If disgraced New York congressman Anthony Weiner needs a shoulder to cry on, he now has one in journalist Barbara Walters, who on Thursday’s edition of The View proposed that Weiner should not resign. “He was a good congressman, and maybe he can weather this all and be effective.”
Walters (who blabbed in her memoirs that she had an affair with a married politician) hoped Weiner could become another heroic Clinton: "we had a president named Bill Clinton who went through a great deal of trouble, weathered the storm and is now not only respected, but he's beloved by many people with a very good marriage."
(video after the break)
Walters proposed that the congressman merely be rehabilitated rather than face actual consequences. “I think the pictures are disgusting. But I think he has hit rock bottom, and this may be what he needed so that he changes his life. He has been a good and effective congressman.” said Walters. She acknowledged that she was the only member of the panel not urging Weiner to step down.
As usual, Elisabeth Hasselbeck held the strongest position against Weiner. “This is an elected official, that he should be operating in an honest way, and that if we had to vote today, I believe that most people would not re-elect him.” She was joined by Whoopi Goldberg, who pointed out that similar outrage was directed towards Republican Chris Lee. “If we do this with one, I think we have to do it with all of them.” said Goldberg.
Walters fits in perfectly in a world in which increasing numbers of people seem to think that actually facing the consequences of our actions is somehow reactionary. Walters and the rest of Team Weiner do not seem to realize that despite the division between public and private lives, lying is lying, and consequences are real.
A transcript of the exchange, which aired on the June 9 edition of The View at 11:01 am EDT, is available below.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Hey, hello, hello and welcome to The View, welcome to The View. You know, a lot of news has been breaking about the Anthony Weiner scandal in the past 24 hours. But, Barbara, you weren't here yesterday and you wanted to weigh in on a point we made.
BARBARA WALTERS: Yes, I do. I love you all very much. I watched yesterday. You were unanimous in saying that you thought that Anthony Weiner should resign and that seems to be what a great many people are saying. I don't think so. I think what he has done is unfathomable. I think the pictures are disgusting. But I think he has hit rock bottom, and this may be what he needed so that he changes his life. He has been a good and effective congressman. His wife, whom we now know has pregnant, has said she’s going to continue with the marriage. His constituents want him. The Ethics Committee can investigate him and chastise. And we had a president named Bill Clinton who went through a great deal of trouble, weathered the storm and is now not only respected, but he's beloved by many people with a very good marriage. So, I think Anthony Weiner should hang in there. He was a good congressman, and maybe he can weather this all and be effective.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK: If- if- he were- if he were an electrician and he came in and I had all my lights out, I wouldn't want him to change a lightbulb.
WALTERS: I heard what you said yesterday, I'm just giving the other side.
HASSELBECK: I respect that because I think, in terms of his work. But I do think, that if you are operating under the umbrella of, no just dishonesty-
WALTERS: This is what you all said yesterday.
HASSELBECK: -I do feel as though, you know, I don't care what he does for a living. This is an elected official, that he should be operating in an honest way, and that if we had to vote today, I believe that most people would not re-elect him.
WALTERS: Everybody seems to agree with you, I seem to be the only dissenter.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: No, No Barbara, but- but I think we do have to make a very special point because the congressman or senator from upstate, remembe, who-
JOY BEHAR: Chris Lee?
GOLDBERG: Chris Lee, who showed his chest. We said, you konw, you can't be doing this as- as one of the elected officials, and either we have to- and he's gone. He- he was removed. He said I'm out because it wasn't right. So, if we do this with one, I think we have to do it with all of them.
WALTERS: Well, maybe we do. And there have been different cases. I mean, I didn't give a whole list in the past of senators and congressmen who have done various things and stayed. I don’t think that there can be a blanket- I know that what I'm saying is not what most people are saying. I just think that he was a good congressman. Maybe we can hope he weathers the storm.
