Weiner envy

Since the rancid Weiner (Anthony) announced his campaign for the mayoralty of New York, I’ve been looking for an excuse to enter the Weiner (punning) sweepstakes. Now I think the Houston Chronicle may have provided the fodder. Finding the local angle in a New York story, the Chronicle reports on Weiner’s incredibly efficient rehabilitation in Houston:

Anthony Weiner’s New York mayoral candidacy was only made more improbable today after he revealed that he visited a Houston psychiatric facility following his resignation from Congress in 2011.

Haunted by scandal surrounding his sexually explicit online communications with women, the Democratic former congressman sought treatment for his compulsive behavior from mental health professionals at the Gabbard Center.

According to its website, the facility provides “3-day outpatient psychiatric evaluation,” particularly to “professionals who are in personal or professional crises.”

While Weiner did not disclose his diagnosis, he told the New York Daily News that the Center was critical in his “journey” to becoming a “new man.”

“It wasn’t an addiction thing,” he told the Daily News. “I mean, it was just a place to get away and to meet people…who might be able to help.”

In his resignation statement, Weiner said that his main priority upon stepping down was to “heal from the damage that I have caused.” Weiner told the Daily News that he “didn’t go to rehab anywhere” – simply that he worked with a referred therapist at the Center over a few days.

In his resignation statement, Weiner brilliantly turned himself from a perpetrator into a victim. He needed to “heal from the damage” that he had caused. Let the healing begin! For a man in a hurry, three days sounds about right.

Where did Weiner turn for advice on his short road to rehabilitation? He could have turned to the Big He who officiated at his wedding, but Clinotn would surely have advised a more plausible timeline on the journey to becoming “a new man.” Three days!

We know, however, that the journey to new manhood isn’t over yet. It won’t be complete without the help of the New York voters whose assistance Weiner requires to achieve victory in the race for the Democratic nomination.

UPDATE: I see Wesley Pruden is thinking along the same lines, and the New York Times is covering Weiner’s raucous reentry on the campaign trail.

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