Can Weiner weather willful exposure?

The ever-growing list of politicians tainted by scandals continues to become longer than the grocery list before Thanksgiving.

Spitzer, Sanford, Weiner. They’re names we know for all the wrong reasons.

This particular trio may have hit the political spotlight from different parties, states, and offices but they have one thing in common. They broke the golden rule of politics – “Whatever you do, don’t get caught.”

While it is a given that it’s immoral for anyone to cheat, lie, and steal, the ability for a politician to weather the infidelity scandal depends on early crucial steps that can mean the difference between moral resurrection and forgiveness or dissolution into political oblivion.

Case in point: Representative Mark Sanford. The former South Carolina governor was rising fast in the Republican Party until 2009 when he took a 7-day tryst to visit his now-fiancé Argentinian Maria Belen Chapur. When he was caught returning from South America, Sanford admitted to the affair in a painfully long press conference and accepted the responsibility and begged for forgiveness – two key components which served him well during his recent re-election to Congress.

Anthony Weiner, on the other hand, lived up to his last name when he failed to admit his faults and accept the fact some vast media conspiracy wasn’t building against him. Rather that he was, instead a perverted human arguably obsessed with sexual satisfaction.

What makes Weiner different than Sanford? Both lied. That’s a fact. But Weiner repeatedly denied any responsibility or involvement and repeatedly attempted to bullshit America. When that strategy failed, he finally admitted to the illicit pictures and text messages he exchanged with everyone but his wife.

Fast-forward to yesterday when Weiner, with his family in tow, became his own campaign’s worst nightmare. What a bad case of déjà vu!

POLITICO reported new pictures and text messages from the mayoral candidate surfaced Tuesday under “Carlos Danger” on thedirty.com.

In response his campaign released the following press statement:

“I said that other texts and photos were likely to come out, and today they have. As I have said in the past, these things that I did were wrong and hurtful to my wife and caused us to go through challenges in our marriage that extended past my resignation from Congress. While some things that have been posted today are true and some are not, there is no question that what I did was wrong. This behavior is behind me. I’ve apologized to Huma and am grateful that she has worked through these issues with me and for her forgiveness. I want to again say that I am very sorry to anyone who was on the receiving end of these messages and the disruption that this has caused. As my wife and I have said, we are focused on moving forward.”

Once again the dishonest former politician is stammering to regain trust from the people of NYC, something that should take all but a miracle to fix. The question is, will it?

His “apologetic” press statement lacks empathy, and unlike Sanford, Weiner doesn’t show a lick of genuine emotion. Will his press statement be strong enough to keep any supporters he may have? You have to expect the unexpected in todays politics (see South Carolina). Maybe the greater question is: Does he still have a chance to garner new voters?

Weiner and his staff would be wise to take a few notes from the Sanford playbook. It’s time to put it all out in the open, beg for forgiveness, and pray that somewhere, some unlucky New York schmuck will offer him a second chance.