Tag Archives: New York City

Now it's Rangel on the hot seat

The U.S. political world has been chattering and clamoring over the tea party’s rise within the Republican Party, and the notable victim it claimed a week ago, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia.

But this Tuesday, it appears quite possible a leading Democrat will fall to one of two challengers.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-charles-rangel-20140621-story.html

New York U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel has represented the Harlem district of New York City since The Flood. He’s a decorated Korean War veteran and a one-time chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Then he got into some serious ethical troubles. The House censured him and stripped him of his chairmanship.

He stayed on.

Now Rangel is facing a stout challenge from Adriano Espaillat and Michael Walrond in New York’s upcoming Democratic primary on Tuesday. A fourth candidate also is on the ballot, but she’s been invisible.

The odds are looking as though Rangel will go down to defeat. Espaillat appears to be the favorite.

New York doesn’t have a runoff rule that requires the winner to get 50 percent of the vote to declare outright victory. In New York, all the winner needs is more votes than whoever finishes second.

Rangel represents that old-time back-slapping pol who everyone knows in the district. The problem for him appears that everyone now seems to know him too well.

He’s worn out, tired, used up — or so it seems to many observers.

Rangel also has that recent history of ethical misconduct involving whether he took money from special interests.

If Rangel does go down Tuesday, then there might be far more at play here than just one party eating its own. There indeed might be a tidal wave about the sweep through Congress.

Let’s all hold on for a turbulent election year.

A comeback for Carlos Danger? Please … no!

Reports are circulating that Anthony Weiner, aka Carlos Danger, might be pondering a political comeback.

This can’t be happening. Can it?

http://www.msnbc.com/hardball/weiner-political-career-facebook

Weiner’s congressional career came to a screeching halt when it was revealed — no pun intended, honest — that he had emailed photos of one of his body parts to female acquaintances. Once the word got out, Weiner at first denied it, then admitted it, then quit the House of Representatives.

He sought — he said — to heal his marriage. Weiner went into hiding, more or less.

Then he returned to run for mayor of New York. Weiner professed to be cleared of his addiction to this kind of disgraceful behavior.

But wait! Then reports surfaced that, yep, he was doing it again — under the name of Carlos Danger.

Late-night comics went ballistic. Once their jokes took off into the stratosphere, Weiner’s poll numbers tanked.

He finished far back in the pack of the New York Democratic Party primary.

And then he was gone again. Or so some of thought — and hoped.

He wrote this on Facebook: “What’s next? I’ll keep you posted on my plans. But I hope we keep the band together.” He thanked his friends, apparently leaving the door slightly ajar for yet another foray into public life.

Spare the country, please, of the bad jokes and puns. Please?

So long, Anthony Weiner

Anthony Weiner’s time in the political spotlight has been reduced to an hours-long countdown.

In less than a day, New York City voters are likely to hand the former Democratic congressman his walking papers and signal an end to his bid to become the Big Apple’s next mayor.

So long, Carlos Danger.

http://www.today.com/news/anthony-weiner-wife-humas-only-crime-standing-my-side-8C11108130?ocid=msnhp&pos=6

The rest of us out here in Flyover Country shouldn’t be concerned about Weiner. He once was a loudmouthed member of Congress, the body that writes federal law under which we all live. Then we learned that Weiner had been sending lewd text messages and videos of himself to women — none of whom is his wife.

He quit Congress in 2011.

Then he returned to the spotlight by announcing his campaign for mayor. Oops, then something bad happened yet again. We learned that Weiner hadn’t stopped the “sexting” after all, even after promising us he had stopped. He was using the “Carlos Danger” name to send the images to women — again, none of whom is his wife.

Weiner’s political fortunes plummeted. He’s now figuring to finish fourth in a field of Democratic candidates for mayor.

This entire episode has been an embarrassment for everyone. I’m even embarrassed writing about it, but it’ll be the final time I’ll comment on this man’s idiotic behavior.

New York is the most important city in the world, let alone America. It needs a mayor who is serious and who can be treated seriously. Anthony Weiner isn’t that man.

So long, Anthony.

Let the NYC voters decide your fate, Mr. Weiner

Dear Anthony Weiner,

Don’t exit the New York mayoral race because you’ve been caught “sexting” someone after you quit your congressional seat after doing, um, the very same thing.

Yes, you had said you’d changed your ways. You had sought forgiveness from your lovely — and very smart — wife, Huma, who in turn had forgiven you for your naughty behavior.

So here’s the deal, Anthony: Let the voters have their say.

This new revelation about your handle “Carlos Danger” ought to become part of the dialogue among the candidates running for mayor. Why not let character become an issue? You are, after all, seeking to become mayor of arguably the most important city on the planet. The character of the city’s chief executive should be part of the debate.

In my view, NYC voters deserve better than you. But that is their call to make, not mine. I live out here in Flyover Country. However, I do care what New Yorkers think of their mayor.

Let them decide whether they want you to be their city’s public face and risk the possibility of become a laughingstock because they chose someone with your particular proclivity for naughtiness.