a growing body of research pointing to various online behaviors, such as texting, as psychologically addictive. And how else, I reasoned, could we explain this man throwing away his hard-earned political career with such seemingly frivolous actions not once, but twice?
Now I find myself writing about Anthony Weiner, the blogger’s gift who keeps on giving, for what is hopefully the last time.
For surely, I cannot be the only one who has wistfully thought: Why on Earth does this lunatic insist on running when he has no chance of winning, but doing so will undoubtedly bring even more shame and humiliation to himself and his family?
Anyone who’s paid even modest attention to the New York City mayoral race has no doubt that asked themself the same question. And there are some obvious answers:
- Desperation
- Stupidity
- Ego
- Fear
- Greed
But a recent clip making the rounds on social media made me consider another reason. Perhaps it’s simply because Anthony Weiner is mentally ill.
Check out this footage of Weiner losing his shit while responding to a heckler. The meltdown begins at about the 3:40 mark.
Some observations are worth noting. This incident takes place in a kosher bakery on the eve of the Rosh Hashana holiday, the holiest time of year for Jews. The assembled crowd is comprised mostly of orthodox Jews. 
Weiner is of course Jewish. Though not orthodox, has always received staunch support from blocs of orthodox voters. While in Congress, he represented their interests with tremendous fervor. Finally, the heckler who calls Weiner “a scumbag” and then throws down with him is an orthodox Jew.
Taken in isolation, this incident is not terribly noteworthy. Politicians on the campaign trail face all kinds of heckling. And it is not unheard of for hecklers to cross the line and for a politician to occasionally break character and respond, though of course they are trained not to.
But this isn’t just any politician. This is someone who has no business being in the race precisely because he has zero chance of winning and because he is a magnet for this kind of abuse.
Why is he putting himself in this position? Why is he losing his shit in front of the cameras? At some point you have to wonder if it can all be chalked up to bad judgement and an unquenchable ego. At some point you have to wonder if this guy is all there.
Watch Weiner as he flies off the handle. Observe the searing rage pouring forth. Look at his contorted face and his hyper-aggressive body language. Listen to the angry shouts and broken-record repetition of his arguments.
And then, poof!
It’s over. Not because there’s any natural conclusion, but simply because he’s done venting. Just like that, Weiner turns around, walks away, and casually engages those around him, barely acknowledging that anything has happened. As if it were all very normal.
Watch that footage and tell me you don’t think Anthony Weiner is nuts.
This isn’t a regular old person losing their temper after being baited. This is a crazy person who repeatedly does crazy things that cause him and his family great pain; that subject him and his loved ones to profound public humiliation; and who irrationally ignores impending failure while bringing more shame, embarrassment, and humiliation to himself and his loved ones.
If most any other politician had verbally retaliated against a heckler who called him a scumbag, you’d be at least somewhat sympathetic. But when it happens to Weiner, you just shake your head and say “of course.”
But worst of all, by the time you’re done watching the footage, you come away thinking that the heckler actually seems like the (sort of) reasonable one among these two. And that Anthony Weiner is an unstable creep whom you wouldn’t so
Sorry, guy. We gave at the office. No. No. No. No. No.
I’m closing the door now. Please go away or I’m calling the police.
UPDATE 5:00 PM: It is now being reported that the heckler is a Brooklyn man named Saul Kessler. And that after initially calling Weiner a scumbag (totally true), Kessler muttered in reference to Weiner’s wife Huma Abedin: “Married to an Arab.” This was not initially reported and I did not pick it up when listening to the footage. But it is now confirmed. This version of the footage from CNN comes with subtitles. It’s very clear. In light of this, allow me to amend the post as follows:
- Saul Kessler, you are a racist piece of shit, and I hope a plague of locusts destroys the roof of your sukkah this year.
- Saul Kessler, you are also shmuck. Huma Abedin isn’t even Arab, you moron. She’s half-Indian and half-Pakistani. I hope you get your schmeckle stuck in the hole in the sheet through which you pork your sheitel-wearing wife. And no, I know orthodox Jews don’t really screw through a sheet, I’m just saying it to make a point about hurling ignorant racist barbs at people. Shmendrik.
- Given these developments, and assuming Anthony Weiner heard the comment about his wife at the moment (which is not a given), I think he’s totally justified for blowing up at Kessler, and I apologize for saying it shows he’s crazy.
- There are plenty of other reasons why Anthony Weiner is crazy.
- Anthony Weiner is bat-shit crazy.
- For those of you who don’t know, this is clip art of a man building a sukkah.
