Monday, June 13, 2011

Obama: 'I would resign' in Weiner's situation

President Obama just threw Anthony Weiner under the bus.

In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Ann Curry that will air on Tuesday’s show, the President said with reference to Congressman Weiner:
I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign.
“When you get to the point where, because of various personal distractions, you can't serve as effectively as you need to, at the time when people are worrying about jobs, and their mortgages, and paying the bills — then you should probably step back,’’ Obama said.

Obama added that what Weiner did was “highly inappropriate’’ and that he has “embarrassed himself” and his wife and family, but said it will ultimately come down to a decision by Weiner and his constituents as to whether he will continue in office.

Obama did not discuss whether he would resign for committing U.S. troops to unconstitutional wars.

7 comments:

  1. Now someone has a motive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That reminds me of the scene in Casino, when Andy Stone(Alan King) tells Ace Rothstein(De Niro) , "The old man said maybe
    your friend should give in.
    When the old man says 'maybe',
    that's like a papal bull.
    Not only should you quit,
    you should run."
    I hope Weiner doesn't quit though. It is best to keep these crooks where you can see them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Obama did not discuss whether he would resign for committing U.S. troops to unconstitutional wars."
    Frankly I'm agnostic on the constitutionality of Presidential authorizations of military force vs. Congressional declarations of war.
    Now, granting that Iraq may have been unconstitutional as we invaded a sovereign country without provocation....I think few would disagree that some sort of military action needed to be taken after 9/11. Now here's the problem: upon which nation should Congress have declared war?
    If there is disagreement as to whether 9/11 justified a military response, what should our response have been? Would we not commit our intelligence to determining the masterminds of the plot..and if we ID'd those responsible for financing and planning Sept 11th, what possible response would the U.S. take which would not involve CIA, or overt military operations? I share your sentiment of the President gaining far too much military authority, but to call all military actions not preceded by Congressional war declaration "unconstitutional" is an intellectual cop-out. We may not like it, but the factis, the Constitution lacks clarity on Exec vs Leg war powers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I fail to see how what Weiner did was anything exceptional.

    Let's see.

    Average Congressional Performance:

    1. J***** off constituents - done, check.
    2. Obscene, embarrassing positions - done, check.
    3. Preening exhibitionism - done, check.
    4. Phallusy-ridden statements - done, check.
    5. Bare-a**ed lying - done, check.

    I'd say Weiner fits the job to a tee.

    Enough with the hissy fit.

    Nobody's life would look that great if you caught every silly thing they did/said in private and blasted it over the Internet.

    We've had a week of playing Peeping Tom-cum-Church Lady. Let's move on.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Re: Anonymous comment, "We may not like it, but the fact is, the Constitution lacks clarity on Exec vs Leg war powers."

    Try:
    Article I, Section 8, Clause 11

    If that isn't enough:

    “As the executive cannot decide the question of war on the affirmative side, neither ought it to do so on the negative side, by preventing the competent body from deliberating on the question.”
    - Thomas Jefferson

    “The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.”
    - James Madison

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Andre-- Thanks for the comment. "Clarity" is not the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm not confused about whether or not the President has constitutional authority to declare war.

    That may be an easy argument to refute, but it was not the one I was making.

    What should have been done after Sept 11 2001? Nothing? Congress should have declared war on ....? Do you have anything rational and concrete to put forward, or simply more truisms disguised as answers?

    ReplyDelete