Let's set aside all of the jokes about New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner and consider some simple facts: He is a seriously disturbed human being. Rather than standing behind his political campaign, his family, friends, and associates should be telling him to seek help.
Elihu Root said, "About half the practice of a decent lawyer consists of telling would-be clients that they are damned fools and should stop."
A similar attitude should apply in situations where a politician turns himself into a standing joke. Anyone who is telling him to stay in the race is doing him no favor.
His campaign office should be empty.
3 comments:
The problem is this: He wasn't much of a Congressman to start with and wouldn't be known if it weren't for the scandal. He went straight from college to the staff of Chuck Schumer. People like this surround themselves with sycophants rather people who might say hard valuable things. It is a vicious cycle that can only be broken by the electorate.
He provides a great lesson for us all. We should ask ourselves two questions: 1) would we say anything? and 2) would our friends say anything to us? The answers are important.
Kurt,
It is similar to Machiavelli's point about observing the people about whom a leader surrounds himself. For many of this type, politics is their religion.
Michael
It is certainly their career. They must run; they can't do anything else.
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