Rep. Anthony Weiner is under pressure in Washington to resign over his sexting-and-lying scandal, but he still enjoys support among some of his constituents in the New York City borough of Queens.
CNN's Jason Carroll is speaking with New Yorkers on the street Saturday to get their opinions.
"I have a very hard time with the resigning thing," Dale Kaplan told Carroll. "But personally, in a very selfish way, I was crying when I heard about it because he was a voice for things that I strongly believe in, and that voice has now been taken away. Who's going to take his place? Nobody. And I'm so, so incredibly upset about that.
"Should he resign? Yeah, I guess he should; everybody else is resigning," she continued. "I mean, I don't think he did anything so awful, but he's taking away from the party. ... It's just causing so much furor that we shouldn't be talking about. That's the only reason.
"I feel sorry for him as a person," Kaplan added, "because, to see a man's life fall apart right in front of your eyes, it's very, very depressing."
Others in Weiner's 9th Congressional District may be similarly conflicted. A Marist College poll released Thursday showed 56% of registered voters there don't believe he should step down; 33% believe he should. The district covers portions of Queens and Brooklyn.
Reporters swarmed Weiner when he stepped out of his Queens apartment Saturday morning, apparently to run some errands. He repeated his answers to previous questions and dismissed reporters as he ducked into an ATM kiosk.
However, he stopped and turned around when a woman ran up behind the gaggle of journalists and shouted to him:
"Thank you, Anthony! I just want to let you know that I support you no matter what. I support you, OK? That's your private life. You are a great man. I need a right man in the right position, OK? I support you. We all support you. ... All the people of New York want to make sure that you are the next mayor."
Weiner shook the woman's hand and thanked her before going back inside the banking kiosk.
Well cant wait 4 carma.what to do?What have i done to new yorkers?not a thang.
Well cant wait 4 carma.what to do?What have i done to new yorkers?not a thang.y hasnt weiners boss come to me himself? ballz missn?to tiny to find?or just cant get hard?mmmm
If he was a Republican, GOD help us. Everyone would want his head on a stick. I have seen him go at Republicans mercilessly, so now it's time to take your own medicine. He must go.
Weiners boss? y havent u shown ur weenr n this? o cuz u cant get hard to find it? u n ur power tripn self startd war.the south will rise again
Unfortunately, Anthony Weiner is damaged goods. Despite for what he believes and fights for politically, he can no longer be an effective member of the House. It's tragic that middle class Americans are the real losers in this.
I don't think a guy by the name of weiner can get beyond this, there's just no way.. That said, really dude, you really sent pictures of your weiner and your name is weiner.. Now this guy has had jokes about that his entire life and he really steps in the trap of sending those pictures.. WOW.. Therefore, I'm not so shocked, actually I'm ok with it, however, please resign just for the stupidity you displayed... You will never overcome what you have done !
Obama's and the democrats' poll numbers have plummeted since thus started. Please don't resign.
I hope Weiner stays and campaigns for Obama -–IIt would be a landslide GOP victory - can just see the debate questions for Obama when he unsuccessfully tries to articulate his agenda -- Mr President, have you ever shown your weiner to a bunch of strange women? Have you seen the Congreeeman's weiner, and what are your thoughts? Who has the biggest weiner in your administration? Did Nancy Pelosi like weiner's weiner? How about Barney Frank? Do you think Weiner should resign, or should his weiner simply be punished?
If we were still at the beginning of this fiasco I would agree with the people that say don't quit but that's all past us now. I say he should quit because HE LIED and I hate you morons that say why should he quit for lying they all lie. What an ignorant excuse to keep a politician in office after a matter in which he broke his confidence with the people of his district. If he's re-elected he will go on to bigger and better things breaking the laws that he's supposed to make. You deserve to get what you ask for.
I support you Anthony, you may be from New York, but you're alright in my book. You are standing up to face your consequences, you may have lied about 1 tweet for a week, but I feel you've been truthful in your statements since then. Its unfortunate what the media has become these days, a collection of tabloid grocery-rack stories followed by the evolved Trash-TV audience.
Yeah, and if your wife lies about sending her picture to six men, it's all right. She is still alright in my book. Now, how can I get hold of your wife?
I have a greater respect for Chris Lee because he did the right thing and resigned. Weiner, on the other hand, continues to bring shame to himself, his family and the people of New York by his lack of character shown by his refusing to step down.
Ok, all of you nay sayers about his resignation, consider this: what if it had been your daughter who received the pictures? You CANNOT allow someone with such poor judgement to be making the very important (and highly moral!) decisions you expected him to make as a congressman when you elected him. As someone here pointed out: he IS damaged goods...noone wants to work with him, noone wants to even talk to him....how effective is he going to be representing you (AND YOUR CHILDREN!)...CUT YOUR LOSSES NOW BY FORCING HIM TO RESIGN!!!!!!!!!!!
56% think he should not resign. Charlie Rangel gets re-elected. New Yorkers are the dumbest people in America.
Perhaps. However, it could also be the case that New Yorkers see the distinction between productivity/results (money, projects, etc secured for the district) and an individual's private life (however repulsive and inappropriate said private life might be).
Let us all take a deep breath. Drop our stones, and examine our own lives.
Because people believe that a person's private life, whether you agree with it or not, when they haven't broken any laws, is there own?
That makes New Yorkers a lot more open minded and tolerant, which are generally signs of superior intelligence. So, buzz off.
It is no surprise that New Yorks sent a man like Weiner to Congress or allowed him to run for Mayor of New York. Bloomberg is not much better and a little worse in many respects. New Yorkers, even though most of the city is a sweltering ghetto in summer and a freezing wasteland in winter, have apparently turned into a bunch of greedy, misdguided individuals whose biggest hope in life is to retire to Florida off the money and support they receive from the rest of the United States. There is no telling what is going on in that state – for example – why did they send Hillary Clinton to the Senate? That was not about New York – that was something else. As for New York City – God save us all, it should be broken up. Wall Street has become a liability to the nation and is feeding off us like a parasite.
You've either never been to the City or have a serious case of envy.
I am one of the millions who worked hard to get here and keeps working hard to stay here, living in Manhattan. Retiring to Florida seems like the seventh circle of hell to me. After living here for 15 years, and having traveled to most of the country and much of the world, I can definitively tell you there's no place I'd rather live.
I agree with you about Wall St though.
We might have some jobs now, maybe lower unemployment rate, if the media had spend as much time as they do on Weiner/Palin as they do on jobs/economy/etc. What we need today is responsible media. We really need a news station that focuses 24 hrs. on jobs/economy, sort of like the opposite of CNBC. That Palin/Weiner stuff should be on the Hollywood, entertainment channel.
New Yorkers keep sending Rangel back to congress....they will do the same with Weiner....seems they may not, as a group, be very bright.