While the media buzzes around U.S. Rep. Anthony D. Weiner (D-NY) and his admission that he has been conducting cyber-affairs with various women for the last couple of years, we’d like to ask: Just what, exactly, makes this front-page, top-of-the-hour news?
Weiner, as far as we know at this point, broke no laws. He didn’t actually meet in person any of the women with whom he admits exchanging sexual innuendo and revealing photographs. We’re going to hear, over and over again, how stupid he was to accidentally send to a young woman a photo of his boxer-shorted groin area via Twitter. Yet, well … how many people have hit a “send” button and then wish they had not? It happens.
What strikes us, most, about what Weiner did is how utterly commonplace it is.
We’re not sticking up for him, mind you. Having cyber-affairs when you’re married is not what we’re going to call admirable behavior, especially if you’re hiding it from your spouse. But what Anthony Weiner did, millions of other Americans have done, are doing and will do.
As scandals go, “Weinergate” is barely worth a mention next to others in the news even just recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Edwards for starters.
Let it go, media hounds.